From family dinners to work gatherings, the holidays are all about spending time with friends and family. It’s not surprising that many Canadians enjoy unplanned parties as well. In fact, six out of 10 of us consider “spontaneous, casual get-togethers” to be the most fun and memorable. On the theme of ‘less is more’, here are five tips to help keep the season stress-free.
- Do a buffet vs. sit-down dinner.
While formal sit-down dinners certainly have their place, buffets are a simple way to feed a group, especially when you can include make-ahead options that are easy to place and serve. If you use a table, make sure people can walk all around to avoid a bottleneck.
- Make a playlist in advance.
Music sets the tone of a party. Make a few playlists for various upcoming occasions so when the day comes, all you need to do is hit play for the perfect soundtrack.
- Host an open house.
With calendars full, it can be a challenge to fit everything and everyone in. Keep it simple and host an open house one weekend where friends/family can drop in throughout the day. With nibbles and sips on hand, it’s a fun and festive way to share your cheer.
- Stock the bar.
Shop in bulk to ensure you have more than enough wine, beer, spirits, bubbly and mixers on hand to last multiple gatherings. For beer drinkers who don’t want to sacrifice taste but are conscious of calories, try Molson Canadian 67 for a lighter alternative.
- Pick your traditions.
Don’t feel that you need to follow grandma’s five-course cooked-from-scratch dinner to have a successful holiday meal. Take the stress off by cherry-picking the traditions you want to continue or try starting some new ones.
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