Stress-Free Holiday Entertaining

Do thoughts of holiday entertaining put you on tilt? This article is full of helpful hints and delicious recipes and menu suggestions for stress-free holiday entertaining — allowing you to embrace “home for the holidays” with anticipation and joy.

Let’s begin with a reminder that entertaining and celebrating the holidays is not about a clean house, a perfectly decorated abode or even the food served (family food traditions aside). It is all about the people who will cross your threshold, be they family or friends. Your guests are mainly there to spend quality time with you and the other members of your household.

“Planning a holiday gathering is an act of love and a gift for those you invite and gather,” says seasoned hostess and food writer Anne Willhoit. “Whether you expect to have a houseful or a table-full, with some simple planning and menu selections (and a little bit of discipline), you and your guests can have a wonderful, stress-free time together.”