Are you walking around and singing, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year…”? Do the holidays spark a certain joy in you that no other time of the year can match? If the answer is “Yes,” – you are not alone. The holidays are undoubtedly special.
And this year, if you’ll be hosting a dinner or party for family or close friends, you probably want to make it extra special – but still stress-free. After all, you want to enjoy your get-together, too! Don’t worry! When you use these tips, you’ll be creating holiday memories for you and your guests – all while keeping your stress to a minimum.
Keep Safety in Mind
While you may need to make changes to your typical holiday gathering, it’s still possible to have a little holiday cheer while sticking to CDC guidelines. Consider eating your holiday meal outside! Not only is it an opportunity to enjoy some cool weather (a rare thing in Florida!) but also, what better way to take in all the Christmas lights!
If you must have your holiday affair indoors, consider purchasing festive masks for your guests to wear. Not only will you be keeping your guests safe, but you’ll also be sending them home with a party favor!
Send Your Invitations Early
If you want to ensure that all of your favorite people are in attendance, you need to send out your invitations early. It could be a simple email, text, or phone call – but make sure people get the date on their calendar.
Make a List
Then it’s time to plan! What foods will you be serving? Drinks? Will you have a signature cocktail? Decorations? A list can help keep you organized and will, hopefully, prevent anything from “falling through the cracks.”
Have Your Home Professionally Cleaned
Of course, you want your home to look its absolute best when your friends or family come over – but time is a precious commodity. So, why not let the professionals come and help? Mini Maid has been providing professional residential and commercial cleaning services in the Gainesville area for many years – and we guarantee that you’ll love the way your home looks. Plus, if you hire Mini Maid not only will your home look good but it will be hygienically clean making your guests feel safer too.
Make Your Home Festive
A festive home makes for a festive gathering. Spend some time putting up your favorite decorations and creating some ambiance for your dinner or party. Get the candles, create a playlist, break out the good china – pull out all of the stops to make it memorable!
Utilize Your Space Wisely
Have you ever been to a dinner or party where it just didn’t seem to “flow”? Perhaps the space wasn’t utilized correctly. Take a look at your home and decide what works well for the space you have. Where will you put the drink station/bar? Will you do a sit-down meal or buffet? Where do you want guests to spend time? When you make a conscious effort to think about your space, you’ll find that your gathering goes much smoother.
Cook Ahead or Cater
You have a couple of options when it comes to food for your party or dinner. You can do it yourself. You can have the event catered. Or, you can do a combination of the two.
If you’ll be doing the vast majority of the cooking, do what you can ahead of time. Think about how things will stay hot. Plan for a mixture of hot and cold food so that your oven is not overly crowded.
If you’ll be having it catered, line up a caterer well in advance. During the holidays, their schedule fills quickly, and you don’t want to be left out. Check out FTG Catering Boutique. They’re a great resource for preparing small or large meals.
Keep It Comfortable
You can have a festive gathering – and it can still be a comfortable evening for all. Think about how you can make your party or dinner an event that all will enjoy without being “stuffy” or “over-the-top.”
Ask for Help
Asking for help can be hard for some, but if people make the offer to help – let them. It can be as simple as letting them bring a few bags of ice or helping you pull out the holiday decor.
Save the Clean Up for After
It can be tempting to want to clean up while the guests are there – but let it go until everyone leaves. The dishes can wait – and you can enjoy more time with your guests.
This year, let Mini Maid help you during the holidays. We can make sure your home looks immaculate for your guests – and give you more time to spend with your friends and family. Call us today to see how we can help. We’ve provided quality cleaning in the Gainesville area since 1994.
