Entertaining at anytime can be overwhelming, at this time of year we want to make everything special and festive. Whether you have guests staying over the festive season, or have family and friends popping in. I am sharing Christmas Entertaining Made Easy.
The key to entertaining is in the planning
- What are you going to serve your guests
- What do you need to get in
- What can you prepare in advance
Try to prepare as much as you can and make use of your freezer in the weeks and days leading up to their arrival.
Table of Contents
Finger Foods Are Your Friend
If you are having friends and family around for a day or evening. You can not go wrong with finger foods. It saves you worrying what everyone will eat and you can lay the buffet out before they arrive. Giving you chance to enjoy their company as well.
If you are having guests to stay. It is a little different to keep everyone fed and happy.
In my eyes, everyone should step in and help out. It is not fair to leave it to just one person.
Again, there are things you can prepare in advance.
A few other little tricks are to buy shop made.
Cupcakes and Brownies
With everything else going on, no one would blame you for buying pre-made cupcakes and brownies with a festive look to them
Lola’s Cupcakes are loved by everyone who tries them. This year they have a lovely selection of –
- The Elf Collection – festive cupcakes! Featuring a delightful mix of chocolate and vanilla cupcakes topped with luscious vanilla buttercream and chocolate fudge icing. Decorated with sugar holly leaves, white chocolate elf faces and candy canes and some colourful Christmassy sprinkles.
- Santa’s Favourite Christmas Brownies – Indulge in a delicious brownie topped with red, dark and white chocolate ganache with white chocolate elf faces and sugar decorations.
These look great and taste amazing and will have your guests wanting more. These will also make great gifts for those you are not able to see.
Use Shop Bought Shortcuts
It is ok to cheat a little, especially when you have guests staying.
- Buy pre-made pastry dough for tarts or pies.
- Use rotisserie chicken for casseroles or soups.
- Buy ready to bake pastries and croissants. Perfect for those afternoon sugar fixes, or breakfasts
- Also stock up on bake your own rolls and baguettes
Serve a Grazing Table
A charcuterie board or grazing table will let your guests help themselves if they get peckish. Giving you a chance to sit and relax.
- Include cheeses, cured meats, crackers, fresh fruit, and nuts.
- Add Christmas touches like sugared cranberries or rosemary sprigs.
Hot Meals
If cooking hot meals keep it simple. Make a big pot and let guests help themselves
- Curry and rice
- Chilli and rice
- Jacket Potatoes with various fillings
Take the stress out so you are able to relax and enjoy Christmas along with everyone else.
Do you have any tips to help make entertaining easy?
Loving these sensible tips for hosting a Christmas Party or gathering! Finger foods are also my go-to for any type of event like this and love these tips so much! Makes me want to host a beautiful, gathering soon!
Finger foods are so much easier everyone can help themselves and you can relax and have fun with everyone
Finger foods are a great way to keep guests occupied, fed, and having fun. I love it when there are great varieties of finger food at events, these are great suggestions!
My grandmother told me that I could use pre-made dough for things, as it’s less stress, and I really agree! We also have people bring an app when coming to ours for any event, which takes some of the pressure off.
I have not made my own pastry in years, I used to even making my own flaky pastry but pre-made is so much easier
Finger foods and a grazing table definitely the way to go. Include a couple of hot choices but, otherwise, cold food is absolutely fine.
It is the perfect way to go and less stress for you as people help themselves
Finger foods are some of the best for Holidays, especially when having a crowd of people who attend. I love cooking and will be prepping a lot of delish appetizers and main dishes as well.
Finger foods are great, I have been doing an online shopping list and have so much in the basket I need to go through it and remove some bits
Some great tips for making Christmas entertaining easier. We always have a selection of finger foods available!
We always have finger foods at Christmas as well, even if it is just us at home
Yes, yes and yes!! I love parties with just finger foods. Makes me not want to over eat.
Finger foods are the way to go especially over the festive period
Grazing table is where you will ALWAYS find me at any party 🙂
Me too my kind of food
Yes, I don’t find anything wrong with these store bought shortcuts. Personally, I have a stock of ready to bake goodies in that way I can just pop then in the oven when needed. Such a life saver.
I agree and am the same although have been using mine up to stock up on all the lovely ready made products that are available at the moment
Terrific Christmas entertaining recommendations in my opinion. I totally agree that everything hinges on how efficiently you plan. Lovely tips!
Planning is the key and making things a lot easier will create less stress for you
Those cupcakes and brownies look amazing! Knowing me, I probably would have eaten them before the guests arrived!
They are amazing and definitely a must have this Christmas
Excellent tips! I would add that if it’s a holiday gathering, making it a potluck is always a great idea! That way, no one person is overwhelmed.
That is a great idea anything to make it less stressful
A graze table is such a great idea. It makes it so much easier for the planning and prep than adding another few dishes to the mix.
I agree it makes like easier and people can help themselves without you having to rush around
I love buying some seasonal finger foods that guests can help themselves to when they want.
I do as well and loving all the selections in the shops at the moment
That charcuterie board, omg…It looks divine…I am so excited for Christmas especially since we’re hosting it this year…Super excited.
That is my kind of entertainment as well I could just sit and enjoy that all day long, I hope your hosting goes to plan
Planning in advance is the only way I can cope. Being organised is key. Great advice and tips.
Being organised and planning in advance does make it so much easier
do love cooking when energy levels permit
nothing tastes better
Home cooked is always better and agree always tastes better. But at times for whatever reason it is just not doable
We are having a boxing day get together and i love your tips to make it easier
Anything that will help to make entertaining easier is always worth trying. I hope you have a good get together