Friday 4 December 2015

Be The Hostess With The Mostess

Planning


If you're hosting a Christmas party, lunch or family gathering, preparation is everything!

Crockery



Dinner Sert


There is nothing worse than realising at the very last minute that you don't have enough plates for everyone (or a matching pieces). Options are to buy a new or extra dinner set, buy two or 3 of the same design, or buy an extra large set, as you can get some 32 piece dinner sets, which are perfect if you're having up to 8 guests for dinner.

Don't Forget Cutlery



canteen of cutlery


It's a given that we all have cutlery in our homes, but do you have enough for all the courses and all the guests? A canteen of cutlery is a great option as all the cutlery can be packed away for the next occasion. There's enough cutlery for 12 settings/guests and includes serving cutlery and a ladle too.

Cooking The Meal



food mixer pan set roaster


Cooking a Turkey with all the trimmings can be a daunting task, it can be made all the easier with the correct tools and some handy kitchen gadgets. Pans, Multi-Cookers, Steamers, Pressure Cookers, Roaster and Racks are useful, and a food mixer makes things all the simpler.

Sit Down Or Buffet?



buffer server


A jacobs join is a great way of having a get together without the host having to provide all the food and drink. If you don't want to risk everyone bringing the same food/course, you could put the names of dishes in a hat and allocate them at random to each of your guests. If you're happy providing the main course perhaps just ask guests to bring the starters, desserts, and drinks. One thing you do need to make sure you have enough of is serving dishes and serving spoons. Buffet servers are a great way to keep food hot on a buffet or dining table. This Giani buffer server can be used as both a hot tray and a plate warmer.

Drinks



optics set


If you do decide to provide some of the drinks, you can host your Christmas party on a budget by sticking to 2-3 types of drink rather than offering a whole selection. If you start offering loads of different cocktails you’ll have to buy loads of different spirits and mixers, so keep things cheap by sticking to one or two. Mulled wine always goes down a treat at Christmas, and here's a handy mulled wine recipe courtesy of Jamie Oliver. If you find mulled wine a bit harsh why not add a drop of amaretto, it's lovely!

House Guests



airbed foldaway bed sofabed


If you've got guests staying over this Christmas and have fewer beds than people, air beds and folding guests beds are the perfect solution. You could also get character sofa beds for the kids rooms.