How to Prep for the Holidays: Your Holiday Hosting Essentials Guide
Holiday prepping tips to keep your season merry and bright.
There is nothing quite like the feelings that the festive season brings. When you are surrounded with joy and happiness, the last thing you need is to be overwhelmed by the anxiety of being underprepared – especially if you are hosting this holiday. From seasonal serveware to upgraded appliances, we’ve compiled a list of holiday hosting essentials (and nice-to-haves) that’ll ensure you are ready for anything.
Browse each section to find room-by-room entertaining must-haves, or skip ahead to the section you want to read most:
Kitchen Holiday Hosting Essentials
Dining Room Holiday Hosting Essentials
Living Room Holiday Hosting Essentials
Guest Room & Bathroom Holiday Hosting Essentials
Cleanup Holiday Hosting Essentials
Kitchen Holiday Hosting Essentials
Stock your kitchen for the busy holiday season so that you'll be prepared for cozy nights in, festive fêtes, and everything in between.
1. Acquire a New Cookware Set
At this time of year, it is more necessary than ever to have access to a full cookware set. Christmas centers around food and if you are entertaining this season, you will want to ensure you have an entire arsenal at hand. Pick an oven-safe option to increase versatility by allowing pots and pans to even be placed in the oven if needed.
If you intend to be fully prepared, your holiday prepping tips should include handling leftovers. With all that cooking and baking there is bound to be extra food, so make sure you can safely store it all to be eaten later. You will also want to have plenty of confectionaries on hand for snacks and nibbles, so pick festive food storage containers to put out whenever guests come around. Having extras on hand will also be helpful if you want to send dinner guests with leftovers to take home.
Of course, you can't make all that holiday food without the proper tools. Fortunately for you there is the stand mixer – an underappreciated multi-purpose gadget you simply need to have. These appliances do it all – from whipping to kneading, pasta making to meat grinding, and even sausage stuffing – allowing you to do more with less.
A dutch oven is a well-loved secret weapon that is utilized by culinary aficionados the world over. These incredible pieces can cook anything from a Christmas roast to a tender crispy bread with very little work. So be sure not to miss out on this impressive piece this festive season. If you're interested in learning more, read How to Dutch Oven Cook for Endless Possibilities.
Additional useful multipurpose kitchen items are mixing bowls, especially the cute ones. These bowls are not only ideal for when you are cooking or baking in the kitchen, but can also function as quick serveware. If you are bringing out a homemade dressing or sauce, serving it in a new mixing bowl won't feel out of place on your holiday party table.
Perhaps a little less at the forefront of your holiday entertaining essentials, but still a lovely one to have, is a cake stand – especially if you intend to host a large Christmas party. It will instantly elevate any food, both in look and feel. If you don't end up using your cake stand for desserts, it still has a number of uses like a cheese board or, if nothing else, a lovely spot to place holiday decorations on your table for all to enjoy.
Whether you are lucky enough to have a large family or regularly host large gatherings, you will know that ample food requires plenty of serveware. These holiday hosting essentials can include serving platters, trays, dishes, serving spoons, and whatever else makes dishing up easier. And to lean even more into the festive theme, opt for serveware with holiday motifs like the Christmas tree platters above.
From serving merry mocktails to cranberry mules – and any other drinks in between – having the right glassware is imperative. You will want a set (or two) of versatile glasses to hold a myriad of drinks. This way you can be sure that everyone's cups runneth over, or at least are always full.
When you consider how to prep for the holidays, a baker's rack may not necessarily spring to mind. Yet, even if it doesn't fall under a Christmas essential, it certainly is a nice-to-have thanks to its storage capacity. You can choose to display your favorite Christmas figurines, or hunt down those cake and muffin pans and serving dishes you'll need for the season. No matter if you opt to store wrapped gifts or any of your handy kitchen tools front and center, a baker's rack has got you covered.
One of, if not the most versatile pieces you can add to your kitchen is a portable island. It will function as a prep station when you cook, a serving spot when you're done, and as a gathering place to eat and drink. There are even islands that come with storage to make your life that much easier. The best part is, the entire piece can be moved out of the way when it's not being used, an especially helpful feature for smaller spaces.
Dining Room Holiday Hosting Essentials
Whether you’re hosting a large holiday gathering or elevating an everyday meal, there are plenty of ways to make your table shine this season.
11. Pick a Dining Buffet
A buffet table or sideboard is an ideal piece for the storage of dishes and glasses, but it can do more. The empty top is great for serving food from or holding extra eating necessities when you run out of space, while the storage below can stash all of your beautiful holiday platters. It can also be a great spot to create a Christmas scene for your guests to appreciate if you feel like getting creative.
Boozy beverages and festivities often go hand-in-hand, so be sure to remember the good stuff when you are planning for the holidays. A bar cart doesn't just look fancy but also allows you to wheel the bar around and show off your best mixology skills if you like. Even gifts can be placed on one of these festive trains. For holiday drinks you'll love, read Christmas Cocktails: Everything You Need (& Recipes).
Since the holiday is so centered around food, you'll want to gather your loved ones in one space when eating. A large dining table is your best bet. A good-sized table will hold all the food and drinks, allow everyone a seat, and even have room for a few decorations here and there.
Keep it simple when it comes to dinner plates. As far as holiday entertaining essentials goes, your best bet is a fresh white set paired with crisp table linens. This will provide you with a backdrop to build upon, whether through elaborate foods, ornate decorations, or whatever else your heart fancies.
Along with your solid plates, you will want to select a strong set of cutlery to ensure everyone has something to eat with! Thanks to the more simplistic white plate foundation, you can start to get creative here. Pick something unique like gold or black for a subtle statement, or pick ornate handles instead.
Chargers may not seem overly significant at first, but placing them under your dinner plates will quickly and effortlessly add a flourish to any table. Even if all else fails on the decor front, or you run out of time, you can always rely on the elegance provided by a gilded charger plate to a setting.
Living Room Holiday Hosting Essentials
Make space for cozy conversation, crafting, board games, or classic movies with these picks for holiday hosting.
17. Take Advantage of Dual-Purpose Furniture
When you aren't eating, you and your loved ones will likely gather in the living room to spend time together. For this reason, you want to add coziness by way of a large plush sofa, soft holiday throw blankets, and overstuffed Christmas pillows. By including a multipurpose piece like an ottoman, you'll be adding not just a place to rest your feet upon when you kick back and relax, but also an extra seat or spot for snacking. Some ottomans even come with storage to make life that much simpler.
Sectionals are also fantastic for hosting large family get-togethers. Add to that, useful furniture items like a large coffee table or side table to store food, drinks, gifts, and decorations when throwing your Christmas party. No matter which you choose, these surfaces are a necessity for guests when entertaining in the living room.
Accent chairs come in handy when entertaining a crowd. They allow guests to sit across from one another rather than all lumped together on one couch together. Armless accent chairs in particular offer a sleek silhouette that is hard to go wrong with. Of course, don't forget the cozy throws to keep it all from feeling too formal.
Sleeper sofas are incredibly convenient when you find yourself with unexpected guests at your front door. These versatile pieces allow you to entertain by day and provide a comfortable sleeping spot at night. As far as planning for the holidays goes, buying a sleeper sofa is a worthwhile investment if you don't have a guest bedroom because you will still be able to accommodate overnight guests in your space.
Guest Room & Bathroom Holiday Hosting Essentials
Overnight guests? No problem. Streamline your guests’ stay with a few simple upgrades.
21. Refresh the Bedding
There is no better time to get new bedding than now. If your planning for the holidays includes guests staying over, you will want to ensure the guest bedroom is stocked up and in season. Choose a soft comforter and crisp sheets to help you create the guest suite you have always wanted. Fold a throw blanket or two at the end of the bed so that your guests can adjust the bedding to their preferred warmth level.
While new bed linens will look and feel great, you still want to ensure your guest's comfort. Swapping out the bed pillows for a fresh set can help guests feel at home. Additionally, a mattress topper can bring new life to an older bed at a more affordable price. To learn more about mattress toppers, read our guide What Is a Mattress Topper?
Make your overnight guests feel like they are at a five-star hotel with a folded stack of freshly laundered linens. Fold a bath towel and wash cloth for each guest and place it in a spot where they can easily see it. To really amp up the resort-like feel, include a set of plush bathrobes and a candle so that your guests can relax and unwind.
Place a table lamp near the bed to create a cozy environment for overnight guests to wind down before bed. A table lamp with a fabric shade casts a warm glow throughout the room, allowing your guests to turn off any overhead lighting before getting into bed and offer the perfect ambient light for a bit of late-night reading.
Woven storage baskets are one of those things that you can always find a purpose for – and your guest bathroom is just the spot. Store items like spare toilet paper or linens so your guests don't need to ask for any essentials.
Cleanup Holiday Hosting Essentials
Skip the headache of post-holiday cleaning with a few upgrades.
26. Purchase a Dishwasher
When planning for the holidays, people often forget the cleanup process. But once the meals are done, the dishes will need cleaning, and you obviously don't want to do that by hand. A reliable dishwasher is a lifesaver that will help reduce the hassle of cleanup after the food is gone. Swapping your dishwasher for a newer, more energy-efficient model can also help cut costs on your utility bills.
Trash is never a festive thought, but a new can will make a huge difference in your kitchen – especially if you often entertain in the kitchen. A large sleek bin will give your cooking area a more refined look while allowing you (and your guests) to throw away more garbage and make fewer trips to the outside cans.
No matter if it's bed linens, towels, or clothes, there is going to be a lot of laundry over this season. Keeping your family clean and beds fresh is hard work. Give yourself the gift of convenience with a new washer and dryer so that you are sure you will be able to handle any messes that come your way.
Keeping your house looking pristine with all the guests coming and going is not an easy task. Mud, dirt, food spills, and more are all bound to make their way onto your floors, leaving you to clean them up. A trusty, heavy-duty vacuum will make light work of it and allow you to get back to your celebrations as soon as possible.
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With all of these holiday prepping tips, you will be able to host the smoothest Christmas with no worries.
