We all need to get our homes ready for the holidays, but question is, what do you do in order to achieve this?
In our house, we clean, decorate, bake and wrap gifts. We prepare special holiday meals and do some entertaining with friends.
Procter & Gamble certainly has quite a few products that can help us get ready for the holidays and Colin Cowie, lifestyle expert and celebrity party planner has partnered with P&G to recommend five simple tips that Canadians can use to prepare their homes for the busy holiday social season:
Start with a color theme
Red and gold or white and silver are both perfect for a holiday party. Incorporate these colors into everything from your invitations to your decorations.
Good lighting is a must
Use lights on dimmers or consider adjusting the lighting of any room by adding candles. There’s no such thing as too many candles – don’t be shy about using votives, pillars, and tapers everywhere. To create a unified scent around the home, use Febreze Candles to add ambiance or as part of a festive centerpiece. These also make great stocking stuffers or parting gifts for your guests.
Let guests help themselves
Sit down dinners can be intimidating so set up a variety of food stations instead. Your food stations can still include the holiday classics: set up a turkey carving station and let people help themselves to sides and stuffing. The stations, including extra cutlery and napkins, can be set up before guests arrive so that everything is prepared when dinner is ready to be served.
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Always be ready for guests
Store a Swiffer WetJet with Swiffer WetJet Extra Power Pad with the scrubbing power of Mr. Clean Magic Eraser in the hall closet; when friends or relatives let you know they’re just around the corner, you can quickly sweep before they pull into the driveway. That way, your home is free of unwanted dust and footprints, and is always guest-ready.
Hide the mess
Pre-load the dishwasher with a Cascade All-in-1 ActionPac and load dishes as you use them. If you need to hand wash your dishes use a fast-acting dish soap like Dawn Ultra, so you can plan to spend the night with your guests instead of being stuck scrubbing dirty dishes.
www.pgeveryday.ca
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I am a P&GMom. As part of my affiliation with this group I receive products and special access to P&G events and opportunities. The opinions on this blog are my own. See MTM’s Disclosure for more details.
My tip is to make things ahead of time then you have time to enjoy the party and your guests.
Make sure there is a large variety of beverages on hand for the guests to help themselves.
Cheers.
Rafflecopter name: Dreena
Freeze cranberries in your ice cubes!
RAFFLECOPTER NAME
is
Anne Taylor
Set your table in advance, make sure each serving platter has an appropriate utensil for what’s being served in it.
If there will be children, set aside a bedroom or guest room and stock it with toys, board games, holiday movies, and/or crayons and coloring sheets.
My tip is to go pot-luck. It is so much easier on the host so you and your guests can spend more time visiting!
Choose the most important holiday traditions to follow — don’t try to do everything. And don’t be afraid to skip or change a tradition that isn’t working anymore.
Do as much as you can ahead of time so that you can spend time with your guests. Set things out so guests can get drinks etc. for themselves so you aren’t running around too busy to enjoy the company of the people you’ve invited.
Keep frozen appetizers handy, if you get behind schedule they’re easy to warm up and serve. And have fun!
Always make extras just in case someone brings a guest.
Dont do everything on one day and ask for help when you need
My entertaining tip for the holidays is to not do dinners, to do small gatherings of small food items and a theme , something with a time limit like cocoa and homemade baking before we go to for a walk to see all the xmas lights or a pre concert get together.
Serve a wider variety of refreshments often. Offer a new item every once in a while to change things up.
Plan ahead of time for any food allergies, etc!
Always keep a spare plate of something in the freezer for unexpected guests.
I make cookie dough in November, roll it into logs & put it in the freezer. Then, when Christmas gets closer, I only have to bake them. It’s a real time saver when you get down to crunch time.
My rafflecopter name is Julie G.
My tip is to write a list
thanks
do everything you can in advance so you can enjoy the festivities to!
Get family members involved!
My tip is to go buffet style. It’s so much easier especially if there are lots of children.
My tip is to always prepare what you can ahead of time, then Im not stuck in the kitchen all Christmas 🙂
We watched Christmas movie together.
narathip wall
polo_wataga at yahoo dot com
My tip is to prepare ahead and enlist the aid of your family. It is so much quicker and less stressful when you have help. Then when your even rolls around you can enjoy it more…almost stressfree
bluebelle0367(at)hotmail(dot)com
belinda mcnabb
Choose dishes you’re comfortable making – this is not the time to experiment!
Bake ahead and freeze. That way, if you have surprise guests, you can quickly thaw the treats for sharing!
I maka a lot of dishes ahead of time so I can spend time with my guests. cardshark42(at)hotmail(dot)com
Have games and toys available for your guests children, so the adults can enjoy their time!
Get things done as early as possible so you are less stressed for the “big day”! Then you can relax and enjoy!
buy lots of different types of chocolate and lay it out on the table for guests
rafflecopter – Yan Deng
My tip would be to do a potluck to take off the stress of holiday cooking, just make a couple of your signature dishes and have your guest bring something 🙂
My tip would be to invest in candles for quick gift give aways and that scent that reminds you of the holidays when you host dinner parties.
make cookies for a nice hostess gift
Make a list and stick to it. Bake and cook the day before!
Prepare everything ahead of time.
My tip is to just enjoy yourself! If you enjoy yourself, your guests will to, no matter what else is going on!!
Always have lots of pop, coffee and tea for your guests. Maybe even alcoholic drinks.
I do my baking in advance so i always have dessert on hand.
Have a good selection of drinks and snacks for the guests.,fruit and veggie trays are a good idea.
(Karla Sceviour on rafflecopter)
a tip is get your groceries at least 3 days before the big x-mas dinner. it’s amazing how quickly some necessary recipe items sell out and there is nothing worse than running around trying to find certain items or having to re-plan your meal at the last minute. (and always have lots of apps and treats on hand for unexpected drop-ins!)
entering in rafflecopter as jen s.
Make sure to have plenty of food for everyone. It’s better to have too much than too little.
Amber Y
Plan ahead always! Not planning ahead causes stress.
My tip is to delegate jobs to family members.
jentam777 at gmail dot com
Make a list and plan ahead.
Give everyone a job, so you can enjoy your time too. Kids love having responsibilities, don’t forget to include them.
My tip is to maake sure you have lots of ice. I always run out of ice when I host parties!
Lists! Always lists!