subject: Twenty Simple Ideas to Prepare for the Holidays [print this page] Twenty Simple Ideas to Prepare for the Holidays
Need some motivation to jump into your holiday planning? Here are 20 trouble-free suggestions to help get you ready to celebrate:1. Do whatever you can in advance. For example, set the dinner table the day before, maybe even a few days before the holiday feast. That way, you won't have to think about ironing the day of.
2. Find out from your family what traditions they love, and what they would not mind missing if they were gone. Focus on the favorite ones and let the others go. You can bring them back another time if desired.
3. Clean main rooms, a little each day, in 15-minute increments. Saves energy, especially yours.
4. Upgrade your kitchen tools. A good vegetable peeler, a glass measuring cup and new measuring spoons with easy-to-read numbers will make things go smoother.
5. Keep a folder filled with your favorite holiday recipes that you can add to throughout the year. All of them are within reach in one easy spot.
6. Whenever anyone asks if they can help, say "Yes!" Have them pour the drinks or cut green beans.
7. Set up a beverage station on an unused counter so guests aren't coming into the busiest part of the kitchen.
8. Get two small turkeys instead of one large one. They cook faster and there's more flexibility in where they can be stored.
9. Skip the "everything from scratch" mentality. Focus on a few things your family loves made from scratch and go boxed or from the can for the others.
10. Set up an easy-to-assemble craft project at the kids' table so young guests have something to keep them occupied.
11. Fill a bowl with fruit for a quick, beautiful, and affordable centerpiece.
12. Streamline errands by keeping a to-do list handy. Check it every time you head out the door.
13. Peel potatoes the day before the big dinner, put them in a pot, and cover with water for up to 24 hours. Drain the water and add fresh before cooking.
14. Stock up on nuts and dried fruits when they're on sale, then freeze them until you start your holiday baking.
15. Keep things balanced: make a wish list of things you want to do and another list of the must-dos. Try to land somewhere in the middle.
16. Make homemade treats. This can be a stress reliever if it helps you slow down to concentrate on the making of it.
17. Select and set out serving dishes in advance. Put a labeled index card in each dish so you don't have to think about what goes where in the rush of getting food on the table. Kitchen helpers will know what goes in which dish without asking!
18. Freeze a big block of ice (in a plastic container or bowl) for the punch bowl so the ice melts slowly and you don't have to keep refilling.
19. Write out a meal plan for all the days there are guest in your home. That way you will be prepared for the next morning's breakfast or when and how you're going to use your leftovers.
20. Relax! Nobody but you will care if you get it all done. Do what you can, and everything will work out. Whatever you do decide to do this holiday to get ready, remember that the key to your guests enjoying themselves is for you to be having fun too.
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