7 Secrets to Hosting a Stress-Free Holiday Party
Winter is coming, and so are the holidays. This means a lot of getting together with friends and family for dinners and parties to celebrate the season. Hosting these events can be cause for stress, but we’re sharing our top 7 tips to help keep things calm so you can enjoy every second of your holiday festivities. 
1. Let your guests play bartender.
You’ll be busy greeting and mingling with your guests, so why add being the designated bartender to your duties? Serve pre-mixed cocktails in glass beverage dispensers and leave the ice and assorted garnishes out for your guests to make their final touches!
2. Teamwork makes the dream work.
Hosting with your significant other or a friend? Make a list of tasks to do beforehand. Work on your task list together, or use the divide and conquer method.
3. Prep work, prep work, prep work.
Any professional chef will tell you the success to making it through dinner service is to prep as much as possible ahead of time. Chop vegetables a few days ahead of time and store in airtight containers. Prepare casseroles in oven-safe dishes the day before so all you have to do is place them in the oven the day of your party.
4. Plan your menu accordingly.
Don’t overdo it by planning on baking too many dishes that won’t fit in your oven. Since oven space is limited, select some items that can be prepared stove-top or dishes that taste great when served at room temperature.
5. Make space in your closet.
No one enjoys going through the endless pile of coats on a bed to find their jacket as they leave. Make space in your hallway closet for your guests’ coats, or consider purchasing (or renting) a rolling clothing rack for guests to hang their coats.
6. Enjoy yourself!
In the grand scheme of things, your guests aren’t going to notice that you ran out of red cocktail napkins and had to switch to black. Enjoy yourself and don’t sweat the small stuff!
7. Host your party at the Andover Inn.
Leave your holiday party planning to our expert event planners and culinary team. With customizable menus and bar options, we’ll do all the decorating, cooking, and cleaning for you. We’ve got your back. Inquire for more details.
