Kerrygold Moments

We all have friends who are natural entertainers.

They are the ones who really look forward to this time of the year and all the opportunities to host parties and cook festive meals for their friends and family. They enjoy all the things that are part of holiday entertaining – the preparation, the decoration, the cooking and the hosting. And, somehow, they manage to make it all look easy and effortless.

For the rest of us, who are not natural party planners, having to entertain family or friends at Christmas can be daunting, especially if it involves a lot of people.

Expectations are high at this time of the year and guests, even if they are family, expect something a bit special for the Christmas meal.

So, how is it possible to entertain guests in your home and at the same time manage to enjoy the occasion yourself as much as you hope they do?

The key lies in careful planning.

Being organised and on top of things will stop you from feeling stressed and overwhelmed and allow you to actually enjoy your role as host.

Here are some suggestions to help you survive the holiday season entertaining and perhaps, even have some fun.

1. Start planning and preparing as early as possible. Make lists of what you need to buy and do and stick to them.
   Some things can be done well in advance, like baking and decorating.
   Shop a couple of days ahead for ingredients and start the food preparation the day before. Choose dishes you can prepare ahead of time, and which can be served cold or briefly warmed up in the oven.
   Try and avoid anything that needs cooking at the last minute.
2. Don’t be ashamed to cheat a little and buy-in.
   Some foods are worth the time and effort to make homemade.
   Others are just as good (or better) when they are shop bought.
   You can always add your own touch to ready-made ingredients. For example, buy Christmas pudding or mince pies and serve them with your own brandy butter or boozy custard sauce.
3. If your budget allows for it, put together a cheese and charcuterie board with a festive assortment of cured meats, cheeses, fresh fruits, nuts, olives and pestos. Served with delicious breads and biscuits. This makes a wonderful no-cook appetiser that can be assembled in no time.
4. Accept contributions graciously. These days, friends and family members are more than happy to contribute to a festive meal.
   When you are planning your menu, decide what dishes you can delegate to willing guests and family members.
   Find out who is good at making what and spread the effort.
5. Keep things simple. Don’t be afraid to ditch the complicated sit-down menu.
   If cooking for a crowd is really not your thing, then be kind to yourself and just abandon the multi-course meal altogether.
   Go for buffet style with a variety of cold and warm dishes and let guests help themselves.
6. Enlist help. Ask a close friend or family member to be responsible for refilling drinks, replenishing snacks and answering the door.
7. Focus on what is really important at this time of the year which is spending time with friends and loved ones.
   Try to make sure you are part of the fun and the conversation.
   The kitchen clean-up and the dirty dishes can wait.