4 Tips for Entertaining This Festive Season

The build up to Christmas has begun! Whether you’ve watched your first Christmas film, or your decorations are already up, you’ve probably already made plans for the festive season. If that involves you acting as the hostess with the mostest this Christmas we’re here to help the day go as smooth and enjoyable as possible. Our top four entertaining tips will turn your hostess duties into a blessing rather than a burden. 

'Tis the season to eat, drink, and be merry, but for some of us it can be a stressful time. Luckily by prepping early we can help prepare for any unexpected surprises. Make it easy on yourself by making a schedule and assigning tasks to yourself and others each day so that you don’t feel overwhelmed. On that note, don’t be afraid to ask for help! Whether that’s asking for help with putting up the decorations or asking guests to bring food with them on Christmas Day, planning ahead of time will make the festive season a lot more enjoyable. 

Nothing gets us more in the holiday spirit than some festive themed food and drink. Take the stress out of hosting by planning your food and drink ahead of time. If you are planning a more laid-back Christmas, keep it simple with finger foods or put together a beautiful cheese and charcuterie board. For your guests with dietary requirements there are plenty of dairy and meat free options to accommodate everyone. 

Now you’ve planned the food menu, make sure not to forget about the drinks! Having a festive drink or two lined up that can be made in batches means that people can help themselves and the pressure is taken off you. Treat yourself and your guests to a Sloe Gin Fizz this Christmas, made with sloe gin, lemon juice and topped up with sparkling water for the perfect festive drink. We’ve included a tasty recipe below from BBC Good Food that’ll be sure to satisfy your guests. For an alcohol-free version, swap out the sloe gin for a non-alcoholic version. 

Sloe Gin Fizz

Prep time: 5 minutes 

Serves 1 

Ingredients 

50ml sloe gin or alcohol-free gin 

25ml lemon juice 

2 tsp sugar syrup 

ice 

sparkling water or prosecco 

lemon slice 

fresh or frozen blackberry 

Instructions 

Pour the sloe gin, lemon juice and sugar syrup into a cocktail shaker and fill up with ice cubes. Shake well until the outside of the shaker feels cold, then strain into a tall glass filled with more ice. Top up with sparkling water or prosecco and stir gently. Garnish with a lemon slice and a blackberry. 

Get into the Christmas spirit with the ultimate Christmas party playlist. Nothing puts everyone in a jolly mood like a good Christmas song. That’s why we’ve created the perfect playlist for all your festive plans. We’ve got all your Christmas songs sorted for the ultimate party, all that’s left is for you to press play and enjoy the festive vibes.  

Decorations can do so much for the atmosphere. But you don’t have to spend a lot of money or time creating a dreamy winter scene. If you are the crafty type, upcycling items can be a great way to add some personality to your Christmas scene. Using leftover bottles to create a vase or candlestick holder adds a fun touch to your decorations without breaking the bank. Lighting and scents also help to set the scene. Be sure to dim any artificial lights and make use of candles (especially scented ones), and fairy lights to achieve a festive feel.