Giveaway Results: Sony Camera from Staples

My favorite way to entertain during the holidays is to have a tree trimming party. I invite one or two friends and their families over. The smaller number of people makes it easier to visit. We have a simple spread of finger foods so there’s not a lot of preparation time. Before we trim the tree I share a little about each group of ornaments going on the tree means to me. Then the kids do the trimming. It makes for a nice, relaxing evening with friends.

I LOVE taking pics and haevnt been able to purchase a new camera so this would be really great to win this one!

An easy entertaining tip is to ask everyone to bring a dessert to your house for the holidays and then you have a get together and share the sweet treats

If having guests over for the holidays, instead of doing it all yourself, make it a dessert party and have each guest/family bring their favorite dessert. It saves you work and everyone learns something about the other people by their choices and the stories behind them.

No time to clean? Spray a can of Lysol around the house, the use only candlelight.

When I’m having a holiday get together, I always make up goody bags for any kids that are coming. It keeps them entertained, and makes them a part of the celebration.

Stouffers French Bread pizzas can be sliced into 2 inch pieces for appetizers when kids are involved.

Easy entertaining tip … ask friends to help! My good friend throws a wonderful Christmas party every year, and she always asks a few of us to bring something. There are always Christmas treats that I am looking for an excuse to make so I love being asked.

I have friends bring something simple to make that they like, get a few drinks and everyone has a good time.

One easy entertaining tip is always have low calorie snacks or dishes on hand because there’s always someone on a diet!

My best entertaining tip: Don’t sweat it. Don’t work hard to have the table settings look like Martha Stewart’s or have the main dish presented like in the magazines. A stressed-out hostess will ruin any visit- the guests are coming to see loved ones, not admire the placesettings.

Easy entertaining tip: When I plan a menu for a party, I make sure 99% of the food can be made ahead of time so I’m not scrambling at the last minute.

For instance, I had a big homemade pizza party for my 1 year old daughters birthday. I made all the sauces, cheese blends, and toppings ahead of time. Same goes for dips, desserts, and appetizers. All that was left to do was assemble the pizzas and cook!

Always stock up on Christmas napkins and paper goods for the next year(eco-friendly, if possible). You can save up to 75% on these items after the holidays. It cuts down on doing dishes(and wasting water)when you are so busy with everything else.

we have a holiday party for moms and kids. I bake cookies and the guests bring frosting and decorations to decorate the cookies. we have cocoa and egg nog, watch a christmas movie and eat cookies its a great time!! and it doesn’t break your budget.

I great was to entertain is to bring or make lots of finger foods. You can never go wrong with it. That way everyone can have a good time without feeling guilty of eating to much. Lots of different types of foods work well.

Sign me up!!

Tip: pick 2 or 3 items for holiday parties and make them in bulk….divide in party quantities and freeze so you can quickly pull out meatballs/cookies/cheese balls and serve when people stop by

My tip is to go BUFFET. Your guests do all the cooking and you just put out the dishes. Your house is already decorated for the season, so your work is done. Turn on the music and have a blast.

The best EASY entertaining tip that I have? Use disposable everything. Silverware, plates and baking dishes. Who can enjoy a holiday get together when they know they will have a mountain full of dishes afterwards? I know it may not be the most green thing, but for one day it is the best thing. You can enjoy the party and then throw everything away to enjoy the rest of your evening.

Keep a stash of gently used things you don’t want anymore for white elephant gifts at parties. Put them with your gift wrap so you always know where they are –

Keep a variety of cheese, crackers, wine etc. on hand in case friends stop by for a quick visit.

I put in a themed movie, for example Halloween party, Halloween movie one for the adults and one in the kids toy room, Christmas is the same, a great one is A Christmas Story both kids and adults like that and it’s easy entertainment.

Easy entertaining tip? Keep it simple. Don’t overwhelm yourself with extra details. The whole point of entertaining is to spend time with friends and family. Make or find a simple centerpiece and tablecloth and call it good. Prepare the food as much ahead as possible and then spend your time visiting with your guests.

The easiest entertaining tip I would have is always have finger snacks and maybe some margaritas ready. It’s always a hit for the adults who come to our holiday parties.

One tip for entertaining is to serve simple appetizers. It makes the stress much less to deal with! I like to serve a crockpot dish, usually a yummy dip that I can just throw together, turn on, and forget about!

bleucowgirl at hotmail dot com

Always have a hot drink for after dinner. (Coffee, Hot Chocolate, Hot Apple cider) It definitely lends to more talking and relaxing.

Recently, I have tried making more simple meals when I entertain. Last weekend we had friends over for spaghetti, but they were still impressed because it was homemade spaghetti sauce made from my plentiful crop of summer tomatoes.

Volunteer to bring foods that you can prepare ahead of time. Then, on the day of the party, pop the pre-prepared food in the oven for a less stressful day.

i’d like it please.

An easy entertaining tip is to ask my guests to bring a dish to share instead of having to cook everything myself.

Sometimes it is less expensive to buy premade appetizers! I recently picked up a bunch of Pillsbury Savorings BOGO with coupons for pennies. They are really good and I have had people comment (positively) about them at both gatherings I have served them!

If you’re working hard on a big meal or party plans, make sure you plan ahead for leftovers. No one wants to be back in the kitchen slaving after a big shindig is finally over and cleaned up. Give yourself a break, and you can skip cooking for a few days.

I soooo need this as all I am using right now is my iPhone camera! Easy entertaining tip? Involve food! I love having all the goodies to make awesome ice cream sundaes and let everyone make their own! It’s fun and you learn a lot about someone by how they eat their ice cream!

Steph

One of the main tips I use is always have towels and wash cloths on the guests respective beds. This way they dont need to try to sneak around the house naked looking. Also keep a cute cheap laundry basket for guests to help put dirty towels and linens when they are going to leave. It will help out a bunch for you and then.

Make as much as you can ahead of time. Whip the cream, put together the marinade and set out the glasses, the more youc an do ahead of time, the better off you will be when guests arrive!

Wow - #1’s comment is great! I can’t wait to use this tip during the holdiays when we have our visitors. Thanks Jennifer O!

my favorite is dim the lights. we have seven kids so we don’t need a spotlight on all the mess. so dim the lights and enjoy the company not the mess.

N/A

I like to make cookies in bigger batches and freeze the dough into balls so that I can take them out and pop them in the oven for after dinner.

I try to have as much prepared for entertaining before people arrive as possible. For example, I have things mixed up and in the fridge. All that needs prepared is to pop it in the oven, to heat it in the microwave, etc. Having most of the hard work prepared early gives me the ability to play the part of hostess and enjoy my company rather than spending the whole day working in the kitchen.

I would love to win this …thank you
play a game that will introduce guest to each other

Thank You!

I always try to think of little things that people coming over really like… they’re favorite snacks, drinks etc. to make them feel a bit at home. At our house we always have a lot of family visiting from out of town so I always try to make sure we have lots of food, drinks and some ideas of what to do for the weekend with our guests. That way our guests feel at home yet on a little vacation as well.

When I have Christmas guest over I serve cut up cheese, summer sausage and crackers. Super easy.

For dinners or gathering when someone asks what they can do let them help with something. Also have potluck dinners or crockpot dinners that way the host can enjoy the day along with the guests and not spend it in the kitchen

stay calm, cool & collected. it’s all good.

Always have something out to nibble on…keeps everyone happy!

I used to stress over getting all of my cookies decorated before my annual open house. Now I just set out the plain cut-out sugar cookies with colored frostings and sprinkles and let my guests decorate their own. It’s become a favorite party activity and we all enjoy seeing each other’s creativity!

the best holiday gift I ever received was a drawing from my stepson telling me how grateful he was too have me in his life

wrong post, lol. sorry!
I like to have lots of snacks out and all our system, like our wii, ps2, xbox360 and 3 of our nintendo DS with TVs in different room so the guest can play whatever games they like! Its always been a big hit!

I try to have something in the freezer at all times that can be popped out and made quickly into an appetizer or meal for last minute company or nights where I get home late.

My tip is to not worry about the cleaning. Paper is going to be everywhere along with plenty of messes so just enjoy the day. Pick up as you can but don’t miss out on the fun to clean.

When my family gets together for Thanksgiving and Christmas we always do it potluck style. It makes it easy on everyone. And that way you know that there will be at least one thing you will like to eat. And all the host house has to come up with are decorations.

alexandra dot hancock at gmail dot com

Make lots of fun Christmas cookies, and then invite friends over to watch a Christmas movie!

Make your food in casserole form the day or two before. Then all you have to do that day is pop them in the oven.

What I do for holiday entertaining is keep it simple. I used to cook so much food and it was always too much. Now I keep the menu to a few items.

Also, when someone asks if they can bring something, say yes! Make it easier on yourself.

I think one of the most important and often forgotten things that is a must is to provide a safe place and activities for young children. A nice plastic mat set up in the corner of a room with toys and games is great. That way the grown-ups can talk and enjoy the party while still being able to keep an eye on the kids and the kids can have fun too. I usually set up a big foam plastic jigsaw puzzle mat and set out a little table with coloring books and a small bucket of toys. If the party is outside the tabletop comes off and it becomes a little sandbox table.

My tip is to bake cookies in double or triple batches early in December and freeze them to use throughout the whole month.

I like to have a few games out for the kids and the grown-ups. Since my kids are older these are usually the same. A great interactive game like Disney Scene-It is great as it has something for all ages. Domino’s is another family favorite. This is a great time for socializing and gets everyone involved.

Create a menu plan/to-do list and stagger your tasks to avoid any last-minute running around. And delegate, delegate, delegate; your significant other and even the kids can do little things to help make the preparations fun and less stressful so you can all enjoy your party togther!

Plan for a theme and let everyone contribute to that theme. Less stress and low cost. Great times, helps everyone to feel they are apart of something bigger. You will be amazed at how every part comes together!

Great prize! Best tip I know is to keep it simple and to remember to have fun and to enjoy each other.

I always make as much food ahead of time so I’m not working in the kitchen all night. Most people love finger food and if you ask everyone to bring a bottle of wine you’re all set!

Whenever we have a gathering I always make sure there are movies and activities for the kids to play with. The more occupied they are the more fun parents can have

meg

onourwayonline.com

My best entertaining tip: Don’t try a new recipe for the first time on party day. Believe me, I know this from experience. Only use the tried and true.

Here’s an easy (and different) punch recipe…
White Cranberry/Strawberry Juice*
1 Frozen Lemonade*
1 1/2 Liter of Lemon-Lime Soda*

Lemon Slices & Frozen fresh cranberries as floating garnish…..

It’s tangy but not so crazy sweet as the usual sherbet punch!

I make several of my holiday cookies and appetizers ahead of time and then take them from the freezer a few hours before the party!

Our easy entertaining tip is to have a food craft ready for the kids to keep them busy. Small things like making marshmallow snowmen out of marshmallows, pretzel sticks, sprinkes, etc. will be something the kids will enjoy making and enjoy eating and the adults will appreciate too!

Wear an outfit with a pattern. It will hide spills and splatters from the kitchen.

Chili is great for entertaining. You can make it the day before, and it can serve a lot of people!

My entertaining tip is to ask the guest you’re closest to to bring some drinks or dessert. That way it takes some of the burden off you but still isn’t asking too much of anyone.

Freeze your punch in empty ice cream containers. They are easily stacked which makes room in the freezer.

Keep baskets in discrete locations around the house. Just before someone visits stash all of the misc. stuff in the baskets and cover with a throw or blanket.

What my family does, which I must say is a great way of doing things, is have everyone bring a dish to christmas dinner and the main dish is prepared by the person hosting the dinner party.

I like to invite close friends over and have them each bring a dish. Less for me to do, which makes it more enjoyable.

I tell everyone to bring their favorite dish. Not only does it saves cooking time, I also get to taste a wide variety of food. Yum!

Do things semi-homemade! A couple of my favorite dishes are wrapping cocktail weinies in puff pastry with sesame seed and heating up some yummy spinach artichocke dip from Costco! It’s awesome and you get a lot! (And no one has to know you didn’t make it from scratch!)

Alwasys have food… easy treats and drinks can go a long way:)

Crackers and cream cheese on a plate. Its gone in 2 minutes and takes that long to put together. Best of all, it be filling enough that nobody whines when the roast takes an extra 45 minutes to cook.

My daughter is homeschooled, so I like to have all of her friends from church over for a very informal, kid-friendly Christmas party. We have a cookie decorating station and a make-your-own-sundae station, and plan a book exchange. It’s a fun, low-stress way to enjoy Christmas with the kiddos.

An easy entertaining idea is to invite friends to bring 2-3 dozen cookies each with the recipe then have a cookie swap. You go home with plenty of cookies for the holidays and lots of new recipe ideas.

Buy in bulk and reduce the size and spread it out evenly to make great holiday gift baskets for those you can’t buy for.

one easy way to entertain is to just do an appetizer party and have everyone bring one (and a bottle of wine) to share! it is gift giving at its best

Make your food before. Then you can enjoy your company when they are there.

A simple brunch for the team my husband oversees.
They all appreciated homecooked food. Breakfast food is easier to prepare.

I think that it is a great idea to hire a babysitter (or two) to help watch and entertain the kids that may come to your party. It helps the adults enjoy their time a little more, yet the kids don’t miss out!

Tip for the day: Do not let precious moments pass you by. In or out of the holidays, make sure to keep in mind what it’s all about. For Christmas, it’s about the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of all mankind. If during the Christmas season, I stop to recall this, my day goes better. And somehow, the stress of the season melts away. But a little chocolate lying around the house can sure help too!

We have a pizza making party and we have everyone bring an item to put on them. Then come the coco and cookies the kids have made followed by a story for the kids to calm them down a little and the adults (who aren’t driving) get a hot tottie.

For easy entertaining, don’t try to do everything yourself. Friends always offer to bring something, so let them. Relax, and enjoy this special season with your loved ones.

Easy entertaining tip? Don’t overplan! Be flexible, keep it simple. People, for the holidays, just want to be together.

Fix as much a head of time as possible. That way you can visit with everyone and not be fixing everything.

We bake the day before. This year we’re planning on having appetizers instead of a ham and turkey. That way we’ll have more time to enjoy each other instead of cooking!

Soup is always an easy meal when entertaining, because you can make a large batch in a big pot, and it is so yummy and warm on a cold winter night!

Whenever I do entertaining during the holidays. I always use plastic and paper because it is easy cleanup for me!!!

if children will be coming with their parents, hire a couple of young girls to “baby-sit” them in another room, set up with games/movies/snacks.

I plan menus and make as much as possible before hand.

One easy was to make your house smell good is to put your candle melts diffuser on the oven so when you warm up your food, it melts and releases fragrance throughout your house. I just leave mine on the oven all the time so everytime I use it, my house smells wonderful!

Have your guest dress in their warmest pajamas, you provide the blankets, pillows and hot chocolate and everyone snuggle up on the floor and watch “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer”!

My favorite thing to do while entertaining is play games. I love to play with lots of people. We always have Christmas music in the background and everyone brings a goodie to snack on. A great way to enjoy yourself and relieve some holiday stress.

We realized a few years ago that sandwich and veggie platters from the grocery store weren’t any more expensive than buying the ingredients and assembling them ourselves. Less stress and time!

My tip for easy holiday entertaining… Mom and Girl child! My mom and 13 year old daughter ROCK at baking and food prep and presentation. Without them, I am hopeless.

If your mom or daughter aren’t available… friends are great too!

Finger foods are great for entertaining. They are cheaper than a big meal but people feel like they have had enough to eat. They are usually quick and easy. Make sure to take advantage of crock pot recipes!
Janell

One entertaining tip is to play games to get everyone to know each other.

I’ve got to have lists!! Our parties would flop without good planning. After I feel organized, I can just enjoy the party with family and friends.

I have found that in general the cook tries to do too much. I scaled back for Thanksgiving and plan to do so for Christmas. There was not need for 3 desserts when 1 or 2 would do. I made sure we had enough and everyone was happy to just be with each other.

I would have breakfast for dinner. Have guests bring in a favourite dish. All you mostly have to provide is some paper bowls and milk for cereal and whatnot. Make it into a game night and have guests also bring a favourite board game. I had one of these cereal/game parties with my friends and it was a blast and very easy to do!

A few of my friends and I are eager to try one of those cookie swap parties. Which we are planning next week! You get a chance to visit while making goodies and exchanging recipes during the hectic holidays. I love starting new traditions.

will be taking time off to be with family.

Have a Christmas progressive dinner at designated friends’ homes, each preparing one course and then ending up at your house for dessert. Everyone shares in preparation and the joy of being together to celebrate Christmas.

Try to make as much ahead as you can!

This would be a great win for me because my daughters digital camera just had to be sent in for repairs that they say aren’t covered in warranty. She absolutely loves taking pictures. It looks like a thunder storm in her room with all of the flashing, LOL. Thanks

Have plenty of easy made(and inexpensive) appitizers on hand, everyone thinks its a GREAT party if there were plenty of finger foods. It also curbs appitite and people wont get irritable as fast,which means a calmer time for all!

My daddy always acts out the “12 Days of Christmas” song. It’s always a big hit.

In our family we do a progressive dinner every year on Christmas Eve. Everyone prepares a different part of the meal (appetizer, salad, entree, dessert) and serves it at their house. We go to each house in order of the meal, so that way no one person has to be responsible for everything and we get to see each family members house all decorated for the season. This only works because we all live fairly close to each other, but I love the tradition!!

I love to entertain during the holidays by having a meal with my guests (each guest brings a meal food and a dessert). I love having as many desserts as possible. It just makes the meal so fun. Then follow the meal with an ornament exchange.

Potluck! Have everyone bring their favorite dish and the recipe to share. It makes it fun to try new things, allows for less work and its great to have a set of new recipes to take home as a party favor!!

My friends and I all have young children and it’s often difficult for us all to find babysitters for the same night when we want to get together with our husbands included. So frequently we have parties with our children included. It’s easy to include kid-friendly foods & drink and it gives everyone an opportunity to get together over the holiday season. We’ve even had family slumber parties so no one has to worry about getting home early to get the kids to bed!!

After Christmas, have a get together with friends where everyone brings their leftover Christmas cookies and treats for a fun night of sweets and to play all those new games from Christmas!!

I like food theme parties, i.e. every snack/drink item must contain a certain food item - cranberries, pumpkin, etc. You get to try some interesting foods this way!

I try to pick food that can mostly be prepared ahead of time. That way I can spend more time with my guests.

Last year we had a housewarming party and requested no gifts, just an ornament to put on our new christmas tree. Some people made homemade ornaments which made it more special because each year we think of them as we decorate our tree! i would like to have this kind of party each year!

I always have cheaper tupperware or ziploc bags available so the guests can make goodie bags to take with them.

Have a party and provide the drnks. Have each of your guest bring their favorite dish. That way you are not in the kitchen all day.

Entertaining Tip: Prepare most of your food the night before so you can spend more of your time with your guests.

Also, don’t stress about the small stuff. What’s important is the time you get to spend with your family and friends.

One thing that I like to do is have a cookie swap party with my friends and family. We always have soooo much fun doing this.

I make extra cookies, rolls and appetizers and freeze them. That way I can pull together a quick plate for entertaining when we have unexpected guests.

Pot luck! For huge extended family dinners, I often ask “What would you like to bring?” Then I put the menu together around those dishes.

Have your kids make place cards for everyone at the table. It keeps them busy while I finish preparing the meal, and it’s a fun conversation starter as everyone is sitting down.

One entertaining tip would be to ask others to pitch-in and bring something to help remove the stress of doing it all yourself, whether it be food, drinks, paper products, or even a favorite game to play, there is always something for everyone to be able to help out. Also, pre-making items ahead of item helps even more.

We download all of our music from I-Tunes on the computer!! We play the music from our computer and that way you can have uninterrupted music through your entire get together without having to keep changing cds/tapes!!

When your guests are about to arrive and you forgot to pick out the appropriate music to have on in the background — quickly go to pandora.com and type in your favorite artist’s name…. turn on the speakers and you’ve got commercial free radio that you don’t have to think twice about so you can focus on your guests!

An easy entertaning tip is to have everyone to bring something little like chips or a drink, it makes it much easier on the hostess:)

Make all your cookies in advance and put them out on a tray for your guests to enjoy.

My entertaining tip is to take a few hours prior to the season starting and make a few cookie doughs and free them. That way as the season progresses and you have parties or attend parties all you have to do is take some out of the freezer and make a fresh batch of yummy cookies.

My entertaining tip is to let someone else do the entertaining! Not a good suggestion, but it’s what I do…..

When we have holidy parties we alway have each person or family bring a dish to pass this way it is a lot less stressful and you always have alot of dishes that just one person would not be able to make.

Tip would be that for the “meal” portion of a holiday party, do something where everyone can help to cook - like a make-your-own-pizza party; or a roll-sushi party. Everyone gets involved, has fun and it eliminates a good chunk of time that you would spend cooking on your own! It also allows you to be with the guests.

Thank you for the opportunity. I have learned from experience (the hard way) that things don’t have to be as perfect as you think they need to be - it’s ok to exhale, make sure the bathroom is clean, and have everyone bring their specialty (along with a drink). This year I have added extra lighting (clearance tables) to entice guests to gather in other rooms than the kitchen.

Don’t worry about a dinner party, just do desserts. Have everyone bring their favorite dessert to share. You don’t have a big cleanup afterwards and everyone is happy from all of the sugar they just consumed.

It is so much fun to ask guests to bring something that their family enjoys during the holidays. It could be a dessert, a story, a poem, a game…Then share recipes and memorable holiday experiences. It’s great to hear what other families are doing and add or modify what my family does.

Easy entertaining tip - offer to have a holiday open house. Provide a big pot of something (soup, pintos, etc) and ask everyone else to bring the sides/desserts/drinks. Works every time!

When our guests are over we entertain with horseback riding, and our dog that whats you to play with her toy, hours of entertainment and laughs, everyone has a blast!!

We love to have fondue parties with our friends. Everyone brings something and we have a great time talking.

the “Would You Rather…” books are great for entertaining and getting conversation started

Have a drop in party with finger foods. That way people with other commitments can come if they want and the food isn’t cold when they arrive. Thanks for the giveaway.

The way I have fun is to get everyone around and sing Christmas songs.

One entertaining tip is to be prepared! Don’t wait to clean, buy and prepare everything a day or two before…start planning a week or so ahead so you don’t get overwhelmed and end up dreading the whole thing. We also make goody bags for all the kids so they don’t feel left out and it keeps them entertained! Lesley

My easy entertaining idea is just serving appetizers. There are so many fun and easy ones, and then everyone can try a little of everything without having a big meal. The kids like the finger foods too.

Oh wow, this would be amazing! An easy entertaining tip would be…if you have friends that all have little children and you need to bring them along I mean…making cookies or a little craft with your children. You get to see friends, don’t have to worry about babysitters, and you and your kids/friends can have fun.

-Lauren
lauren51990 AT aol DOT com

I have a cookie baking party. My bakng gets done and everyone leaves with goodies.

easy entertaining tip- make a huge crock full of mulled cider. It is the BEST.

Plan a get together for early afternoon (no main meal required) and take up offers from friends/family that want to bring a dish. Easy!

My tip is to do a little bit each day, especially baking. It’s so much less overwhelming to make one batch of cookies today, another tomorrow, and another on the weekend. As long as you makes ones that freeze well, you can start a month in advance. (And don’t forget that porches and garages may make perfect frozen storage.)

I love having cookie swaps. You only have to make one kind of cookie but end up with a nice variety to put out later in the season. You also get a nice evening or afternoon with your friends.

Our house doesn’t have much parking around it, so we always move our cars out onto the street far away the morning of the party. Then people will be able to park in our garage and driveway, and hopefully a bit of parking on the street in front of our house, too.

I know it’s pretty simple, but I hate seeing our guests blue or soaked when they finally have trekked two blocks uphill in the weather!

With a new baby just around the corner, this would be great!
If its a full meal, assign everyone something different (for example, one person takes relishes, another brings a pie, etc).
Also, I always love to have a crock pot full of hot cider this time of year. Not only is it yummy to drink on these cold days, but it also makes the house smell wonderful and inviting when people arrive.

The easiest entertaining tip I know of is to invite over the closest friends you have. That way if anything goes wrong or gets burned or falls apart, it’s your best friends. Crack open a bottle of wine and laugh!

I love to have parties and have learned to serve many make ahead food and appetizers. That way during the party, I get to spend time with my friends and only a small amount of time in the kitchen.

Many of the holiday dinner parties at my parents’ house are candlelit.

Why?

Because a candlelit house doesn’t require as much cleaning as a well lit one.

Crock pot appetizers! So simple to make ahead of time, and easy to arrange in a buffet.

Clean, bake etc. a day before that way I have time to spend with family.

We like to make crafts together. Easy stuff for the kids and harder ones for the adults. It a great way to spend time and a cheap way to send everyone home with something.

A great entertaining tip? I would say a multi-family potluck. You save money on the food expenses & this way you get to try a variety of food! It can be a great conversation starter.

My entertaining tip: make most of the foods the night before, and have people bring a dish as well. The whole point of getting together is to enjoy each other’s company, not slave over a stove!

Easy entertaining tip: I invite my girlfriends over for cookie-baking and we all swap each others cookie recipies!

Easy entertaining… festive paper plates, cups, Use aluminum foil to line cookie sheets or better yet buy cookies. Line a large gift bag with a trash bag. Clean up is a snap and you ‘ve had an enjoyable party that was super easy!

Don’t be afraid to asks guests to bring an appetizer to share. Everyone loves to try new things and it takes pressure off the host.

Make your holiday party a potluck party so everyone brings something to share and you’re not stuck doing all the work.

I like to have my family over for brunch the day after Christmas. The days leading up to Christmas are just too busy!!!!

My family is big on board games so whenever we expect company we leave ALL our board games displayed on a table and let the games begin!

I have to tell you, I think I found a keeper. The day after Thanksgiving, I had a leftover party. I told everyone I invited to bring their leftovers. We had more than enough food, and we played cards and board games until close to midnight. It was perfect and easy peasy!

Hugs,
Melinda

Tip: RELAX and HAVE FUN!
Your guests will have a much better time if you let them get their own drinks and sit down with them to chat. There’s no need for you to be the hostess, butler, bathroom attendant, maid, chef, dishwasher and entertainer all night! Just have fun with the people you love.

Have a couple of friends over for a wrapping party…you will be amazed at how quickly the gifts get wrapped while you talk with all of your friends!!

I learned from mom to always set the table for a formal entertaining the night before the holiday party. One less thing to worry about on the day of.

My neighbors and I have an annual “Cookie Exchange”. Each of us makes 4 dozen of a favorite cookie and bring them to the chosen house. We have lots of fun and laughs and then go home with a variety of cookies and the recipe. It has become a much loved tradition.

One tip is to minimize the entertaining during November and December. We always travel far to family for both Thanksgiving and Christmas so planning an event is not something more I want to take on right now. We’ll plan a simple supper gathering (soups, etc.) in January when folks are not so busy with other engagements.

My entertaining tip is have some Christmas music playing in the background, and have finger foods.

Easy, budget-friendly Christmas party:
Pot of hearty soup on the stove, bread & butter, drinks in the fridge, and exchange white elephant gifts. No one has to spend any money on gifts, and it is a fun activity. My def. of a white elephant gift: something someone might want or find useful that you want to get rid of - like something you would sell at a garage sale. Play the “steal the gift” game.

My entertaining tip is to have Christmas carols playing softly in the background…It brings a smile to everyone’s faces.

I think that a great party starts with a great cocktail. Come up with something fun and festive (hot chocolate with peppermint marshmallows for the kids, green-apple-martinis for the adults?) and it really makes it go.

My easy tip- don’t try to have everyone over for one big party. For us it is less work and more intimate to have smaller get-togethers w/ our friends and family.

i would say to not be too hard on yourself. if you stress yourself out making everything just perfect you miss out on the fun! it’s not like everyone really notices anyway

I love to hold a home party during the cold of winter. Everyone is bored and is looking for something to do. I make small snacks and we live it up while having a good time. Kids are invited and we just make it an easy going time.

Have each guest bring something to minimize your time in the kitchen!

We had a Christmas party last year and did a few things that were way easy but fun for everyone. We had a Christmas movie on downstairs for kids or adults, we plugged our iPod in to the stereo and played our Christmas playlist, and we put a puzzle out. Everyone was entertained and with little effort on our part.

Here’s a tip for all you husbands: DO WHAT EVER YOUR WIFE WANTS YOU TO DO.

Make ahead items that can be easily baked/heated right before the party so that you are not rushing to get the items prepared.

Buy items such as olives, assorted cheeses, crackers, cold cuts and pre- cut vegetables to serve as simple appetizers.

Have an easy “go to” menu available. I like frozen chicken cordon bleu, salad, canned green beans, and a great dessert (brownies, apple pie with ice cream, or brownie sundaes). Easy to keep most ingredients on hand and quick to prep.

We have a “mobile” tree decorating party with a dish at each house and we go house to house with our closest friends and decorate each ones tree that way nobody has 2 much to prepare and nobody has all the decorating stress of Christmas plus there are alot of kids in our family and group of friends so the kids do most of the decorating while the adults just assist that way each childs tree is the way they want it lol
kandchorn@comporium.net

Easy entertaining tip–play Rock Band! It’s fun for all ages and my guests are sad to go home!

I think something nice to do…especially if you’re trying to break the ice a little is to have different games available to play. Rock Band or Guitar Hero, card games, etc.
Everyone likes playing games!

Tip - Plan your menu based on what is in season and on sale! It will save you time, money and hopefully a little stress.

it’s so easy when everyone brings one dish…sorta’ like a potlock…all I need to do is organize the menu or theme.

Buy premade from Sam’s and decorate the buffet beautifully. You’ll have more time to enjoy guests and you can save money buy shopping within a budget.

We love to have pot luck parties and focus more on our friends instead of all the frills.

Do what you know how to do, dont try a new recipe that is difficult, ask for help if needed, just try not to do it all yourself

Host a party along with someone else to split costs & effort!

One of my favorites is to have everyone bring a ornament and exchange them. it will get eceryone talking and it is something inexpensive that everyone can take part in.

My favorite party so far has been a wine party that I threw. Everybody brings a bottle but keeps it covered. Everybody tries the wine and they vote on the wines. Whoever gets the best tasting - leaves with a gift! Usually a gift card somewhere!

My sisters house is the place to be during the holidays! We get card making kits and have family and friends over to make Christmas cards. It’s fun to see everyone’s creativity and even better when you have a bunch of handmade holiday cards hung up on your wall.
We usually have wassil, cookies and a veggie tray. We stay for hours cutting and gluing cards together.

we keep it as simple as possible and ask everyone to bring a dish to share.

My entertaining tip is that anytime I have adults there are always kids and crafts are the best for kids. We love crafts at my house all year round but at Christmas time it is so much more fun because there are so many more little hands. Last year we did ornaments for the parents they painted glass ornaments once they were dry we boxed them up and wrapped them. Such a surprise for the parents on Christmas. And as for the parents we always have a bring a dish night. This year we are making reindeer ornaments and reindeer food.

a group “craft” of making sea salt with scented oil exfoliant

I’m not much of an entertainer, but if we have people over, it is always less stressful if we get them to bring some sort of side dish or something.

I have been planning for Christmas get togethers for a few months now. I buy plates, napkins, glasses and so on when they are on clearance. I make as much as I can ahead of time and freeze it, as this is less stressful the day of the party. I have everyone bring an assigned dish to pass, an appetizer and one 2 liter bottle of soda. We also do a centerpiece gift exchange, so while we are eating at the table, it is already decorated!
Jodi
jodiweiser@yahoo.com

It’s all about potluck. Everyone has fun doing gift exchanges but who really uses the gift you go home with (unless someone is really smart and buys a gift card). Guests can use the money they would spend on a gift and bring a dish instead.

An easy entertaining tip is to do a potluck so everyone helps and you can enjoy the party as well.

Never have enough pictures. My grandson is just about 2 now. This would be great to use. We all make a dish that we like and at christmas, there are many to choose from.

Work ahead of time! Make the dishes you can ahead of time, so that you can actually enjoy the day of entertaining. It takes a little planning but it really helps!

A cookie exchange is so fun to do for a get together

Frozen lasagna is a great way to put together a meal fairly easily. Than you can have others bring salad, breat, etc.

It is definitely nice to have a holiday ornament exchange. You can keep the value under $5.00, yet you can still be very creative! Have all attendees bring an appetiver, and voila! Don’t forget the hot apple cider!

Make food ahead of time! Many things can be prepared the day before and either just cooked or pulled out of the fridge before guests come. That way, you won’t be worrying about any last minute hiccups hours before the guests are arriving.

I love a beautifully set table for special family gatherings. It’s amazing how place cards and a simple center piece can make a gathering special and memorable. Making them is also a great activity to help kids feel special and involved.

Keep it simple. The holidays are more fun when we are relaxed and we enjoy ourselves.

I make appetizers the day before and seal them up and befor the party- I start popping them in the oven and everything is out in time.

If you don’t have time to bake cookies, buy plain shortbread cookies from the bakery and then take the time to decorate them yourself. Everyone will think you spent a lot of time in the kitchen.

Make one thing less than you think you need. There is almost always leftover food, so either make one less batch of a couple of things or cut something out altogether. The party is about the fellowship not the food!

Ask everyone to bring something and use paper plates!

We always do buffet style. Have each family/guest bring their specialty! Its always nice to have plenty of dessert!

I like for everyone to bring a dish and we have dinner, play a game or two, watch a Christmas movie, and socialize. It’s always really fun!

What I love is having my stoneware bundt pan from Pampered Chef and a couple cake mixes and frosting on hand. If a guest turns up, I can whip up a cake in about 10 minutes!! The best thing I ever bought, and it makes suprise visits a breeze.
Tammy

I like to have my daughter and her friends work on a gingerbread house every year. This does require some planning and some activities for in between. It is so much fun. My daughter loves it!

The entertaining tip I have is include your kids! We have a tradition of decorating Christmas cookies together. It is a huge mess but oh so fun. My boys are 28, 24, and 21. We now have 3 grandchildren. It is so amazing to see my boys developing their own traditions with their kids.

We entertain a lot and my best tip is to just relax. If you are anxious and stressed your guests will feel the tension and everyone will be uncomfortable. I prep as much as possible ahead of time, have wine ready the moment people walk in the door and we have fun group games to play so people are entertained. Catch Phrase is a great one.

A good entertaining tip for me is to get out the games and finger foods. Like pictionary, trivia games, scene it and so on. Everytime we have a get together we always have fun playing these games and we never do get board. I would love to win this camera so I could capture these fun moments with family and friends.

Put little candy trays around the house-it makes me happy to grab a few sweets before the main meal/activity of the evening.

Invite a bunch of friends and family and tell them to bring their most favorite party dish! Lots of great conversation and food!
sblilly14(@)yahoo(.)com

A really nice thing to do with your co-workers instead of spending money and doing secret santas you can have a christmas card exchange. You can buy boxed cards cheap or if your like me and scrapbook you can make your own cards.

Make cookies up to a couple months before your party, freeze them, and just pop them out of the freezer for the party!

Invite your close friends over a little early to help w/ the prep work…open a bottle and visit while you get everything ready!

We plan a get together and ask each family to bring a special ornament for our tree. Our decorations are awesome!

Have each guest bring a baby picture of hisself/herself and make a bulletin board. It is a great conversation starter.

Have a pot luck dinner and have all your guests bring a dish.

Plan ahead and precook as much as possible so you don’t have to spend all your time in the kitchen!

I love decorate and have friends over for something simple to eat and watch a holiday movie…

Save the dishes for the next day, you’ll have more time to spend with and enjoy your guests. Plus you wont get mad at people who don’t help because they will not have a chance to.

Easy entertaining?? Paper products!! Pick them up after Christmas and you’ll always be ready for company!

Have a cookie swap party. Everyone bring the desert so you don’t have to make everything! This has become a tradition for us. Everyone has a great time!

Buy lots of disposable containers so you can send guests home with treats from the party:)

The appetizer section at Sams Club has some great and quick options to keep on hand.

Have everyone bring a snack to your house and have snacks and games!

When you are having a large crowd over, serve food in various rooms so people do not congregate in just one area.

For instance, in one large party I had, most of the food was set out in the kitchen, a few snacks in the family room, and dessert on the dining table… all buffet style.

Plan early ! Cook ahead and freeze.

Candles in all the windows make welcoming visitors feel right at home. Thanks for the chance to win!

Best tip - a cookie swap for the littles. Everyone gets a treat and the moms get new ideas. Thanks for the chance - my camera is on its very last leg.

To plan a great gathering, you need a nice welcomeing smell in your home. I like to put my Hawaiin Breeze glades in every room that just sets the mood!! Lots of great friends and family, lots of delicious foods along with great red wine…and enjoy!!

Have everyone else bring all the food! Everyone chips in, and you’re not stressed out at the last minute with hosting and preparing food!

I think taking shortcuts by using already baked or semi baked items is a great idea. It’s a real timesaver. Also, a potluck is a great idea because you only have to prepare one dish rather than several. Thanks@
God bless,
Amanda
jesusluvsu2005 at gmail dot com

Have everyone bring a desert! Then you can enjoy the last half of the evening! THANKS!

i love to get friends together and make holidays sweets. we get together and combine our money to get the things we need and share in the goodies afterwards. its a neat way of spending time with friends and getting goodies at the same time.

Get together with friends

I love to make cookies and leave them on all the end tables and other tables around the house…

They have a great variety of stuff!

Well are family is huge so we break up into stations around the house. They include video games, board games, movies, and just talking about books that we have read.

Best way to entertain is to have a progressive dinner. Each neighbor has everyone over and offers either cocktails, appetizers, main course, dessert and coffee, etc. then go to the next home for the next course. It is a fun time and you only have to prepare a small amount of food. Plus you are only entertaining at your house for a half hour then move on to the next home. It is a fun way to socialize, get to know your neighbors better, and if no sitter bring the kids. Happy Holidays! Heather
heatherrussell@cox.net

we have a small house so, we can’t have alot of people over at one time, but we do like to have our friends come over. We usually ask them to bring their favorite snack and/or beverage. This helps lessen the stress level a bit as well as easing the budget!

Our best entertaining advice is always make sure you have plenty of snacks/cookies for your guests to enjoy. They are the best conversation starters and makes every happy by talking about cooking and making/baking them; bringing back memories of the past with grandparents and family and friends.

Host a cookie exchange and serve coffee. Very easy because everyone brings some cookies to sample and exchange. All you need to provide is some coffee and beverages. Sit around and enjoy some time with friends and family.

Try to make dishes ahead of time and this way you can enjoy the day and be less stressed out!!! Happy Holidays!!!

Have a Progressive Dinner Party in your neighborhood. Cocktails at one house, appitizers at another, mail meal at another, desserts at another, and finish up at another neighbors with after dinner drinks. It’s fun, everyone pitches in so the costs stay low and you get to know your neighbors better.

When hosting a holiday party, I usually have it in the afternoon; therefore I only have to serve small appetizer/snack food and of course, cookies.

My tip, when having a holdiay party, don’t do all the work yourself… Have your guests bring their favorite dish or snack. Everyone is happy and it always turns into “How do you make this, can I have the recipe?”

An easy entertaining tip for a fun Christmas Eve gathering after church is to order cold meat and cheese trays, buy buns and bread, chips and use those cookies you made for a light and fun, no-fuss dinner. It’s all about family anyway.

Instead of worrying about a gift for everyone, just have everyone bring one wrapped gift that could be for anyone (set a price limit). then just draw #’s and choose and open gifts in that order. But if someone wants what someone already has, they can trade on their turn. It’s fun, and inexpensive.

Any easy entertaining tip would be to make it a pot luck! Have everyone bring a favorite holiday dish to make things easier on you, the host.

Always have enough food and fun holiday drinks on hand to make the party interesting.

The best holiday tip I use is to keep it simple…Buy as much as you can pre made so you dont have to spend the whole day in the kitchen and can spend more time with family!

Definately buffet, ask guests to bring a dish.
My son is starting photography and it would be great to be able to give him a camera.
Thanks for sharing!

Have the party at someone else’s house! For C-mas Eve we serve stromboli. Easy to prep ahead of time and throw into oven that night. Plus each person can add their fav. topping inside!

I used to do holiday parties where I prepared all of the food–now we do pot-luck parties where each family or person brings a dish. This makes the party much less hectic and expensive for me and everybody has a good time and shares favorite recipes.

One easy enterainment we do is every christmas eve we have our family gathering and make all kinds of foods. I like to make my cookies up a week or 2 before and freeze them until the night before and they come out just as good as the day i bake them.

Catering!

No, seriously, I just try to have a relaxed atmosphere and a lot of fun. My favorite holiday party is a New Year’s Eve game night. Everyone brings their favorite appetizer and we’re set.

easy entertaining tip is have a contest… last year we did gingerbread houses. We all ran to the store together had a certain amount of time to buy our items and then had to run to the house and build build build… then we all voted secretly in the end there was a winner… It is fun!

Gift from the heart and homemade decorations make for easy entertaining.

My tip is when having a holiday party have a sign in book so that everyone can sign the book and then you can send them thank you card with picture of the party and you also remember new faces too

One fun holiday party idea is to invite 12 families and ask them to bring a dish somehow connnected to the 12 days of Christmas song. It’s fun seeing what people come up with. (5 golden rings could be 5 twinkies!)

We always have so many places to visit during the Holidays. Keeping it simple is best. We normally have a nice big breakfast in the morning and finger foods with extended family throughout the day. It cuts the stress on trying to create another huge holiday meal so soon after Thanksgiving.

My favorite way for entertaining especially kids over the holidays is baking. I often prepare cookie dough ahead of time (less mess this way), so I can just pull it out of the freezer and kids can have fun cuttin, decorating, and icing.

i am a photo nut!! ask my family
and with all the options of publishing now, whom wouldn’t be
peace and blessed be
happy holidays

An easy entertaining tip is to do potluck. After asking which each of my guests would prefer bringing, assign appetizers, desserts, drinks, main dish (usually I take care of that)and have them bring that. Then it’s fun, food, drinks, and games on a smaller budget.

An easy entertaining tip: Keep out a few board or card games–my favorite would be Balderdash–its easy entertainment and will definitely make the event very memorable!
Thanks for the chance to win!

me and the girls (no kids rule) get together and watch gone with the wind in front of the fire place. they come over in p.j. type clothes and we veg in front of the t.v. and eat cookies and drink hot drinks. when we get tired of doing that we do something different and fun together. this year we are going to make candles. everyone on the list was told what to bring. for example, one person wicks, one persn wax, and i am buying lots of containers (wine glasses, flower pots etc) at the dollar tree. we all leave with candles that we keep for ourselves and/or give as gifts; plus we learned something new. tip: pay extra for the good stuff so the candles will burn longer, although, normally u spend less when ur buying things to contrib to a group.

I always have a hard time getting all the decorations out. I am a teacher and a basketball coach, so the last couple of years I have invited my basketball team over to help me decorate. They are very creative, and it saves me loads of time!

Make up several batches of cookie dough (up to 1 week in advance) and store in the refrigerator. It only takes a few minutes to pop them in the oven and have fresh baked cookies on demand.

Crockpot, crockpot, crockpot…

Let your appliance do the cooking for you. Whether it’s an entree or an appetizer or a breakfast. Who wants to be stuck in the kitchen and miss out on the holiday planning. Google crockpot recipes and you’ll find one for any type of meal. I love mine to have a ready made oatmeal Christmas morning and to keep an entree warm for the long hours of our New Year’s open house. Enjoy the season and let your crockpot do the cooking. Plus it’s an economical way to feed many people.

I like to make the big item, like the turkey and then the finger foods. I ask company to bring 1 favorite dish to share. By the end of the night there’s tons of food and everyone gets to have something different, plus the creativity gets to us so it ends up being a very yummy table
Don’t forget your camera ;D

my tip is having a potluck have everyone bring something also can have everyone bring a game it is so fun to play game with lots of people

My tip is to have a potluck style party. That way you don’t spend some much time in the kitchen!

An entertaining tip is don’t spend lots of money on decorations and decor. I’ve found lots of ideas for make-it-yourself decorations with things I already have around the house.

make things that don’t require you to be in the kitchen missing all the interaction. Desserts taht are ready to pull out or fridge or freezer are great.

Have the kids help make candy & fudge before the gathering. Everyone loves chocolate and peanut butter fudge. Also have games (old fashioned board games and dominoes) set up at different rooms or areas of the house for the different age groups that are there and have a little live music from friends & family playing with a Christmas cd. Even have a young entertainer sing or play an instrument. Everyone enjoys music and fun during the holidays.

KID FRIENDLY: Have a cookie exchange! Everyone makes 3 dozen cookies, comes together and swaps them with each other.. so everyone goes home with 3 dozen DIFFERENT kinds of cookies.. so easy and fun, especially with kids!

An easy entertaining tip is to ask my guests to bring a dish to share instead of having to cook everything myself.

Cheese ball. 1 package cream cheese. 1 bag shredded cheese (any) 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 4 slices cooked and crumbled bacon. Roll in crushed up nuts. Serve with crackers. Cheap and delicious.

Finger Foods at parties. Less mess to clean up. I also like to have some fun activities for the younger kids…keeps them busy and everyone having a good time.

For cheese balls, I use ground up croutons instead of nuts. Cheaper and I always have croutons. Many people have said they really like it.

I like to have a candle lighting party for my friends kids for Hannukah. Some string cheese, juice, and candles and we’re set!

An easy entertaining tip is to host a secret santa party! Everyone only needs to buy one gift valued at $15, and it makes for great fun.

We like to make cookies and cheese balls ahead of time so there is less running around to prepare for parties and gatherings. It’s nice to be able to relax and enjoy the holidays!

I buy all of my paperware when it is on sale at the end of the season… For Thanksgiving this year I already had all of my pretty paper “Happy Thanksgiving” napkins and plates for everyone to use. Oh, and make your dips and salsas ahead of time for entertaining! Thats what I will do for Christmas Eve this year. (I guess I exceeded the 1 Easy thing)

thanks for the opportunity.

my tip is to do pot luck and send people home with their own dishes and left overs. That way you don’t have to track people down to return dishes or waste all the leftovers!

I stock up on supplies when I have extra coupons or when I see things on sale so that I don’t have a huge grocery bill in addition toa huge present bill during this month. Also, never under-estimate the power of a pot-luck!

I try to prepare everything ahead of time — and I have my four children help. Now they know how to make our family favorite recipes and traditional appetizers. Thanks for a great giveaway.

Instead of a large meal on Christmas eve, we order pizza and sit around and play games all night. Cuts down on a lot of stress.

When my mom hosts a formal dinner (our place is not quite big enough), she sets the table with all the cutlery, plates, glassware, serving pieces and trivets the night before. That frees up a lot of time on the day of the party and ensures there’s a place for everything.

My holiday entertaining tips is when our family all gets together for Christmas, we each bring a couple dishes so the person who is hosting the dinner isn’t stuck with all the work. That makes it nice and easy and we all look forward to tasting a new recipe we haven’t had before!

What we do every Christmas is whoever is hosting the dinner brings everyone a little door prize and put it on everyone’s empty plate. Some examples are finger flash lights, stocking silverware holders, lightup key chains, little M&M Christmas candy dispensers, tiny ornaments, or candy in decorative foil. Can be very inexpensive but lots of fun to see what you get every year.

Get the children involved. It makes it fun for them to be part of it and it helps me sometimes because I don’t have to worry what they are doing because they are helping me! Also I enjoy the time we are together.

I make things I can bake in advance,rather than items that need to be cooked at the last minute. Saves on the last minute rushing. Also, I rarely turn down offers from people wanting to bring a dish or drinks.

make stickers with guests’ names on them to stick to their disposable drink containers. cuter than permanent marker and easy to do

My kids help me make everything! Lots of bonding time, and if something doesn’t come out right, blame it on your kids!

Easy entertaining tip… Potluck! And make sure everyone takes their dishes back home with them.

Always prepare the cold food the morning of the party and the hot food just before the party begins. By doing so, you will have more time to concentrate on the hot food; managing your time will make is less stressful on you! Enjoy the party!

Potlucks - it’s just easier. Have everyone bring a dish and you take care of drinks.

We love doing snacky/appetizer type foods for get-togethers around the holidays. They’re easy…and so good!!!

I try to do as much cooking as possible in advance and put things in the freezer. It makes entertaining so much easier! You can find a lot of recipes online that are OK to freeze.

Usually the weather is dry, warm enough (California and all), we all do a post dinner walk. We end up at a park for the kids to play at, and we all feel better after some fresh air and exercise. Go back to the house for hot tea and coffee.

My entertainig tip would be to lessen the holiday stresses by planning and preparing in advance. A simple way to do this is by preparing things throughout the year. By taking advantage of the less hectic times, you can have things on hand when they are needed, such as are present during the holiday season. For instance, I freeze quite a few things and can simply take them out of the freezer as I need them.

Potluck!

My entertaining tip would be to plan and prepare in advance. I like to make things throughout the year and am able to then use them as they are needed. For instance, by preparing things during less hectic times, a person is able to simply grab these when the times become more involved, such as with the holiday season. I freeze many things which are can be lifesavers, and even great gifts, during the holidays.

We like to have “Crock pot parties” any time of the year. Our guests bring something in a crock pot - chili, wings, ribs, meatballs, sloppy joes, etc. And we just make a couple of simple sides like a pan of cornbread and a fruit platter.

When we have company, I always try to have as much of the food prepared ahead of time as possible. I may spend a day or two before cooking, but this way I get to spend time with my guests instead of stuck in the kitchen.

to make holiday cooking easy and fun everyone who come to the Christmas party brings one appetizer and one dessert. I make the main meal.

to make holiday cooking easy and fun everyone who come to the Christmas party brings one appetizer and one dessert. I make the main meal.

One easy entertaining tip for all of you party divas out there..always always get your veggie tray from the grocery. Now a days veggie trays are prepared waiting for you in the veggie aisle. Grap a cup of sour cream, your favorite ranch dressing and mix it up. Throw in bacon bits and cheddar cheese. Grab a bag of lays chips and you have TWO appetizers instead of one. Frozen meat balls and pizza sauce is always a winner too. Always look for the shortcuts! There is no reason for anyone to roll out 30 meatballs for a party. Save the energy on the mingling.

Thanks for the opportunity to win!
lil_wifey21 at yahoo dot com

Lay out all ingredients and if it can be made ahead then make ahead. If someone is asking what they can do take them up on their offer. Have everyone bring something….divvy up the task.

Host an afternoon open house! By it being in the middle of the day, you won’t have to provide as much food (just some good snacks). And there is no need to serve alcohol (a huge money saver).

A great easy entertaining tip is to have out plenty of “less-messy” snacks and a ton of photo albums with photos from gatherings past! It always seems to keep the mood bright and sentimental and everyone loves pointing out how dorky we all looked “back in the day” And besides, who doesn’t love looking at pics?!

We divide up the side dishes for our family gathering. That way the host family doesn’t have to do it all.

Make anything you can ahead of time. Freeze a ring of juice for punch and cookies can be frozen. kraft magazine has some great ideas on easy entertaining.

I try to have some cookie dough made up so that I can have fresh baked cookies in just a few moments.

We do a wrapping party. Friends bring over some gifts to wrap. I supply all of the wrapping paper/bows, etc. We have cookies and cocoa and it is a nice break from the hussle of the holidays!

I do a cookie exchange at work and one with some neighbors….I have cookies for the family and for some gifts. Thanks!

We love to have friends over and have everyone bring a dish to share! That way you get lots of good food and it’s easy for everyone!

I’m hosting a cookie exchange at work. I’ll end up with 8 dozen different kinds of cookies for my guests!

I like to provide the main dish and then let everybody else bring a side dish. That way, there is at least something that everybody likes. And since I don’t like being stuck cleaning up, we use disposable tableware.

Thanks for a chance to win.

pscole3467 at gmail dot com

Tip - keep frozen appetizers on hand - who doesn’t like little hot dogs & mini-quiches? Good for last minute entertainment.

My entertaining tip is to host a cookie exchange. Keep it simple and you can save money and get some much needed girl time.

Make a meal in the crockpot so you aren’t cooking at the last minute!

My tip is flowers! I love fresh flowers and if I can get a big bouquet inexpensively I’ll split it up and put it in small vases around the house. It just freshens everything up!

How nice it would be to win a new camera! My favorite holiday tip is to host a cookie swap. Everyone brings so many dozen of a specific type cookie. The number of guests and number of cookies determines how many each guest gets to take home. The best part is that we each have all these different flavors of homemade cookies, but only have to bake one type! It’s easy and fun. While we’re together, we usually eat snacks and play Dirty Santa.

Easy entertaining tip is to have a game night. Have simple snacks like chips, cheese and crackers, veggies, things that do not take a lot of time to prepare. Everyone has a great time!

An easy entertaining idea is to plan for Leftovers
You’ve worked hard to prepare for your party. Don’t you deserve a break when it’s over? By making enough food to have leftovers when the party’s over, you’ll be able to skip cooking for a few days after the event.

WOW, what an amazing giveaway! This is an awesome camera, I would love to win!
My easy entertaining tip: Make a few dishes ahead of time, to save yourself time during the day of the party. For example, you can make a seven layer dip the day before - and it’s always a huge hit! You can also bake cookies or a cake the day before. Then on the day of the party, you can keep it simple!

I premake cookie mixes in little jars so the kids can just mix ‘em up and whip up a batch - they feel really accomplished!

Gingerbread houses! Our family loves to build a gingerbread house as one last decoration for the holidays! The kids love it and it makes for some great memories. The pictures are priceless!!

break out the dessert. We normally have something easy like pie and icecream or during the summer just icecream in a cone. Make it simple and have plenty of it.

Easy tip - provide lots of finger foods!

Prepare most of my treats before the holiday gathering. Less stress that way…

I like to take pictures of people and cut and fade them into made backgrounds in front of them. Seeing the look on there face when I show them all the special effects they can do is pure entertainment!

our family has a gift exchange every year and since my granmother passed away instead of drawaling names each person bring a give adults for adult kids for kids out of that they are placed in the center of the room and you play games to get gifts kids go first now everyone gets one because you get a choice of taking a gift from someone or picking one out of the pile. its fun for all.

I do an open-house brunch the week after Christmas. People’s schedules are freer and they are less stressed. I have finger foods and a family friendly punch (no big meal to prepare, plastic utensils). Less stress, and I have more time to visit with friends.

Potluck all the way!!! It is so much easier and takes a lot of stress off of the host! Plus it’s fun to sample other peoples yummy food!

My best entertaining tip would be “plan ahead”. It always works better when you are better prepared!

One easy tip is to have a cookie exchange and play a few simple games

We keep lots of Christmas movies and games on hand to keep the kiddies entertained so the adults can talk. We also put out snacking trays for people to nibble on. I have these all prepared the night before so all I have to do is put them out. I make an easy punch for the kids and put out other beverages for the adults…… but alot of adults like the punch too. My rule is called KISS (Keep It Simple but Savvy)

I’m not much for entertaining, but I do love taking pictures and I know how much people like to see them after the party. I get everyone’s emails together and send them out that night so everyone can remember those fun times and laugh at themselves if that is deserved:)

Best tip for entertaining, prep as much as you can ahead of time so all you have to do is warm up a few appetizers! Then enjoy your party!

Hi,
I have one word for easy entertaining. POTLUCK!
Just provide the beverage and a relaxed hostess.
Connie

Everyone brings a dish that was special to them growing up at Christmas. Dishes carried down from generation to generation. And good conversation of course. My daughter recently said to me if she wanted to have something to remember her life by it would be through pictures because they are not replaceable. Thanks Diane

Instead of giving gifts to each other, we buy a gift for those who are in need. That is the spirit of the season

i love to make lots of finger foods ahead of time, like pigs in a blanket. they are super easy and quick to make! i take the refrigerated crescent dough and use a pizza slicer to slice each triangle in to 3 smaller triangles. then i wrap up the mini hot dogs, put them on a cookie sheet and refrigerate!

We do cookies,the day before christmas.we get all the kids together each kid brings some kind of decoration to put on cookies.I prebake the cookies a few days ahead of time.Then we put all the decorations together,The kids have so much fun….we sure do get some exciting looking cookies…Merry Christmas to all!!!!

Great! I need a new digital camera! Love to win it! My tip is to keep your holiday celebrations’ as easy and simple as possible. This reduces stress and gives you more energy to enjoy your family and take pictures of the occasion and create some of your own Christmas cards to send out next Christmas from them. Merry Christmas this year everyone!!!!! Luci

Every year I have a holiday get together for friends and have everyone bring one of their own holiday food creations and the recipe. Then we swap recipes, this is a great way to try new and different recipes and your not stuck in the kitchen all day making food for everyone.

Make your food ahead of time, that way you can enjoy your party! Thanks!

Buffet style with casual seating arrangement. This way, the guests entertain themselves by moving around when they git up to refill their plates, thus, having a chance to talk to different people throughout the evening.

I love to have a cookie decorating party with my Grandkids! It is a mess to cleanup, but fun to see their creativity some of the color combinations are interesting! They have fun and we all enjoy the cookies later ( no matter what they look like )

I love to entertain and have found that a theme for food makes it easy! Just have everyone bring something and make a great “signature” theme drink to go along. Inexpensive snacks and great friends make for a fun evening.

We recently had a chili tasting party where everyone brought a pot of chili and we voted on the best. Complete with a jar of hot sauce as the prize

I try to choose items that can be made ahead of time. I always end up doing something last minute, so this helps lessen the stress.

Everyone that comes brings something to share. That way we get alot of variety and I don’t have to do it all.
I love to take pictures too!

Entertaining tip: have everything ready before guests arrive. I’m serving spaghetti for Christmas Eve dinner and the only thing I’m doing when guest arrive is boiling pasta!

One easy entertaining tip, have tons of stuff for kids to do to keep them busy so the adults can have some time together.

Family members bring food to share and I make sure everyone has a good time eating and napping. Relaxed atmosphere and plenty of room for the kids to play,

Here’s easy entertaining! Food theme it! Chinese, get several varieties of take-out. Italian, take-out pizza, pastas, etc.. Just make a fresh homemade salad, beverages and you’re done. Nobody cares if you didn’t slave over the stove and you saved a ton of time.

Buffet style, its make things alot easier

Have a variety of food and drinks for everyone.

would love to win this. great giveaway. would love to get the perfect shot of my baby’s 1st christmas.

I like to throw a Christmas every year with my children’s friends. We always make chocolate covered pretzels and spiced nuts.

I use the extra Christmas tree trimming I have and spread them throughout the house. It adds a simple but yet elegant decoration!! and the smell is awesome!

I like to get everything possible ready in advance, so I can enjoy my company. I like to have everyone tell stories about what has been happening in their life since the last time we were together.

Have a dessert exchange! It’s less expensive than a gift exchange and everyone loves food!

With this economy, my friends and I have started to have bring a dish parties. Instead of hosting parties and providing all of the food we have started hosting and providing the entree, everyone that is invited brings a side dish. This enables us to get together in large groups once a month without breaking the bank!

Chocolate covered pretzels!!!

Make Christmas cookies in advance & freeze them in freezer bags. When company comes, take out a few of each variety & you have an instant dessert tray to give or share.

One of the easiest tips for entertaining is to prepare as much ahead of time as you can. Simple things like slicing cheese, arranging fruit on a platter, making dips, etc., to prepping other dishes so all you need to do is a quick assemble/ throw it in the oven (i.e. de-stem mushrooms and prepare the stuffing ahead of time for stuffed mushrooms, so all you need to do is throw it in the oven right before your party). This is the number one way to save stress during entertaining!

For a specific type of entertaining, try a cookie exchange. Each guest makes one type of cookie, and makes 1 dozen per guest. Then after the party, everyone returns home with a wide variety of cookies, and they only had to make one type! (If you’re having a larger gathering, you could also scale this back to a half dozen per guest, too).

The easiest tip i would have for everyone is doing what we do on Christmas eve. We have it at our place but we always ask our guests to bring something, maybe a special plate or dessert and that way we don’t have to do all the cooking and it’s a fun way to try new and different things.

I usually have mashed potatoes with our meal and have found that if I put the potatoes in the slow cooker the night before and then mash them the next day I can leave them in the slow cooker to keep warm while serving works great if you have a buffet type thing to attend.

My best tip is for everyone to bring a dish to my holiday parties. It helps big time!

Happy Holdays everyone!

My best way to entertain is to make sure that no matter what my guests enjoy themselves and that I am always being myself. Dont try to impress someone so much that you forgot who you are!

I’ve learned the simpler the better. If things seem to “fancy” than some guests have a hard time relaxing. I also keep cans of juice concentrate in the pantry. Mix a can of juice concentrate with a 2 liter of Sprite for an easy and yummy drink.

My tip would be to allow other people to chip in for a party. If you are hosting and people offer to bring or help - let them! This way you will free up more time to spend with your company.

I LOVE COOKIE EXCHANGE PARTIES!!!! I really takes a lot less work to have a huge variety of cookies!

For me keeping it simple is trying to do all I can a week ahead of time.I always make sure I make a list,stick to it and then go shopping for all I need.
My hubby loves to take pictures and is a good photographer! I would love to win this to give to him as a Christmas gift since money,like with everyone else is tight here this year.

I have a group of friends and we are all SAHM’s so we have a more relaxed “Christmas Lunch” party. We each bring one of the courses and since it’s a lunch we can be a little more relaxed serving soup, salad, cider and holiday goodies! It is also nice to be able to bring our kiddo’s along, since it is hosted at one of our houses!

MAKE HOMEMADE PIZZA. TELL YOUR FRIENDS TO BRING ONE OF THERE FAVORITE TOPPINGS. YOU HAVE THE SAUCE , CHEESE AND CRUST. IT IS FUN . THE KIDS LOVE IT. ALSO HAVE A FEW PEOPLE BRING SWEETS . YOU HAVE THE DRINKS.

Holiday Party? If you have a knick knacky house make sure to put anything you’d hate to get broken away. Sure you can spend the whole party eyeballing the children and cringing when uncle steve walks by the tables or you could just remove them and actually enjoy your party!

We have some great friends and each year on Christmas Eve we get together and it is our cold cut evening. I get the meats (from deli-several different kinds) she gets the cheeses (several choices-deli) and we each get chips/drinks and a dessert. It is nice and no pressure but something to look forward to!

Make cakes and cookies ahead of time and freeze.

I make candies that can be made at least a week ahead. Peanut clusters and chocolate covered pretzels are easy, but time consuming.

I love having parties with appetizers. I make what I like and ask my guests to bring things they like, then we all have lots of food to try and know there is something there we like.

YUM! Wish I could be eating some now.

Easiest way I like to Entertain is be in a room filled with your closest family. Talk about past times that have been embarrassing, funny, etc… That is always a hit. Some things just do not get old teling, even if they are told every year after they happen. We still laugh about past family outings.

Good Times!!

Like others have said, have as much prepared in advance as possible. Making items in the crockpot keeps the kitchen from heating up. Plus all the family brings a favorite dish so I don’t have to make everything.

an easy entertaining tip is to do a buffet. have a lot of choices and you are good to go.

My family divides who is making what and then noone has to do all the cooking. We the women do the dishes as well so the host does not have to when the company leaves. This gives everyone more time to visit and enjoy each others company.

I have everyone bring their favorite dish in a favorite dish so that I don’t end up doing all the cooking, plus we end up with a beautiful assortment of serving dishes on the table.

potlock is my best way to go….i love to make cookies and lots of them in a nice basket…

One word for hosting a holiday party….POTLUCK!!!

I want to win…

Use disposable everything: plasticware, paper plates, etc. Makes things so much easier!!

I have a yearly cookie party, everyone brings enough to share a doz for each guest to take home and a doz to add to the pile to eat, everyone brings a diffrent kind we have been doing this for 5 years now so when I send invitations out I stick a receipe card in it for a fun, different cookie receipes…..we play christmas music and play games and talk and catch up and just have a fun and relaxing evening…..such an easy party to have no work except for making your cookies ahead of time and cleanup is so easy plus your left with cookies to share with your family….

wanna join us I have receipes…my party is dec 20th I cant wait
scottpamela@ymail.com

if you live in missouri feel free to RSVP..lol

Lots of easy to make finger foods.

Make it a potluck, ask everyone to bring their favorite dish.

We all gather and watch football together

Always have something crafty/or a game for the kids to do when they come over for get togethers. Keeping them entertained, lets you mingle with friends.

I like to freeze ahead cookie dough so it’s easy to just pull out and bake the day of the party. Then the house smells nice and cookies are fresh.

Pots of soup or chili are the easiest to fix for large groups of people. Pizza for the kiddos is always a hit, too.

I sometimes use my crock pot for entertaining. And a few other appetizers that you can make ahead and keep in the fridge. You can do meatballs, chicken wings or a queso dip for chips.

I always have everyone bring a dish to pass. This gives everyone great new recipes to try out and free’s me up from spending all my time in the kitchen!

When having our annual Christmas party we have a white cloth tablecloth out for all of our guests to sign! It makes for great memories!

We have a large family so when we get together for the holidays everyone brings their favorite holiday food. We get to sample delicious food and spend more time with each other.

Have an indoor cornhole party!

Use the crook pot. Put it in and forget it.
I love to do BBQ chicken in it.

Invite friends over, truely enjoy them for who they are and relax. Don’t let the small stuff turn into big stuff. True friends don’t come to see how spotless your house is. Do simple snacks and watch the classic Christmas shows.

I usually allow the kids to have a sleep over before the holiday. During the sleepover, we make different dishes together. While we are waiting on the food to finish cooking, we put up the Christmas tree and holiday decorations.

We always take turns working in the kitchen so that everyone has a chance to visit with everybody.

We like having all our friends and their kids come over and everyone brings something to either put on the grill or snacks and we just sit around and talk whille the kids run and play

The best entertaining tip is to be prepared for anything! Always have extra of something cause you never know whats going to happen! I always have a back up plan in case someone arrives early, put them to work! If something gets dropped or ruined always have extra!!

I linked back to this in my post today: http://mrslc.blogspot.com/2008/12/contests.html

Great giveaway!

I invite my 70 year old mom over to help me with the baking. We have a great time and create lasting memories.

Keep some bake-ready snacks in freezer like cookie dough and when you have guests coming in just bake them in 10 -15 mins. The house smells delicious aswell this way.

Best entertaining tip I have is after 30 years of doing holidays at my home I now help my
daughter do the holiday entertaining at her home. Now it is time for me to enjoy watching her follow in my footsteps and what a wonderful job she does.

Make my cookie dough in November or Thanksgiving weekend. Roll the dough into logs & wrap in wax paper. Put rolls in ziplock bags labeled w/ cookie type and freeze. When I need to bake for school, party, or other events, I just pull the dough out, slice, and bake.

I organize a cookie exchange to help with my baking. Get lots of variety & all homemade. Then it’s antoher reason to get together & celebrate w/ friends.

I love to have a cookie exchange party. Each guest makes several dozen of one kind of cookie, which saves time and money. Then we swap with the other guests and the party. So you arrive with one kind of cookie and leave with seven kinds. It’s a fun way to socialize and save the hassle of baking 12 different types of cookies.

I bake cookie bars. The recipes are converted from traditional Christmas cookies, but simpler and quicker to make.

My family orders pizza on Christmas Eve so that no one is stuck cooking and everyone can enjoy each other. No clean up either.

Prepare make ahead appetizers before your party so that you can enjoy & give time to your guests which is what they treasure the most.

I make the holidays easier by having a decorating party with my kids - we play christmas music and decorate the house and trim the tree together. We string popcorn together to wrap around the tree and every year we decorate a gingerbread house. After all is completed, we conclude our evening by watching a classic christmas movie together to get us all in the holiday spirit.

Make sure I leave out a few puzzle games. No matter their age, they all LOVE them.

The best entertainment is watching old home movies of Christmas past. What fun to watch!

Don’t get uptight! Just smile and you will get through the lines just the same

Keep the menu simple offiering no more than two terrific dishes plus dessert from your local bakery.

I make sure to make a menu ahead of time, and accept when people offer to bring something.

My favorite tip is the use everything disposible. If I’m baking then I make sure to cook in disposible pans and to use plastic plates, forks, everything! It makes clean up so much easier!

My best tip is to keep it simple. I was in charge of a party for the women at my church last week, and I kept reminding myself that they would never know of the more elaborate plans I had, but had to scale back.

A camera is just what I need. Since my son is medically fragile, we celebrate my son’s life everyday and love to capture each moment as much as possible.

Easy way to entertain…make cupcakes. The kids and parents like to decorate and of course eat them. Use a little food coloring to make cool color frostings and candies to top. Talk about catching fun memorize with a camera. Nothing beats a frosting smile. Heather
heatherrussell@cox.net

I like start cooking and cleaning little by little days before my parties. That way, on the day of the party, I’m not scrambling in the kitchen or franticly trying to clean up at the last minute. Hosting is much easier when one’s relaxed.

A camera is just what I need. Since my son is medically fragile, we celebrate my son’s life everyday and love to capture each moment as much as possible.

Easy way to entertain…make cupcakes. The kids and parents like to decorate and of course eat them. Use a little food coloring to make cool color frostings and candies to top. Talk about catching fun memories with a camera. Nothing beats a frosting smile. Heather
heatherrussell@cox.net

I just had a cookie swap party last weekend and I think I will make it a yearly tradition. Everyone invited was asked to make at least 2 dozen cookies and bring the recipe. At the end of the night, I handed out some gallon size Ziploc bags and everyone went home with an assortment of cookies and only had to bake one kind! It was a good time and rewarding!

HAving soup(s) and appetizers are always a quick and easy idea for entertaining and also doesn’t take much for clean-up.

My version of easy entertaining is a pot luck dinner. If everyone brings a dish and you prepare the main dish (meat) then no one feels completely overwhelmed. Also, not as many dishes this way and if you use disposable all you have to do is take out the trash. Everyone can enjoy the holidays this way with out feeling as stressed.

Wow what a great gift, thanks in advance. Have a merry christmas!

I try to make as many dishes as I can the day before. I also get to clean up a lot of the dishes ahead of time so my sink is empty and the kitchen is clean.

PICTURE ARE WORTH A THOUSANDS WORDS,I BELIVE THIS IS A TRUE STATEMENT. LOOKING BACK ON MEMORIES OARE PRICELESS AT HOLIDAYS.

My entertaining tip is to go ahead and invite the kids to the party too…then hire a babysitter (or 2 or 3) to keep all the kids entertained in a separate area - everyone has fun and nobody has to stress about finding a sitter! :o)

Tip:
Have a fun movie night, there are so many Christmas movies. The family can relax together and have popcorn or a treat that is special for the night!

PICTURES ARE WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS. HOLIDAYS AS ANY OTHER DAYS PICTURES ARE SO GREAT TO LOOK AT.

Nice give away……Everyone just bring a dish and have fun, not too much work on anyone this way

One thing my family likes to do during the holidays if play board games!!! Our favorites are cranium and partytini!!! Is such a fun way to get everyone together and we just laugh all night long….

I would love to win this camera for my daughter, her camera was stolen out of my car last year and I havent been able to buy her a new one!!!! Good luck to everyone!!!

Easy planning tip: Have the kids use the plastic tables in the kitchen, when they are done take it in the garage and hose it down to clean. The kids like to help with this part too.

I feel so unworthy to post a comment here, next to everyone elses great ideas. It does however make me want to entertain more by reading all of these great ideas. My idea is to get together and not have any definite plans and everyone bring what they want. That way it is easy and relaxed.

an easy way to entertain through the holidays is to have as much prep work done in advanced so you can spend time visiting and not stuck in the kitchen.

My tip would be to keep it simple. Make cookies with 3 ingredients not 12. Just try to keep the focus of the real meaning of Christmas and not the retail meaning.
Try my Peanut Butter Easy Cookies
1 cup of peanut butter
1 cup of sugar and
1 egg.
Mix and roll into balls. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes or a little longer.
Great and Easy!!!!

Having festive fragrances really sets the mood for a holiday party. I usually get cinnamon or pumpkin scented candles for the occasion.

I always try to do buffet style and request each guest bring 1 dz cookies. That way I don’t have to bother baking cookies for the party.

For the past 2 years my family and friends would gather around the Christmas tree and we bring and exchange Christmas ornaments that way every one has a ornament to decorate their family tree with and you would not believe the stories we have to share and the laughts we have its crazy but my family and friens are crazy like that.

We pick nmaes for kris kringles- the kids and cousins have done so and set a price limit. Shopping is simpler- everyone saves money and has fun getting together to exchange.

Easy entertaining begins with one thing…a color. I incorporate that easy color into everything I do. Cookies, dips, sides all have a splash of that color. I never do anything that is hard - the simpler the better.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Candles always make your home feel cozy and fun. They also make it smell great if they are scented.

I request each guest bring 1 dz cookies. That way I don’t have to bother baking cookies for the party.

I try to always make dishes that can be prepped or completely prepared the day before. This cuts down the hassle of the day.
Also, organizing kids things like games & color sheets so the kids have fun too.

I like to prepare as much of my menu as i can ahead of time. or in a crock pot so that i dont have to cook the whole party, i can spend time with my guests.

if you’re into entertaining yourself, the best thing you can do is choose things that you can do ahead of time, so you can enjoy the party yourself! Otherwise, provide the cheer and have people bring a dish along

My easy entertaining tip is to remember that your friends come over (hopefully!) to spend time with you - not your house, or a five star restaurant worthy meal. Keep it simple and allow yourself to actually be with your guests

When entertaining during the holidays I always make mulled wine, now not everyone likes wine but after adding a mulled wine spice kit that you can purchase in most stores and some sweetener it can be appealing to most. It makes the house smell really festive too.

My easy entertaining tip is to delegate! Don’t make everything yourself, ask guests to bring a dessert or appetizer to lower your stress level.

Always be prepared for all occassions.

Don’t wait until everything in your home is perfect. Just make people feel welcome and they will be back.

Instead of cooking a big meal, just cook two or three different soups..easier and warmer for the holidays!

If their old enough let your kids trim the tree and then leave it for the entire holiday season,we’ve had some pretty silly looking trees some years but the kids love it and it’s a memory we treasure.

There are new friends that come into our lives every year and are invited to parties to meet old friends. We set up an ice breaker game. We write clues such as “who is the brother of the person hosting the party” and they must ask people who doesn’t know this. In order to get the right answer they must ask around. They must also write down 3 new people that they’ve never met before to win the honor of not having to get in line to eat first! So much fun =)

For easy entertaining, I make it potluck. Each family brings their favorite food, drink and game to share. It makes for one great party!

I like to make the main dish and have everyone bring a side dish or dessert. This cuts down on time so much and I have more time to focus on cleaning and decorating my house.

Ziploc Omletes
1. Crack 2 eggs into the quart size Ziploc bag (not more than 2) shake to combine them.
2. Put out a variety of ingredients
3. Each guest adds prepared ingredients of choice to their bag and shake the bag to mix them well.
4. Make sure to get all the air out of it
5. Place the bags into rolling, boiling water for exactly 13 minutes.
6. Cut the bags and the omelet will roll out easily. Be prepared for everyone

the best tip I can give for entertaining is to be organized. have everything ready and setting out when the guests arrive. that way people can help themselves whenever they please and it lets me visit instead of being in the kitchen the whole time.

lots and lots of greenbean casserole lol

Every year I choose one great picture of each of my grandsons and put a paper star behind the pic, and the year, and place them on a wreath. They love to see their pictures on the wreath.

Any easy entertaining tip is to use crockpots as much as possible, less mess and hassle!

Thanks for the giveaway!

Plan a party with finger food and find recipes that can be made ahead and just heated the day of the party. That way you won’t be rushing around before the party and will diminish your stress so you can better enjoy your guests

Plan a party with finger food and find recipes that can be made ahead and just heated the day of the party. That way you won’t be rushing around before the party and will diminish your stress so you can better enjoy your guests.

anytime I bring a dish to a party or get together, people always want the recipe. One thing that me and my friends try to do now~ anytime we have a get together, we always bring several copies of the recipe with us to hand out to anyone that wants it. Its a great time saver bc you don’t have to go back later and do it plus its a great way to build up your recipe collection.

EVERY XMAS EVE I HAVE A LITTLE FAMILY PARTY… I MAKE REINDEER FOOD (OATMEAL) TREAT BAGS FOR THE KIDS TO PUT ON THE LAWN FOR SANTA’S REINDEERS. IT IS ALWAYS A BIG HIT!

A fun way to entertain guests is to have all the children present get together and put together a holiday skit or talent show. Good way to keep the kids busy and very entertaining for all.

I always help the person who is entertaining by offering to bring finger foods and by helping clean up. Gives everyone time to enjoy!

I always ask guests to bring something - food, appetizer, etc… that way I don’t have to do everything myself!

I always have everyone that can bring their favorite dish or dessert. This works great and gives other new food/dessert ideas.

I like making Christmas cookies a few weeks ahead of time and freezing them. Then when it’s time for holiday entertaining I just defrost them overnight.

Thanks for the chance to win!

We like to get together with a small group of friends for games and food. In the past we’ve had everyone bring their favorite dessert and other times we’ve done favorite appetizers. It’s a great way to relax and find some great recipes!

We always gathered at my grandpa and grandmas house for Christmas. However as they got older the clean up was just to much so we now gather at the local town hall. We all pitch in about $5 for the rental fee. Everyone is happy and theres no clean up from my grandparents.

We all ways have a pot luck dinner. This way no one person is stuck making all the food for our huge family. (about 30-40 of us)

My tip…cookies. Lots of them. Even my dieting friends come to my house just to sample the 10 different varieties I make!!

I have a tree trimming party. Everyone gets involved and it makes putting the tree up quick and fun. You get lots of different ideas.

My easy tip, bake up a bunch of cookies and freeze them, then you just have to take them out of the freezer the night before and you are ready to go!

Right before the holidays I save all of my throw away containers so guest can take left overs home with them and they dont go to waist.

I love hosting potlucks. Everyone gets to help out so there is not a lot of work for me and then clean up is also a breeze.

Remember not to stress. It doesn’t matter how clean the house is, save that energy to clean up afterwards. Put on some fun music, chips, dip, fruits and veggies and something sweet, and assorted drinks and you’re good to go. Enjoy the time you spend with your family and friends

one easy way to entertain is to make sure eveyone gets a litle alcoholic drink in the begining of the party - then people entertain each other!

For easy entertaining, I shop at our local Sam’s Club (warehouse club). They have all kinds of appetizers that you just have to heat up or scoop out (dips) or lay out (cheese and meats). Clean up is easy when you don’t have to do alot of cooking.

Have kid friendly food available. Even if it is a fancier meal, have something to keep the kids happy!

My son’s 8th birthday is next week. My husband smokes two briskets at least a week in advance. I slice one and chop the other. We freeze both. The day of the party, we put them in two Crock Pots to warm and set out the condiments. Could not be easier!

The best entertaining tip I have is to use disposable everything. Make sure you have a large trash can, but this really saves you so much cleaning time.

Make it potluck! Then you have less cooking to do (always my least favorite thing to do!)

I make fudge and treats ahead of time!

Do a white Elephant gift exchange. You learn so much about everyone and it entertains for a long time. Plus everyone leaves with something.

My easy entertaining tip is to always have other kids over to keep your kids company. watching the kids together is entertainment in itself!

On Christmas Eve, we have everyone bring their favorite finger-food dish to share. The entire family gets together at my house to enjoy.

My Best Entertaining Tip is a Cookie Exchange. Invite your friends over and ask them to bring one dozen home baked cookies for each guest attending. That way you only have to bake one kind of cookie, but you go home with many different kinds. This saves a lot of time and mess!

Always put out little mini plates then appetizers that guests can gather around the table and stand and chat. then always have a fun ice breaker game too!

When we celebrate events at our home with family, we take lots of pics and give them to the family(s)as gifts at the next get together we have. Thank you.

I always prepare a little gift bag for my guests to take home. It usually contains a few chocolates, some homemade cookies and a lot of love…I put everything into a cellophane bag and tie a pretty ribbon around it. Guest’s love to take home a goodie bag.

I don’t do much entertaining, but when I do our door is always open to friends and family and any one who has no one. I just tell every one I am making a dish and then every one brings something to go with the main course and its all on the stove for who ever wants to eat. Its not fancy but it does come from the heart.

Holiday tip: Make your holiday party a potluck. Have your guests bring a covered dish of their own with them when coming. It’s makes for less stress, worry, and easy clean-up.

I started scrapebooking last year and I started a new tradition at Christmas. We have 5 children and 9 grandchildren, They are all given a camera and no matter the age they are to take pictures on Christmas Eve and Christmas day. I then add the pictures they take to that childs scrapbook..We have grandchildren as young as 2 months they get a little help..we also we blessed with twins in april they will be almost 9 months so i cant wait to see how they do..the 4 year old is a perfessional…but no matter what they take I use them all..

I let my daughter(age 9) help with the party. It may not be how I would have done things but I have never been dissapointed.

My entertaining tip: instead of making a meal I just serve several appetizers they are much easier to make and usually fill people up! Also it provides a variety of food for those picky eaters.

Have a pot luck gathereing! I am always pleasantly surprized at all of the diffeent food that arrive, there is always enough to eat. We end up asking for the recipes.

Can anyone say paper plates?

Buy frozen appetizers in bulk!

Get alot of food at costco- horderves and such and spend more time with your guests– have them bring some treats to share

We have traditional Christmas foods that we like to share with company. Cranberry/raspberry punch, shrimp dip and chips, peanut butter fudge, pumpkin cookies, are a few.

It’s a family favorite and not so expensive to draw name. We have a large family on both side and lots of pictures are taken so this would be an excellent gift.

My easy entertaining tip is potluck. Ask everyone to bring a dish so you aren’t doing all the work. You can focus on getting your house together and then wait for the food to arrive!
Toni

One excellent entertaining TIP:
Make your holiday decorating theme simple. I had to sort out all of my decor into several groups: snowmen, santa claus, reindeer, poinsettia. Now I decided which room gets the one theme. My dining room table has been decorated to the poinsettia theme. Red candles and red poinsettia’s wreath on the cneter of the table with a beautiful red poinsettia print table cloth. The WOW factor when vistors and family arrive

I just had our playgroup over, 7 2yr old boys and their moms. All the moms brought pre-made cookies and we let the boys decorate them. They had a great time and we got some great pictures..

potlucks! assign everyone a different dish depending on their last name and then nobody is overwhelmed by the entertaining aspect of having a party

Pot luck always helps out for the Holidays

We have everyone bring a side dish or dessert. After we eat we pull out tables and play 42.

Don’t stress out about dishes breaking or worry about all the clean up. Go out and buy cute matching paper plates, cups and napkins for your party. They have tons of designs so you’re bound to find something that matches your theme and it is one less thing for you to worry about cleaning up/washing at the end of the night.

I like to gather cuts of bushes and berries from outside to decorate the table. Lots of nature makes simple food look even better!

Christmas carols and watching the classic Christmas shows.

Merry Holidays!
jadesteva@yahoo.com

I think having a program is good, but always remember to have enough time, within the program, for people (who maybe haven’t seen each other all year) to chat and update each other on what’s going on.

Have ready lots of games, movies, etc. If you have too many people ask people what they’d like to do. Divide in groups and that way you’ll make sure everyone is having a good time. You as the host spend time with every group.

And don’t forget to do the Yankee Swap. That way everyone leaves with a present that you didn’t have to buy.

I have everyone bring their favorite dish. I also ask them to write the recipe down on a card that I make copies of so that everyone can take the recipes home.

homemade pizza on christmas eve!! everyone “decorates” their own and contests are always to be had with black olives and pepperonit lol less stress on the hostess but good food all around!

The easiest entertaining tip I have is

Ask for help

During the holidays, everyone that comes brings a dish, preferrably a new one, along with the recipes to hand out to everyone. It makes everything so easy and fun!!!

This year I am going to lunch with my friends, and we are all bringing a baked good item to share with everyone.

i just broke my husbands work camera at a thanksgiving hoiday party id love to get this for his gift

I like to do a taco bar when entertaining. All that has to be prepared is the taco meat and then you just lay out all the toppings for people to help themselves. And an ice cream sundae bar works easily too, for dessert.

I use plastic trays for serving that if I want to wash I can but if I am not in the mood, I don’t feel bad throwing away!

I like to have parties where everyone wears an ugly x-mas sweater! it is awesome!

For the past few years I have cooked the turkey the day before and put the pieces in those cooking bags and re-heated it for about 30-45 min @300. Stays moist and there is no waiting on the bird.

When I give a dinner party for friends,,, I print their place-card with their picture and a brief note of cheer for the holidays…

The best way to keep mashed potatoes warm before a big dinner is to keep them on low in a crockpot. This way you can wash the dishes beforehand and enjoy your company.

My buddies and I scrapbook, a lot around the holidays. A new camera would be great.

Having guests decorate their own sugar cookies in fun shapes is not fun, but they do all the work for you!

Having guests decorate their own sugar cookies in holiday shapes is not only fun, but they do all the work for you!

Do as much as you can the few days before, so you can relax and enjoy the gathering. The more you do in advance, the less tired you’ll be the day of.

My entertainment tip is to record eveything. I still can’t watch last years video without falling over from laughter.

One of our favorite things to do is play games. We play bingo and win scratch off lottery tickets and we have a ring toss. We use large brass crochet rings we got at the craft store and get 2 liters on sale and place them on the ground. Everyone gets three rings and we play until the are all gone. It’s tons of fun and everyone gets to take some home! Cake walks are fun too! Everyone brings a dessert and we put them on a table and put numbers by them. everyone gathers around the table and walks while the music is playing and when the music stops we draw a number and whoever is at that number wins that desert!

Always, I repeat, always have cheap brownie mixes on hand. (Buy at least two boxes any time they are on sale or you have great coupons!) You can doctor these babies up so easily and they work for kids, teens and adults. Add in chocolate chips or mini candy bars, play around with different extracts or instant coffee in the batter, or use mini muffin tins to make brownie bites as finger food appetizers. Spread chocolate icing on top of a plain batch of brownies while they’re still warm and then drop Andes candies all over the icing and spread with a knife–they will melt instantly and create a chocolate/mint swirled design on top of the brownies making it look like a gourmet dessert!

I always enjoy playing “dirty Santa” as an ornament exchange.

Having an ornament exchange is so fun! It’s a twist on the white elephant gift exchange but you actually go home with something you like!

Entertaining idea: Ask each guest to bring a covered dish.

Like many of you, I NEED this camera. My camera died after only having it for a year, a few months ago. We will be moving across the country next year, so I would really like to get some pictures of the family this holiday season. Thanks for this opportunity!

When hosting a party I make it a covered dish event where each guest bring their favorite dish to share.

My easy entertaining tip is to have as much of the food prepared & home decorated ahead of time so that you’re not rushing around and sweating by the time company arrives!

When kids come over I learned plain PB&J always does the trick skip the fancy stuff.

An easy way to entertain is to have each guest to bring their favorite game and raffle all the ideas and play 2 or 3.

Having desert parties takes the stress out of the event, and eliminates cleanup.

Potluck! If everyone brings a side or dessert, you only have to prepare the main dish. How easy is that? Thanks for an amazing giveaway!!!!

Have a cookie swap where everyone brings a couple dozen cookies.

I have a movie night. Every year we get out all the Christmas movies and then vote on 2 movies to watch. This is so much fun to spend with your loved ones. Plus its all you can eat popcorn.

A great way to entertain is to have your party at a restaurant that everybody loves. That way you don’t have to stress on cleaning your house or stress over what to make to eat. Just take goodie bags filled with candy or cookies and give as a nice departure gift.

Have a game night with friends. It’s simple to do and everyone always has a great time!

My tip actually ties into the camera, Every year I would make a photo album for each family member that is out of state and gift it to them with a new photo album. But this year I am making a slide show on a disc from all the picutes I’ve taken w/ music etc…

Wee have a large family and each individual family brings some type of food-from meat to vegetables, casseroles, desserts, bread, drink, eating utensils, plates, cups and napkins. After eating, we play “Dirty Santa” where each person bring a Christmas ornament or decoration to swap and take home. We also bring a toy (child appropriate) for a family in our neighborhood and take to their home, knock and hide to watch them open the door. We have done this for four years and that is my family’s way to entertain ourselves and others. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I think making and sharing a new recipe is a great way to entertain your friends and family during this holiday season. Especially when it is an easy to do, fast and only takes a few mins to put together a great dip for your guests.

when i entertain for the holidays, i ask everyone to bring their favorite comfort dish in a disposable tin pan. that way i am not stuck in the kitchen and dont get to enjoy myself or be overwhlemed with dishes. now a days stores have fancy plastic utensils, nice plastic glasses, and cute plates, i buy them.

When we have a group over, I love to put place cards at their seat and put questions on the underside of the placecard. Everybody reads theirs, answers the questions and then we go around the table and each person answers that question. It really makes for some lively and hilarious conversation! Also helps everyone get to know each other a little better.

We have a lot of local churches and school groups that have cookie walks. You can go buy cookies by the pound. It’s great to pick up a variety to make an easy tray of treats without having all the work!

Another great giveaway! Wow.

My friends and I all have young kids so my advice is to have something to keep the kids busy (today we decorated sugar cookies) and also some kid-friendly food.

Guitar Hero!!! EVERYONE LOVES it!! LOL.
That’s my silly way to entertain.
Other than that, finger foods. Chips, crackers, cheese, pepperoni, cookies, all that fun stuff. Its all gone by the end of the night!
& of course, you need the camera to take tons of photos! Everyone says i’m ‘click happy’ =)

We do desert so that everyone can pitch in and no one is left with it all. We get to enjoy some time together and not have to worry about the budget or a messy kitchen.

An easy entertaining idea (probably mentioned several times by now), have everyone bring potluck. It’s what most of my friends and I do for get togethers.

I love to entertain and get all my girlfriends together and have a ornament exchange around the holidays.

we all friends make one- one dish, so it is easy for host. and we also play some game for kids and some for adults too. we always have lots of fun.

My wife would like this camera. She does the entertaining. We like to play Rook when we get together with our friends.

We have a small immediate family–12 now, after 3 weddings in the past 3 years. We celebrate on New Year’s, to give the married folks time with the “other families.” For the past few years our tradition is bringing out the family pictures from forever, and now the wedding pics from the 3 weddings, to savor over and over again. And, with 5 “camera hogs” in the bunch, pics are plentiful. Oh, all of us like to take candid shots: Dad picking his nose, Leigh with her Bubba teeth, BJ (guy) washing dishes. This is entertainment enough, and get togethers are never boring.

We have a “cookie party”. We provide the pizza each family brings the main ingrediants to one kind of cookie. We eat, then all of the women get together in the kitchen and bake dozen’s and dozen’s of cookies, while the men watch football and the kids! When we’re done, we all get to take a few of each cookie, and we then make up baskets for our neighbors and we get the leftovers! It’s something we look forward to every year, we get a break from the kids and get to spend time together!

During the winter months, I like to make a huge batch of hot apple cinnamon cider. It is delicious but it also fills the entire house with the smells of Christmas!

An easy entertaining tip for me during the holidays is always be prepared! It’s the time of year when guests drop by unexpectedly and to make life easier on myself I consciously keep snacks and appetizers on hand throughout the holiday season. We’ve always got a supply of cheese and crackers, nuts and other finger foods for those times when people “drop-in” to visit. I don’t have to stress out about anything, I just pull the stuff out, put it on a plate and we can munch while we visit!

family present wrapping party and gift exchanges instead of getting presents for everyone.

The one thing I like to get ready for the holiday is to bake cookies w/ my sister in law. We share a wonderful day with the kids(5) laughing and making a BIG mess….

My husband and I have family and friends over to play games. Everyone brings snacks and drinks and we all share. Then we pull out the board games and laugh and have a great time just relaxing and being togethor. To me that is what the holiday season is all about.

Easy entertaining….spending that time with those whom you truly love and respect it doesn’t matter the frills just the company and the coffee!

I love those cheese, crackers, and fruits appetizers plates. They are easy to do and fun.

When I invite family and friends over I ask some to bring a covered dish with them to make less cooking time for me and more time to enjoy their company.

Just breathe - it will all be ok.

Simple, simple appetizers!! 8 oz Block of cream cheese, spoon a jar of jalapeno jelly over it on a nice plate. Serve with crackers - YUM!

I cook in advance and make sure I have a variety of homemade goods on hand in case someone unexpected pops in. It always looks like I am a prepared host.

I volunteer my daughter’s house for get togethers. That way I don’t stress about getting my house ready. I do help her clean up.

The easiest entertaining tip I have is…have yourself a potluck. Asked everyone to bring their favorite side dish and you cook the main dish. Usually people eat alot more sides. Alot of times if it’s a birthday party for my kids, we have goody bags with a thank you cards already filled out. We thank them for sharing the day with us.

We also have ahugh Christmas Party. Family, friends and their friends everyone brings a dish. Paper plates, cups and napkins a must. After we eat and clean, everone helps, we play dirty santa a fun game for all. Then we whole groups carols from door to door.

Use candles and turn down the lights - the dust and clutter isn’t easy to see!

The best entertaining tip I have this year to save some money but have a great party is tell everyone to bring their own alcohol. That way it saves you the frustration of trying to please everyone and saves alot of cash which you can spend on the food items.

Planning ahead is a must. I usually try to find appetizers that freeze well so that I do not have to rush last minute if company comes unexpected. And I try to have plenty on hand. I also stock up on sodas etc…..

Not everything has to be homemade. It took me a while to accept this, because I like everything just so, but it makes life SO much easier to pick up ready made items to supplement and compliment the homemade ones.

I always host a Christmas cookie exchange every year for a group of ladies in my neighborhood. We enjoy each others company and everyone goes home with lots of yummy goodies without all the fuss!

Plan in advance…make a list and don’t crame everything into the day of the party. And always ask for help..have a potluck, etc. Guests are always willing to bring something.

At the party, use your digital camera to take pictures of everyone having a great time. The next day, send each guest a note thanking them for coming and include one of their pictures.

My easy entertaining tip is to use disposable dinnerware. It keeps you from having to do alot of dishes after everyone goes home, and it is great if guests want to take leftovers home you don’t have to worry about getting your plates back.

thanks for this giveaway .
My tip would be to prepare what you can ahead of time I at least have two dishes ready in the fridge and all I do is put them on the stove or in the oven.

I love the holidays. We are going to our daughters in georgia, this would be great to bring along

I think any successful holiday event is based on the amount of planning and prep work to create a great event.

We make a holiday cookie every year On Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day- each family brings one ingredient and we all pitch in making, baking & decorating. We’ve had the best laughs together AND treats to take home. Such Fun!!! Merry Christmas Everyone and what a super FANTASTIC gift to me when I win this Camera… :O) Rosemarie

If you are entertaining and have a woodstove…..keep a pot of mulled cider on it for a warm, inviting scent.

An easy entertaining tip for the holiday’s is to have pot luck. Have your guests all bring a dish.

well my mom and I always have a tamale party. we make tons of tamales and eat half of them but its the only time that i remember when i was little we did that too and now i’m older with my own family but we still get together and then we hand them out to our friends and families for x-mas. it’s a lot of fun and the tamales are yummy too.

Have everyone bring a dish to share so you aren’t super busy cooking!

Try to plan ahead, then do the best you can with what you have, relax and enjoy family and friends.

Get a fountain drink dispenser. Your guests will love it. Fill it with your favorite punch or mixed drink and voila! Instant success!

we have a bleast with our friends and family eating a hot bowl of chili and freshly made tamales during the holidays!!

Easy entertaining - have a dessert party! Less work, and less time commitment in an already busy season.

Entertaining tip - have everyone bring a food to share & a white elephant…simplest party ever!

I don’t formally entertain much but one tip I have is to utilize Costco’s appetizers. They have a large array of frozen, dry and fresh appetizers that you can put together in a snap.

we’ve thrown and attended a couple of potluck appetizer parties. so easy to make.

My cul-de-sac does a cookie exchange & we provide the recipes to go with the cookies

My family just gets together and entertains each other. To me that is the best.

When entertaining always make sure that guests come first. I always make sure to offer a drink or a meal to anyone whether they are visiting for 5 minutes or hours

Something that makes the holidays less streeful for me is having a potluck instead of me trying to cook everything .

I like to host pot-luck get-togethers. I will make the main dish, and others bring side dishes and desserts. That way we cut down on the cost of food, and everyone can join together for a good time!
Thanks

buy scented candles. The aroma and decor is inviting to your guests

I would really like to get this for my daughter for x-mas. She asked Santa for it at the mall the other day. I can’t really afford a nice one for her.

One entertaing tip is instead of going out stay home and play the WII it sure saves you a lot of money and its fun

Use all paper or plastic cups, plates and utensils. Then you don’t have to worry about all the dishwashing afterwords.

Best tip: purchase paper goods the day after the holiday (Christmas/Halloween/Valentines/etc) at marked down prices. You won’t spend a fortune on something that gets thrown out anyway.

Most items that you can use during entertainment parties you can get at the 99 cents store. If you go into different stores you will be able to see who offers the best qualtiy on the these entertainment items such as paper plates, napkins, cups.

this is a Great giveaway. Iwould love to win.

When we have our family Christmas Party, someone has a film camera and we take indivual pictures and family group pictures and then we they are developed, we take these pictures and turn them into ornaments for the next year. A digital camera would make this easier and we could bring a portable printer and do them on the spot.

my favorite thing is to have a tree to decorate with my family and bake cookies too!!

When everyone pitches in and brings a dish helps out whoever is hosting our holiday! This year we are doing “soup & salad”! How much easier can you get?

We all gather at my house for Christmas. Everybody but my sister and she lives in IL; I like to take pictures and send to her. I usually use the disposal camera. I have a plate that we all sign each gathering, Christmas or Easter or a birthday.

Christmas pictionary

I advice but platters from COSTCO if its near by. Also make things in advance and freeze/

The best entertaining tip would be to use disposable utensils, cups, and plates. Also, have TONS of food!! You can NEVER have too much food for a get together.

Have a few guests take pictures and post them to a photo sharing web site so everyone can see them.

The easiest holiday idea is to ask everyone to bring a dish. Whatever they want to make or buy. This usually works for us

Friends always want to help when you invite them over for dinner or a party, so leave something easy for them to do like pouring the punch and lighting candles.

My tip is to purchase the colorful plastic cups, plates etc. that you can throw in a trash bag and not worry about doing the dishes so you can enjoy your party and the company!

We make the menu in advance then start making lists for the grocery store and what day we will prepare the food.

keep it simple. we are having a tree decorating get together with our 6 children spouses and grandchildren. keep food easy so you can enjoy the party

Two words–Cream Cheese. Always keep cream cheese in the fridge. If you want to have an impromptu get together, blend cream cheese with anything from pimentos, to herbs and spices for a delicious spread. And while your at it, stock up on some of those easy dessert mixes in powder form. Ten seconds later, voila!, a cheesecake pie in a graham cracker crust. That’s the beginning and the end. Just use your imagination for the main course. You’ll have time while your guests are raving about the appetizer.

My Easy entertaining tip is to have frozen meals on hand for an extra family or two to eat with you. That way you don’t need to feel stressed out about cooking for the extra people.

I try to keep a few different snacks on hand just in case

I love the “white elephant” parties. It’s a great way to get rid of stuff and get more stuff without spending money!

I always make sure there is soft music playing in the background, the temperature is not too warm, and everyone feels comfortable. That way the conversation can flow and the party is lively!

If you and another family/ies will be spending the day or evening together, write everyone’s name on their cup/glass. That way, cups are easy to keep up with and no one has to get a new cup because they can’t remember which is theirs.

We always set up a puzzle for people to work on!! it’s fun

i would love to win this camera as my husband some how broke my other one.

I SHOP SALES YEAR ROUND SO WHEN CHRISTMAS TIME COMES, I NEVER HAVE TO DO THE HOLIDAY RUSH AND CAN ENJOY TIME WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS

Easy as pie call the family and friends and tell them we are having a get together (with food of course) and let the entertainment begin

To make things easier on the holidays we usually use nice paper plates instead of having all the dishes to clean after dinner.

An easy way to have a party is to ask everyone to bring something to add to the food!

Our easy holiday entertaining idea is to get out the karaoke machine.Everybody has a blast and there’s no big mess.You just have stomach craps from laughing so hard and you wish your ears would fall off!!

By realizing that not everything has to be homemade or perfect.

I try to keep an extra few small gifts in the house during the holiday in case I need one for unexpected guest or in the event I am asked to stop over at the last minute to an event, I alway have something to take with me.
Enjoy your holiday time all!

Just make sure everyone helps out, you never need to be in charge of everything yourself.

Great Giveaway!
I love to have a few close girlfriends over for a baking party. Everyone brings their own ingredients for what they want to bake & each person can show the others how to bake their dish. because this is time consuming, you will want to have most of the day free to spend with your guest. I usually make dinner ahead of time, something that is easily heated, after dinner we can enjoys our deserts we made with warm cocoa or coffee.

For entertaining during the holidays, I always want to keep it simple. For family and friends staying with us we like to have 13 minute omelettes the next morning. You take Ziploc freezer bags and put in 3 eggs. Each person adds their own favorites; from ham and cheese to peppers and onions–boil for 13 min and it comes out perfect!

I love the idea of gift wrapping parties. Have everyone bring some supplies and the presents they need to wrap and everyone exchanges supplies and tips!

To make things easier for myself just before the “big day” of having a house full of family is to just take a couple of extra days off of work to prepare. My first day off I just chill and relax, catch up on some much needed sleep and especially important is to make sure that I am home all alone. The kids are gone to school and hubby must go hunting or somewhere…just as long as I have the entire day to myself. A little self indulgent, maybe…but it’s what really preps me for the busy days to come.

Give the kids the camers…that way you get to be in the picture’s! Plus its great to see their point of view when you see the picture’s! P.S. it keeps them busy too!

Love candles but money is tight ? If you have old candles around the house, used, new. bring life back into them. Go to say salvation army or whatever thrift store is close by, a dollar store and pick up some christmas tins.Get a pack of wicks while you’re out too. Then melt your candle down. You can put in a pan on low heat and pour into tins. makes for inexpensive ambience.

just be happy for the day

just relax and if things don’t go exactly as planned then that’s a great memory too! I don’t like being so stressed out when people come over…that’s just not any fun.

Every year we do a mom and kids holiday potluck. Each mom emails a favorite recipe and then brings that recipe to the potluck and then every mom receives a little cookbook with all the recipes from that year. People go all out and the cookbooks are great!

Well…I don’t do a lot of “adult” entertaining. Mine is geared more towards our children! I always make treat bags & send to the class parties & of course, buy presents for the gift exchanges. We always help buy(little) presents for their friends and teachers as well. It’s just those small things that help make the holidays season wonderful for my babies!

To make entertaining easier I usually go with all things disposable. I´ve found that I also get more offers to help with the clean up when it´s all about picking up and throwing away as opposed to being up to your elbows in suds for 45 minutes.

I find if you are entertaining a big group try to keep things simple. I love to fondue or a chocolate fountain served w/wine. People love to mingle around that table. It’s simple and easy. Enjoy your Holiday!!

I love to invite my friends over and have everyone bring a bag of candy, I buy gingerbread house kits and we decorate them. There is lots of food, lots of christmas music and lots of fun.

We like to have a vinyl party. We still have a record player, so we invite all our friends to bring their fav. vinyl and enjoy some classic tunes.

Let friends bring their favorite food and get together!

Relax! Don’t stress over the little things at the holidays.
Thanks for the chance to win!

I advice a pot luck it really takes out the stress of entertaining family and friends:0)

My one easy entertaining tip that is tride and true is prep everything you can before the holidays. Get your list and simplify as much as you can. I know, it doesn’t seem possible but it can be done. An action plan is better than no plan at all but be flexible. If it’s simple, then you’ll have no problem rolling with the punches.

I buy pop (diet and regular), fruit juice and beer when it’s on sale through the year and store it in our shed and then a week before I have a get-together I start making up gallon zip-lock bags of ice from our ice machine and then the day of the party, we put all the drinks in a galvanized tub with the bags of ice and put the tub where it’s accessible to our guests to just help themselves. I use disposable glasses too. It keeps my refrigerator free for the food and keeps my guests from constantly opening and closing the fridge to get something to drink. Saves on electricity!

Something that is easy and fun is to have a little scavenger hunt with the family or friends at a holiday party. Pick some everyday holiday items a red ordament, snowflake, stocking, ect. gets you up and moving and keeps everyone entertained.

i like to keep it simple no stress i make what i can ahead of time and let the rest fall in place it always seems to work out happy holidays to all!!

I have all my close friends and family come over and we celebrate with dinner and drinks. We laugh about the things we have done in the past and things that are yet to come. These dinners are well organized ahead of time by emails and telephone calls. Everyone will bring a dish, if it is a themed party the food will go with it.

a progressive dinner with neighbors! always fun and everyone is involved!

Easy entertaining that I like to do is when having people over, make chips and dips, and little munchies, rather than a meal….and I usually get compliments on the dips.

I entertain my family, and friends by having theme parties. We all gather and watch our favorite shows and get the theme food for that evening. For instance if it’s American Idol, we get all the American foods that everyone would enjoy and we have a great time.

My Tip is to let other people bring items if you are hosting a dinner. Do it Potluck style. And it is okay to use Paper Plates and cups!

Let other people help with bringing items if you are hosting a dinner. And don’t be afraid to use paper plates and cups!

I like to ask people to bring their favorite dish to share along with the recipe.

Have guests over for dessert and not a whole meal.

My easy entertaining tip is something we just did for our youth leader Christmas party: Have everyone bring a dish to pass and play Rock Band, board games and card games! It’s a blast, you don’t have to do a ton of cooking and there’s little clean up! Everyone has a good time too!

I have a friend to help me power clean, two hands get the job done twice as fast. I help her and she helps me, and while we clean and prepare we have catch up time. Cleaning while visiting makes the job actually fun.

Buffett is the way to go. Much less work. leaves you with more table space. Also I tip is to put the fill up food at the beginning of the line and the meat at the end,

Don’t try to do it all yourself have everyone bring a dish or drinks.Less stress and you don’t have to spend a lot of money.

Easy tip? Forget about how clean your house is and just have fun!

One nice thing about the holidays is that people are baking more and they share their treats with you. I enjoy being able to setting all of the different treats out for all to enjoy. This also keeps me from overeating all of these wonderful treats. As for the camera…it is one of children’s request, so it would be a great help to win it.

We like to have family over and have a cookie baking party. My dad died last year, so the torch was passed to me to make sure we continue this tradition. It is alot of fun for the kids, and the adults get to visit and taste all the mistakes and rewards.

my kids are adults with their own children. I get great enjoyment with my two Sar-Pei’s they are a handful along with being a fulltime House-Husband taking care of thest two are wonderous. where I go they ride along

I provide lots of finger foods at the holiday party. But I ask my guests to bring there choice of beverage. Its one less thing to worry about.

BOARD GAMES! they are fun and provide lots of laughs! We love cranium. It gets everyone involved.

I like inviting my girlfriends over for drinks and appetizers instead of doing a cookie exchange or gift exchange. We each bring a bottle of wine and spend some quality time gossiping.

Make sure there is something activity based. Adults like making s’mores by the fireplace. It’s a conversation starter. Wii sports is also incredibly easy to pick up and play. Tennis seems to be the big hit. Anything that gets people doing something, so they don’t HAVE to look at eachother lets conversation happen more easily between groups such as work v. other firends or friends and family.

I always keep a few “extra” gifts under the tree when people drop by unexpected with a gift and you need to have one in return. Helps take the stress off.

Have the grocery store make all of your food trays… costs more, but SAVES time.

The last couple of years when everyone gets together at thanksgiving we put everyone’s names in a hat and had everyone draw one name for secret santa for Christmas.That way everyone gets a gift and everyone saves a bunch of money.

this would be a really good gift for someone special in my family MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!

My tip is to have everyone coming to the party bring a dish to pass. Then one person isn’t bogged down with all the cooking. Everyone always has an awesome time. Wishing everyone a healthy, happy, and blessed holiday season!

We don’t have a lot of room to entertain in a small condo… my parents have wonderful parties, though. They just had a great one, potluck, and my Mom kept it to finger foods to keep down on the dishes and no necessary silverware.

Every year we invite friends over around Christmas time. I always try to get kids involved. All the fun things of preparing ahead like making cookies, gingerale drink, aloong with Christmas music playing, etc. I want my kids to have these memories and carry on with their families when they get older.

An entertaining tip, is to spend time with friends and family and have a get together and have snacks together and then a christmas dinner.

In the fall, before the Holiday season is even close to beginning, I bake and freeze like crazy. Breads, desserts, casseroles! When it is time to entertain I don’t have to spend days making food…I just have to pull it out of the deep freeze!

Make it simple so you don’t get too stressed.

My family loves a variety of cookies at the holidays. I love having a cookie exchange party. You only make a few kinds of cookies and it is easy to double the recipe. Everyone gets to try new cookies and you only have to make a few kinds.

have everyone bring something with them whether it be a dish, dessert, napkins, plates or drinks that way one person isn’t having to buy everything and do all the work.

Have everyone bring something with them. This year I am having a cookie party and all I have to provide are drinks. EASY!

I would lov eto win this camera. I still use disposable ones because I don’t own one. Thanks for the great giveaway.

My entertaining tip is to ask everyone to make a dish to pass so you are not running around like a crazy person worrying about getting all the food done!

We have a big family and all have many friends. To make it easy everyone brings a dish. Pper product a must Everyone cleans up. Then we plsy dirty santa, funfor all. At the end of the evning we go caroling it is a large group and so rewarding seeing the people come out and listen.

Every year my daughter decorates FOR US! We only have to bring the Christmas tree from the attic and do the outside lights! It is so much BETTER!

We always have a cookie exchange, with hot chocolate and then we sing christmas carols……so easy and fun, everyone brings something and we all end up full of the christmas spirit.

A great way to entertain neighbors and their kids is to host a cookie decorating party! I make the cookies ahead of time and ask each family to bring one decorating item. The kitchen is a mess by the time we are through, but it’s finger lickin’ of fun!
L Christian

I see nothing wrong with frozen appetizers and desserts from Costco. They taste delicious and are so easy. People come for the company; no where does it say everything has to be made from scratch.

Trust me when I tell you that nobody can tell the difference between the ready-made cookie dough and home made cookie!!!

We always keep ingredients for quick snacks on hand, for when we are invited to parties. Our favorite party appetizer is hot wing dip- everyone loves it and it’s so easy! One of our friends has an Ugly Christmas Sweater party each year- this is great because everyone gets together in jeans & hideous sweaters. It is so nice to not have to dress up sometimes!

I make punch with Sprite and Sherbert..I t is easy….

I have never had a real camera and with seven kids it would be so nice. Those one time cameras I bought over the years probably cost more than one good camera so much for trying to save a penny

One idea for entertaining is to offer an assortment of home baked cookies. People love munching and talking at the same time!

One entertaining tip is before the party: relaxe, breath and be happy. If your all of those things it will show in you and your guest will see that and they too will be able to enjoy themselfs. Your guest go off of your vibe. So don’t stress. Also you could bake some gingerbread cookies and let the guest and kids decorate there own. It’s a fun family and friends activity together. stress free activity’s is the key. Have fun and Happy Holidays everyone!!!!

A great tip for entertaining is to have a babysitter on site so parents can attend and have their littles ones close by while still being able to enjoy the party. Also, this is a great way to show off your little ones and still be able to attend an “adult” party!

I like having a wrapping party; You get a group together; have everyone bring an appitizer and wrapping paper, ribbon , scissors and tape, and you all sit around in the floor and wrap Christmas presents; (it helps when someone you invite is very creative). It is fun and enteraining, and you are getting things accomplished while you are there.

My best entertaining tip is to use height when displaying foods… for some reason people think the food is much better and more special when it’s displayed on high cake plates, etc. I served some pieces of fudge on a white cake plate a few inches tall, on top of a white grease-proof doily. Everyone loved it!

This would be a great gift for my husband!
One easy entertaining tip is to let go of perfection. Don’t stress about ordering carryout or serve a frozen meal that you heat in your oven, focus on the time you’ll get to spend with friends and family.

A great way to entertain a group is to plan a cookie exchange before the holidays. Everyone brings a different cookie to the party, you exchange them, and everyone leaves the party with a great variety of holiday snacks to share with guests the next time they are having people over. You only have to bake once but have a great variety to show for it.

This would be so nice t use. My son-in-law is shipping overseas to Iraq in Feb 2009. It would be soo nice to video lots of him. Seeing him enjoy our daughter and grandson is the greatest joy. Thanks for the entry.

This year, since money is tight, we’re beginning a new tradition that involves inviting family over the day before Christmas Eve for desserts. We’re making a gingerbread trifle, and having spice tea and coffee. Family members are bringing their favorite desserts, and we’re also going to have our daughter’s photo taken professionally for them to take home (she’s 5.5mos).

Let your friends share in the food preparations. It makes them feel useful and you can enjoy their company while preparing dinner. And ease your workload at the same time.

I do alot of my foods/desserts the day before and cook right before my guests come, it takes alot of the stress off that day, so you can enjoy the day and not feel like the help.

When having a holiday party, I like to set out a gingerbread house decorating table just for the kids. And while us adults socialize and enjoy each others company the kiddos are busy decorating thier own personal candy house and maybe sneeking a few bites too! All in good fun!

A Great party starts with being organized and to have a check list! Do not wait the last min. for a thing. Keep calm and have goodie bags for the kids to keep busy!
Happy Holidays!

I like to make up several different kinds of Christmas cookies ahead of time, freeze them, and then they are ready to pull out during the busy holiday season.

When it is a family celebration, accept the offers from your family to bring parts of the meal. Don’t try to be the super hostess who won’t let others contribute to the meal and then gets massively stressed out.

i have not found a good camera yet but my neighbor went and bought a cybershot and wow what beautiful pictures i would love to get this

I really, really, need this.

You don’t have to make an elaborate meal for people. Everything doesn’t have to be from scratch:)

i do not do alot of adult entertaining right now because our kids are so young! but i.m the classroom mom for my little girl’s kindergarten class so we do alot of parties and crafts there!!

A great holiday tip? I think it would it would have to be to use plastic utensils, paper plates, cups etc. The fewer dishes to clean the better!

I love entertaining this time of year but throwing a party together is costly- so I have found that offering finger snacks all types goea a really long way. No messy clean up and it seems less stressful. Everyone is at ease and everyone enjoys dinner time–nothing serious around a dinner table–just fellowship and fun.

We always enjoy a game where the prizes are inexpensive (everyone contributes a few). Each time you win you can pick a new gift or “steal” someone else’s.

A couple weeks before Christmas all of us kids & grandkids & great grandkids take a couple dozen cookies each to great grandma’s house and spend the day decorating them, it’s a fun day for all.

An Easy Entertaining Tip:

Do the dishes as you go! NEVER let them pile up, you will be spending your entire evening in the kitchen while everyone else is enjoying time together!!

best of luck
stephanie

I never know when my husband will come home and say…so and so are coming over. I always have some different salsas, chips, crackers on hand. I always have crayons and color books and baby dolls for little ones that might come with there parents.

Always keep a frozen desert that can easily be thawed for unexpected entertaining!

A holiday potluck between friends.

In order to be stress free is to plan ahead and keep it simple.

I like to invite people over and we eat junk food and sing on the karoake machine.

The best thing is not to sweat the small stuff all things work out in the end. Just be sure to have a great time with family and friends.

One easy idea is to use your crock pot. You can purchase a beef stew package which has the meat, veggies, and seasonings. You just throw it in and let it do the work for you.

Sharing some spirits always seems to help

I love taking pictures of my children. My family leaves really far away and it is the only wat to keep in touch. I would love this great giveaway and use it everyday!

I love to have people over, only on great weather days. I like to have everyone outside. There is less mess from the children in the house and the toys can be all over the yard and I will never care!

Take time to enjoy Christmas a little bit each day in December. We wrap 24 Christmas books for my son to unwrap, one each day to count down for Christmas. This year to celebrate New Year’s Eve with my son (he’s 7) we’re having a Happy “Noon” Year party. (We’ll do the countdown and celebrate the New Year at noon on New Year’s Eve). That way he can celebrate the New Year and we don’t have to worry about him wanting to stay up late or feeling left out of the New Year celebration.

I have two little ones, 2 and 1 so there’s no time to clean the house for entertaining. Simply put on a few good smelling candles, light the room with lamps instead of an overhead light, and no one notices the extra dust. I’ve learned people like to see your house lived in anyway, not perfect!

to make the childrens day a little shorter we have them make candy ornaments for the tree we use cookie cutters for the shapes and use a piping tip for the whole and place hard candys like jolly rancher in the cutter and melt just dont forget to spray the cutter really well with cooking spray

buy a few gingerbread house kits at Target, and break up into teams for a contest to see who can decorate this house the best!

One thing that I do is stock up on paper goods. It makes clean up easy and quick. You can contiune to enjoy the time with your guest

Number one rule…plan ahead. Any prep work (for food) that can be done a day or two before the party do it. Believe me, you will have less stress the day of the big shin dig. lol

I throw pot-lucks. That way I don’t have to do ALL the cooking and it is fun to taste what everyone else has to contribute.

I am amazed at how much fun my family has by playing games. We play pictionary and scattergories for hours. It’s fun and the whole family can play. Through in some snacks and it’s a perfect day.

I have the over 20 family and friends over for Christmas dinner and as a single mom of two teenage boys, I like to also relax and enjoy the day too. I assign each adult coming to bring either an appetizer, side, desert or wine to compliment the entree that I am making. I set the tables the day before. Than after my sons open their Xmas gifts in the morning, I have time to make a nice breakfast before getting the entree ready and in the oven. No stress and plenty of time to have fun.

My tip is to, whenver possible, just invite your closest friends that you truly enjoy spending time with! That way if things are NOT perfect you won’t sweat it! Your true friends love you even if your house is a little messy or you burn the lasagna!

What’s more entertaining than passing around photos of previous occasions? You can even make coffee table books from them, just to keep them all together and not lose any! (Not everyone likes their “caught by surprise” photo!)

I pre-cut or pre-cook as many things as possible before a big dinner with guests. And I try to clean a little bit every day so I’m not overly stressed the day family is arriving!

We invite all of our friends to my mothers house where everyone brings cookies. We then eat cookies, drink hot chocolate or coffee, and sit outside to watch the parade that goes right by her house! It’s always a great way to start off our Christmas holiday!

I love cookie swapping parties or potluck parties! It doesn’t cost that much to get supplies to make whatever you want, and you get to hang out for hours with your friends!

I would absolutely love this

two words: cheese ball. so versatile and such a crowd pleaser! also for the holidays blending a little cranberry sauce into champagne makes a great punch.

We have had annual painting parties. We get the really cheap ornaments from a Craft store and lots of paint. Everyone always has a good time.

For an inexpensive gift use a mug that you don’t use anymore and with M&M’s, wrap in clingwrap and tie with a pretty ribbon. The mug could then be used as a mug or pencil holder.

One easy entertaining tip is to have fun things for children to do so the parents can enjoy themselves. Have games, goodie bags, little treats to eat for the children and everyone has fun!

My tip for easy entertaining is to have it in a restaurant. My biggest peeve is the mess that guests leave behind ( stains, spills etc. ). All this is avoided and I am also able to relax and enjoy the party. In the end the cost comes out to be about the same.

I always buy disposable plates, cups, forks, everything to make cleaning up easy. I also make almost everything ahead of time, so all i have to do is pull it out of the fridge and put it on the table or just pop it into the oven for a few minutes.

My Christmas entertainment consists of watching everyone after the meal, when they have eaten so much then flopping down on the furniture or the floor and you hear the moaning “awwww I ate too much” Why do people do that?????

We love entertaining our friends by throwing game-night parties when the kids are in bed. It’s amazing how long a game of Pictionary will last among good friends.

I think it’s entertaining to have the kids make a craft that can go on the Christmas tree to show off to everyone that comes over. It’s cute.

Oops, that last comment was supposed to be in my name, Richard, not Michelle (my wife). Sorry! Just one entry from me.

The week before Christmas we take one night just for the girls(the moms). We each bring a dish, usually a finger food and we watch a “chick flick” and just chill and have lots of fun. This kind of helps us unwind from all the rushing of the season and gives a little “me” time before the big day.

My tip go potluck! Let everyone else to the cooking and you be in charge of the drinks.

I like to host a lucky elf party. Each guest brings scratch lotto tickets for each other adult. Usually, we have about 15-20 people. So - in the end each guest has a buck of scartch offs and usually SOMEONE wins something decent! Its fun - even if you don’t win and not very expensive.

I find that this time of year there are always people stopping by and while a full meal isn’t necessary, I want to offer them something nice without draining my pocketbook.

So, I keep a few things in stock- Carr’s Water Crackers, Stuffed Olives, Nuts, Bread sticks, French Onion Soup Mix, and things along those lines. The best part is those discount stores like Marshall’s and TJ Maxx have these items in pretty little bottles for great prices. If all else fails and I’m serving store brand nuts, a pretty little bowl quickly “classes” them up

xo,
Beck

White elephant parties are the best. No one has to go out and spend money they can bring old junk from around the house and it keeps everyone laughing.

Planning food in advance makes things easier on you so you can enjoy your guests. I like to pick easy things, like Ham instead of turkey, so I don’t have to worry.
I really hope I win this for my parents…their camera broke on our trip to Disney last week!

I find cookie recipes ones that r different and adults and children get together and make and decorate them nyckia@msn.com

my favorite thing to do is to get the family together for a day of fun, starting with a morning of football, afternoon of a pot luck dinner, night time bingo and with prizes and other games, and finish off with a night of movies and hot chocolate and tricks and chocolate fountain. oh somewhere in there can’t for get the gingerbread house making contest!!..

Our family gets together it is a very large group. Everyone brings a dish and their own paper plates,cups and forks, knife and spoons. we eat and everyone helps clean up. After dinner we carol, it is so nice to see the looks on the faces of our neighbors. Acamera would be great to have and capture all of this.

The easiest way to make a party or holiday gathering more personal and more fun…

MUSIC!!!!

Putting together a mix of holiday classics, celeb-inspired remakes, or jazzed up Christmas carols, will make everyone want to sing along and get in the Christmas mood. Since music is not only a hobby but a way of LIFE for me, it’s never an option. It’s a necessity

I love to have everyone sit around comfortably while we all eventally tell our funny stories, getting into the real Xmas mood for the holidays. Also, I’ll have the kids make their special ornaments on a specific table set up with all art and craft supplies. It’s an interesting way to get real comfortable real easily.

My fav is to have a pot luck. That way you share the work, and everyone has at least one thing they really like!

My tip is to make food that can be done a day ahead of time so you don’t have to worry about it the day of.

Have finger foods and use paper products for easy cleanup.

Have guests bring over their favorite food or dessert & share the holiday feast

My favorite part is playing games after a big family dinner.

Due to economy I will prepare finger foods for Christmas Eve with the help of whoever wants to join in. Christmas day will be simple with A big breakfast of gravy & bisquits late lunch sandwiches of all types. Everyone will join in and make their favorite creations!! What family fun on this special holiday.. Taking pictures of everyone doing their “chef thing”!(pictures will be sent out to be received by the first of the year) Having 4 sons they all have their own opinions on how food should be prepared. What Fun.. Mom gets a break as the girls have agreed to clean up!!

Always remember, just stay organized. Everything truly falls into place.

I would love give my eighteen year old a camera this yesr but money is too tight. Would love to win it.

When entertaining make sure there is enough food and drinks to go around. We usually have a family Christmas party and eat all day and night and have a gift exchange.

Entertaining Tip - the phone number to a good caterer!!!!!

my coworkers have a cookie exchange for christmas.hosted at a different house every year. we all bring a few dozen. set them out on the table and go around the table picking up the amount of cookies we brought.this year the hostess also had theese party poppers that had little gifts inside and a gold paper crown that we all proudly wore for our annual picture.

my husbands and my family gathers for Christmas abt 20-30 of us, So what we do is a potluck style dinner and a gift exchange,ahead of time 9usally at thanksgiving)we pick names and, everyone who is coming gets a name of someone else who is coming and we buy for that person, so after dinner everyone gets a gift to unwrap. i always have an extra gift in case we have an unexpected guest.

My favorite entertaining tip for the holidays would have to be my cookie making parties. I invite a bunch of girlfriends over and we spend all day making (and tasting) all different kinds of cookies. At the end of the day, we all split the cookies. It is a great way to get a large variety and have a great time.

a great way to entertain for the holidays are to get all your food from sams club. They have hordevs and all of that already made up all you have to do is unfreeze it and serve. The grab some Christmas cd’s and games and have a blast.

Fun group games like Catch Phrase, Apples to Apples, and Mad Gab can really get a party going, whether it is family of all ages, friends, or as an ice breaker for people who do not know each other so well.

My tip is to ask your guests to bring a dish or drinks. That way, you don’t have to worry about cooking a big dinner!

My entertaining tip would be to make any type of chocolaty goodness you can~ I like to make Oreo truffles!! They are easy and look like they are way hard & people love love love them!!!!

My husband and I go to the grocery store or Walmart once a week on Fridays and we pick up a movie from redbox.. dinner.. and desert!

I always stress during the holidays and I’ve learned the easiest tip is to relax and take it easy. It’s fun to actually party, at your party.

keep everything fun and simple! and lots of stuff for the kiddos if the kids are happy so are the parents!

My all time favorite is white elephant or chinese xmas, where everyone brings a $10 gift and you can steal away your favorite, this is always fun to watch and everyone that comes enjoys it! I always buy one extra in case someone forgets!

Am a subscriber. Would be nice to bring to my daughters and use. Son in law is shipping out next month to Iraq.Thanks for the entry.

I prepare dips/appetizers ahead of time. Prepare as much as possible the day before. Ask your gusest to bring 1 specific item (Dessert, salad, etc)

Gather some travel brochures for your town and keep them in a binder in the guest bedroom. That way if your guests want to site-see they have a good starting point and you don’t have to rack your brain for ideas.

I like to set the table the night before, and make ahead anything I can. You’d be surprised what you can freeze in advance!
haleyj99@yahoo.com

I ask that everyone bring a food dish to eat. That way everyone is comfortable with their favorite food. We sing songs, watch movies, and at the end we play games that kids and adults can interact.

Oooh ooh my husband broke my camera at Disney World (of all places!) so I would LOVE to win this.

My entertaining tip: Last week we had a get together at my house. I really wanted to have some cute Christmas cookies and cupcakes but I can out of time. Instead of scrapping the idea all together I just set out my “naked” baked goods and had a decorating station. I set up little bowls of icing, sprinkles, red hots raspberry sauce and other garnishes. Everyone loved it and I got some great pictures!

I like having a buffet-style meal with appetizers, drinks, and desert, so everyone can eat and mingle at ease. Less formal and more fun than a standard sit-down dinner.

I come from a super large family so when we get together on Christmas Eve everyone brings a dish and a white elephant gift from home. This way we save money on gifts for the adults and it’s always hilarious to see what kind of junk everyone wrapped up!

My best advise is make it simple, finger foods and appitizers, like mini meatballs and mini sausages and weiners in BBQ sauce, little clean up, minimum preparation, little to no left overs and BEST OF ALL, Mom Gets to be Part of the family Party, instead of constantly cooking, cleaning and preparing food.

i would love to capture my family with this awesome camera!!! i hope i win!

when entertaining for the holidays i will have different little finger foods things that can be fixed up ahead of time or with the kids i will bake up cookies and then have the things for them to decorate them they have a blast doing this or another thing was one year my kids and i decorated our tree with only homemade ornaments and garland

We love to entertain by challenging our family members to create a new desert each year. We all sit and have a taste test and vote for the best one.

My best entertaining is to keep it simple, enjoy my guest and have a good time. Simple is buffet style dining

I try to make sure that there is a variety of food and beverages that everyone likes. And we just like to catch up on old times laugh and have fun. But there is always time put aside for picture taking every family get together.

Make sure you are having fun too! No one likes a stressed out host!

Plan an event filled with good food and drinks. If you don’t have a lot of time vendors such as Wal-Mart or Kroger can create beautiful platters for your event. Make sure you have music playing in the background - not too loud - to set the mood of your party. Have fun, if something didn’t go as planned don’t stay upset all evening, roll with it - take those lemons and make sweet lemonade.

I like to burn scented candles before company arrives. I love how candles set the mood of my home as well as make it look pretty!

I love to have a Christmas Cookie making party. It’s so easy! Just make a couple of batches of Sugar Cookies and some icing and get all of the kids in the family to help decorate. The kids love it and the adults like to help eat them.

I would love to have a new camera to capture those memories for years to come!

Definitely pot luck. They’re your friends, so they won’t mind pitching in!

Dont put the whole party all on you..ask for help…every year for the holidays my mom, sister, and I all get together and help eachother out for gatherings…the more hands the better!

If there’s children attending, have a special little area for them including a few things such a holiday coloring books and crayons and some toys. It won’t take much but just that will keep them entertained for most of the night!

I like to serve dishes that can be prepared ahead of time and then warmed just before service or that can be served cold or at room temperature.

Having everyone pitch in so you don’t have to do it all!

803. When having people over, we serve finger foods. For fun, we start by sharing silly stories and talking. Then, we will play some games. All the while, we will be having fun, and enjoying each others’ company.

When I entertain, I like to serve food buffet style. It allows guests to pick and choose what foods they want to eat, it’s faster than a regular sit-down meal, and it allows everyone to mingle.

When my family entertains we always have tv games ready. Wii bowling while baking Christmas cookies to singing holiday songs on our karoke games. Everyone loves it and they always pile over for more! Thank you and wonderful giveaway!

My EASY entertaining tip: Make the party “potluck”!

Ask all the guests to bring a favorite dish as this helps to lessen the work in the kitchen. We all reciprocate and share recipes when visiting each other over big holidays. Ask some to bring their favorite homemade dessert and then relax and enjoy the get together. Happy Holidays everyone!

My husband and I host a potluck every single month at our home, because otherwise, we might not get to see a lot of our friends. It always surprises me that the people come back month after month, and that it’s even growing on top of that. Why? Because there’s absolutely no pressure. Every month, we have a theme. Next month will be “Breakfast for Dinner” and everyone will wear their jammies and bring a favorite breakfast dish. One month, it was the letter P, so everyone brought a dish that started with that letter.

So I guess, in a nutshell, my advice would be to relax and have fun. Entertaining should not be a test of how much you own or how you can outdo the other parties. It should be an event where people truly feel at home, and have the opportunity to meet your other fabulous friends as well.

The best way to keep the holidays simple is to do a little bit each month though out the year.Easier said then done. I am a mother of 3 busy boys and I work part time and my husband travels alot. The best advice I have is to truely shop year around for bargains, bake in November and freeze it. Make a list( of supplies, rentals, food, gifts ect…) of things you have to do each “big family event” then space it out over 12 months. Start December 26, 2008 for December 24, 2009. Rememeber rushing ahead can get you behind. Keep it simple.

dimmed lights!

If I’m having people over for dinner and I am not able to get the dishes done before they get here I put them in the oven to make my kitchen look less cluttered. It’s a simple trick and it makes me feel better knowing that I don’t have a sink full of dishes even before the meal is served! Then I can relax and enjoy myself.

I get the kids and go for a ride through the neighborhood and see all of the wonderful Christmas lights! Our town has judgings and we love to ride around and see who has won. Its a tradition and so much fun!

Lesley (#6) and I think along the same lines - only I’ve applied that to grown ups too! The stouffer’s white 5 cheese pizzas can be sliced up and served as a side to pasta & salad in lieu of garlic bread. It’s delish!

The best thing for the holidays is to have a potluck with family & friends. Someone brings something that’s special to their family and then all are able to enjoy. Fellowship & fun are great to go along with the festivities.

My favorite easy entertaining tip is to make the evening a potluck. Make sure there’s a food item for each group (ex: main dish, appetizer, salad, dessert, etc.)

Instead of making a huge dinner, I just make lots of quick finger foods throughout the week. I set up my crock pots and warmers to keep everything hot..and let my guests buffet. I also never refuse help cleaning up!

To entertain, one must make it fun….Keep laughter on the front row…adults have fun with “American Idol” and let the kids be the judge, believe me it will be a blast and you will never forget it….one more thing don’t forget the food…you know good food like, homemade fudge, sugar cookies, nice big cups of coffee….keep it real…

This year my family are going to enjoy our first Christmas with our new addition to our family, my baby boy. We had prayed and prayed for a baby and God answered us, With a very, very precious miracle. Thank you Lord

assign everyone one thing to bring so you dont have to stress out about food and can have that time to spend with your family

assign all adults one or two people to bring gifts for so this way everyone has a present

My girlfriends and I have always made it our tradition to each try a new recipe and bring it to our party. Sometimes, it doesn’t seem like it was such a good idea after all! Not every new dish is quite what we thought it would end up like, but that just makes it more fun!

Never mop your floors before the party. Someone always spills!

Potluck style buffet followed with a gift exchange. It’s a win win for everyone =)

I know you are going to think I’m crazy…but why not pull out the Rock Band this holiday season (with guests you would not expect to have played). This game is entertaining, participatory, and there are songs for all. Mom and Dad - watch out!

I like to invite my daughter’s friends over and they all decorate a gingerbread house together.

have a pitch-in (Midwest speak for “potluck”)

as most of the posts say….keep it simple!!
one centerpiece that is quick is a big vase with water and a bag of cranberries, then put some white roses in the vase. very pretty and festive!

I make a meal using the crock pot when entertaining for a group smaller than 10. It cooks all day and then all I have to do is prepare the side dishes. That gives me more time to clean and get ready for our guests. Plus, the house smells great from the food cooking all day!

The easiest entertaining tip that I know is just to have everything already prepared & out so that way you can enjoy your guests also.

my book club is having everyone bring their favorite Christmas cookie to share.

I love to have an ornament party. We have a couple ornaments for adults and some crafts for the children and a lot of Christmas goodies.

I always have fun activities for the kids to do during any party to keep them occupied.

I recently attended a “game” party. We played board games and for each win, you were entered for door prizes. It was great fun!
cytologysherri@yahoo.com

Start shopping in the summer sales. By christmas you will have plenty. Clearance items can make the best present.

We like to organize an interfaith dinner on Christmas evening. We invite our friends of different religions and ask them to share (and fulfill) one tradition during the evening.

You fix the main dish and have everyone else bring things to go with it.

An easy entertaining tip I like is to have a beer tasting. Have everyone bring some craft or imported beers. You could limit it to a certain style or country, or have a complete smorgasbord of types. Get some cheeses to pair it with, and voila, instant party!

I provide the bulk of the food, but ask others to bring small, easy to prepare items like drinks or fruit.

I make a huge relish tray, all my boys friends come and we play video games until the beat the snot outta me lol. They are all treated like family, loved, and unjudged. This is the best holiday experince for me.
God Bless and Happy Holidays!

My family has always done an organized potluck. It keeps everything a lot easier on the Hostess

have potlcuks so you don’t have one person making all the food

Dim lighting and candles/fire in the fireplace can cover up a multitude of (cleaning) sins, plus add a cozy/sexy ambiance to the setting. That’s been the experience of this tired Mom

The easiest idea for food for get-togethers is that everyone bring at least one dish. It is easy to prepare only one dish and everyone has a multitude to choose from. Happy holidays to everyone!

Bring a plate, donate food and clothing.

Fondue parties are always fun. They are unique and can even seem fancy. Find a simple crock pot recipe on the internet, and everyone brings something to dip into your delicious fondue (enough to share with others)and their favorite Christmas CD. Christmas Fondue potluck!

Games, games, games! You get to see a whole new side to people when you start competing with them.

I love bundt cakes! They can be so elegant, but they take very little work. A little glaze or chocolate sauce makes it a little “more.” I stock up on cake mixes when they are a loss leader and know that I always have an easy dessert at the ready.

I’d love to get the Sony Camera for my daughter who is a budding artist now interested in photographing people in casual settings. I think a small digital camera is less intimidating for that.

Easy Holiday Entertaining Tip: We are hosting a Sanity Pause from 3-5 on Christmas Day. Short and sweet, no children, various alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks served, and some light, healthy snacks. No Christmas music! Just laughter and friends and good cheer for an hour then back to our own houses for the rest of family time.

I make cold appetizers the night before. The next day I make the hot appetizers. It works out well.

one of mine is to have a potluck and everyone brings something so everyone can enjoy different things and the holidays

I keep a can of carpet fragrance in all of my closets, it makes the rooms smell fresh and your clothes as well.

I like to have a party and fix most of the food I just ask people to bring a drink or sweet thing..I have movies or music with that theme and do decorations I also have my 8 year old help he likes to help.

everyone always brings something for the party .that way one person doesnt have to do everything

My advice to hosting a party is to have a pitch-in or cookie exchange.

I love serving easy things like frozen pastries and pies and mini appetizers that are super easy to prepare! Makes life so much easier! Also veggies and dip!

Make cookie dough ahead of time and freeze it. Then you can slice and bake the cookies right before your guests arrive and the house smells great too!

Instead of having a holiday get-together with a huge meal, just do a dessert get together instead. Have everyone come over after they eat of course and bring a dessert to share!

If I am not hosting the party, I like to bring along my camera to capture the festivities. Over the years, I have found that these pictures are great gifts over the next year to make birthdays and anniversaries special.

Definitely a potluck! Doesn’t really work out that much for me this year because we are only hosting my mom-in-law and that would look really bad if I told her that she had to bring a bunch of stuff, right??? Hey, if I had the new camera, I could take lots of pictures of her bringing in the food!!!

Lots of candles around the holidays sets a relaxing mood. I like vanilla, it freshens the air like fresh baked cookies.

I always take pic of my kids and send them to my family. They enjoy everytime I do this so they dont miss any important moment of their lives.

Keep kids occupied AND recycle all of those sales circulars by making paper snowflakes. There are tons of tutorials online, and it’s easy!

I always through either a jewelry party or spa party and have all the girls bring a dish and some wine and we have a fun night!

Go out! Walk around the neighborhood and see the lights, or go caroling.

An easy entertaining tip is to have one or two signature cocktails for the night. Make them in pitchers ahead of time to avoid everyone wanting different drinks.

I have about 35 trays of cookies/presents to give to people that help with my children in various capacities. I cannot afford to buy gifts for each and I can’t make all the trays at once. I break them up into 7-8 gifts a week. That way I can keep up with it, and thatleaves left over baked goodies for my family.

I know this isn’t original, but I just love a cookie exchange! Recipes must be included, because I’m a cookie recipe collecting maniac. Add a pot luck dinner and you’ve got a festive holiday party.

Thanks Amy!

my best tip since we always host Thanksgiving and Christmas is to buy most of the Christmas dinner food at the same time as the Thanksgiving meal….then you do not have to worry about the food it is done!!!

Make everything before hand and freeze it. That way on the day of the party or dinner you don’t have to spend all day in the kitchen. Also plan foods that don’t have to be piping hot to be good.

A great holiday tip is if you are hosting a large party, don’t try and make EVERYTHING. Ask everyone to bring something, but make sure you tell them what to bring or ask what they’d like to bring and be in charge of it (kind of like a pot luck). It really makes it less stressful!

the best entertainig idea is seacret Santa… one present marked as Boy or Girl…so you dont have to pick names.. and it can`t be more than $5.. and the fun is to see who can shop and get the best present…..

For holiday entertainment we usually make to house warm with frangranced candles; make hot chocolate and decorate the Christmas Tree together. Guest love this because they feel like part of the family adding a little touch of them by bringing one ornament to add to the tree.

My Holiday entertaining tip is to have all the staples for appetizers in the house and ready when needed: I keep crudites, cheese, crackers, supplies to make homemade cheese balls (YUM!), and stock up on sodas and bottled water…that way you are ready for friends to come over and play cards or just to sit and relax for few before heading to the next event.

THANKS for the opportunity to win!

Melissa

Easy tip… save all of your change and go on a vacation. Me and my husband have been saving for 3 years. Suprisingly within 3 years we had $237 and some change. We went to gatlinburg and spent a little more than that but trust me it helped alot.

I always make double batches of cookie dough recipes. (One mess, two treats!) Wrap one of the recipes When ready, slice and bake! This is a wonder trick for impromptu guests or as a last minute treat to throw into the oven to have the baking aroma when guests arive. It also works wonderfully for a last minute dessert!

Potlucks! They’re fun and all the guests can share in the festivities, while lessening the work you have to do. It’s also a great way to try yummy new dishes

I make larger quantities of cookie dough and freeze it or purchase ready made cookie dough in a variety of flavors, so when guests come over, I am ready.

This year I have been baking cookies one batch/kind a day here and there and freezing them so that when the inevitable “you need this many dozen cookies for this event” comes, they are already to go! It also allows me to relax a bit and not feel so overwhelmed when I want to invite friends over during the holiday season. Some of my work is already done!

Want a relaxing evening? Hire a few local high school girls to serve your guests and do the clean up. It’s well worth the money and frees you up to mingle with your guests. Plus gives the girls spending money for the holidays.

Easy entertainment and let your two toddlers sing and dance for your company. Always laughs!

after chrismas have a taking down the tree party gather all your friends food music and whatever else you would like and everyone helps take down the tree. it help you get together with the one you couldnt see on chrismas and taking down the tree is much easier

Having friends and family over, play cards, listening to music and talking about old times.

Wine tastings are a great way to improve your knowledge and broaden your horizons. My friends and I have one every 2 weeks. Host chooses a new region and everyone brings a bottle and/or food item from that region. Great fun!

I think you should never clean your floors until after the party. You work so hard to get them looking beautiful and within hours, they are trashed:)

We make candy as a family. It’s kind of a tradition. Everyone leaves the house with a little to take home with them.

I have a bag full of pre-made sausage & cheese balls (made with Bisquick) in the freezer at all times. They heat up quickly, can go fancy with toothpicks & special sauces or just quick finger food.

My entertaining tip is to have a few activities for the children to do in one area of the house so that the adults have a longer uninterrupted time to talk in another area of the house!

when i cook for the holidays not only do i get my self organized with my recipes in order so i get done faster buy organizing my prep food next to each recipe so its there for me to get right away and i don’t have go searching for every thing when i’m ready to cook, but i also set my table the night before with my china and silverware etc. so if on the day i have last minute things to do and people show up early at least i don’t have to stress about having my table set.

I put a table of treats & snacks in the center of the house, away from the kitchen. Keeps guests out of my hair while I’m cooking.

easy? just keep it simple and let others help!

Have everyone bring their favorite dessert, or menu item….lots of variety and very tasty food!

Appetizers and semi homemade foods make it easy to have quick food on hand so you can enjoy the party yourself. You can always make additions to store bought foods to give them your own flair. No one will be able to tell.

I always send my guests home with leftovers from the meal and a favor (such as an ornament)that was their table marker.

A great entertaining tip is to make sure everyone feels included esp when you’re inviting friends that don’t know eachother. To me this is WAY more imp than having good food at a party!

My easiest entertaining tip is to make things ahead of time so I don’t spend the whole evening in the kitchen. Works for me!

This would be a great gift to give to my daughter who loves taking pictures.

Wow, saw this one just in time, Just what my Daughter wants for Christmas! My easy entertaining tip is for Christmas day we do all finger foods that can me made ahead of time that way everyone gets to enjoy the day and not be in the kitchen

My favorite tip for easy entertaining is to always keep nonperishable snacks on hand. I keep a box or two of fancy crackers and cookies and some nice little candies to set out when company drops by.

I love holiday parties, but hate making myself nuts trying to get everything done. By the time of the party I’m exhausted & can’t enjoy it. I do all appetizers & use the frozen ones. There are so many available now & their quality is good. Everyone loves them & thinks you spent a lot of time cooking. Add a few dips & breads etc. This makes a super easy very enjoyable party! I’d much rather spend my time with my guests than in the kitchen or too tired to enjoy anything.

An easy entertaining tip is to karaoke. Everyone can can entertain each other…….

I always like an appetizer party. Everyone brings one, and then make it a wine tasting too and everyone bring a bottle. Done!

My easy tip for entertaining would be to keep it simple, don’t wait till the last minute (do a little each day before leading up to the event. And last but not least accept the help from your friends and family when offered. Its a party, enjoy yourself!!

Being mexican I really enjoyed making tamales with the ladies of the family we cook and we catch up and at the end we have lots of delicious food for everyone including friends. at the end we all pick up using the 15 minute cleaning timer clean as much as u can in that time.

Set up a taco bar. You supply the meat, everyone else brings the fixings.

Last holiday season I bought Walmarts handmade pizza’s they are huge and just cut them into squares and they were gone in a jiffy.

I always have my very closest girl friends over and we share stories of our past a bottle of wine and exchange home made gifts

I prepare everything before hand, sometimes the night before so that I just have to warm up things as people arrive.

Have everyone bring a dish to share instead of doing all the cooking yourself! Always buy an extra gift too just in case someone forgets one…

Organize a Cookie Exchange
I’m not saying it isn’t wonderful to prepare your own desserts for your party, but by organizing a cookie exchange before all of your other holiday parties, you’ll have a much wider variety to serve to your guests.

I second (and third) the potluck idea as an easy entertaining tip! There’s nothing better than getting to try all sorts of different kinds of foods made by family and friends! And I always take a few index cards with the recipe to my dish written on them to share!

A relaxed host is key for a successful party! Do whatever it takes to prepare food ahead of time so that when the guests arrive you will be able to mingle and enjoy yourself.

A great entertaining idea is to do karaoke with your family/guests. All it takes is one crazy rendition of a well known song and everyone will want to get in on the fun and it can allow you time for last minute finishing up.

Ask everyone to bring a dish to pass and a board game!!