Party Time! Planning a Holiday Get-Together? Better Make a List, Check it Twice

By Donna Lou Morgan
THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE

There's magic about the holiday season. It's a time for tradition and good food everywhere. And it all begins in the kitchen.

Holiday entertaining begins with Thanksgiving and continues through New Year's Day.

It might be a trim-the-tree or caroling get-together, an eggnog with cheese-tasting party, a supper after midnight services, a neighborhood gift exchange or college bowl party, a New Year's Eve bash or New Year's Day brunch.

Time to make a list and check it twice for holiday get-togethers.

With gift shopping, party planning, festive decorating, family gatherings -- during the holidays, who has the time (or money!) to cook elaborate feasts?
According to Southern California creative-living consultant Deborah Durham, visiting in Salt Lake recently, the days of pheasant under glass, roast rack of lamb and silver candelabra are close to being gone. Creating a festive atmosphere and memorable meal doesn't have to take hours or blow the holiday budget. She says the key to successful entertaining is to serve foods that are easy-to-prepare and easy-to-eat.

To avoid pitfalls of party pressure and make entertaining enjoyable, follow these suggestions:

• Serve easy-to-eat foods that don't require utensils so guests don't have to do juggling acts.
• Decorate with inexpensive items on hand -- fresh greens, terra-cotta pots, bed linens (they make wonderful and colorful tablecloths), pine cones.
• Look to hardware, builders' supply, garden supply and dimestores for economical party ideas.
• Set the mood with pleasant background music.
• Turn down the lights -- or better yet, replace with candles for a cozy atmosphere.
• Fill the air with fragrance: Burn scented candles, fill a bowl with clove-studded oranges, hang fragrant pomanders or light a roaring fire.
• Avoid labor-intensive table decor -- nix the damask tablecloth (unless you love to iron!) and bag the silver flatware (unless you have hours for polishing). Bring out the no-iron patterned sheets and finger foods for easy entertaining.
• Make the table setting a conversation piece -- juxtaposing elements that give guests something to talk about.
• Think of ways to recycle things normally discarded, like paper bags, tin cans, jelly jars, etc. They can make great decorations, sprayed with a bit of paint and embellished with bright bows.
• Let the children join in the fun of entertaining so they can learn social graces needed later.
• Prepare dishes ahead of time. Or supplement homemade dishes with take-out to save time in the kitchen.

Basic rules of etiquette make parties more successful for hosts and guests. When an invitation is received, respond in a timely fashion. If the answer is yes, make an effort to attend -- on time. Five or 10 minutes after the appointed time is fine. Thirty minutes is not. Remember, thank-you notes always are appreciated and take little time to write.