Time To Party!! * Spotlight My Health

HOLIDAY (PARTY) PLANNING

I’ve written this post for November and December. The time of the year when it’s time to party for the holidays! However, people party at all different times of the year. I’m going to help you out with the planning for your gathering no matter when scheduled.

And I’ve made a guide that will help you with how much food and drinks to have on hand for the number of guests you need to plan for.

For now, the holidays are quickly approaching and if you are like me, you too are scrambling to try and get everything done on time. It seems the minute November strikes, I’m in panic mode because I feel like Christmas is just around the corner.

There’s cleaning, planning meals, appetizers and drinks for all the gatherings, not to mention all the shopping that has to be done. So, let’s take a nice deep, calming breath and get started with our planning. A good plan will help you know what direction to go in and where to go next.

To me, I start cleaning about two weeks before Thanksgiving. By then your deep-down fall cleaning should already be done making your current cleaning regime fairly simple.

Look around and see what needs to be spruced up, look for cobwebs, clean light switches; doors and door windows need cleaned again from all the grimy little fingers? Tackle those first, then do your normal dusting, vacuuming and mopping and make sure to get into all the nooks and crannies. Start at the top of your home and work your way down..

THE ENTIRE FAMILY CAN HELP

And don’t forget—if your kids are old enough, put them to work along with hubby. If there is a flurry of activity from everyone that lives in the home; this BIG clean-up can be done in one Saturday. This leaves the rest of the month to relax with each other. Other than keeping things picked up and put away.

Make sure there are enough clean bed linens and towels/washcloths for company that may be coming for turkey day and then remember to do the same by about Dec 15th for Christmas.

preparing food to party for the holidays

The next thing you want to do is to plan your menu for the days of planned parties or for those days when you’ll have a house full of guests. Keep in mind—plan for Thanksgiving and Christmas at the same time. That way there will be no overlapping of the same meals and you won’t have to try and think/plan Christmas right in the middle of all the mad rush that happens during December.

HOLIDAY PARTY SERIES

With my blogs for the next several weeks, I want to help you plan your menus for the holiday season. This first blog will be about planning and how much you will need depending on your guest count. And I will be doing a round-up of different recipes for you that may help you in deciding what to feed everyone. In the following weeks, I’ll be doing round-ups of recipes for appetizers, breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks.

PLAN THE MENU

First plan your menu. If you have overnight guests, you will need at least three meals and drinks both through the day and in the evenings. Choose the main dish and any sides, breads, desserts and drinks. To make things easier, do it in batches, for instance; if you know you have guests coming from Thursday morning to Sunday sometime, you will need:

**3 breakfast meals (Friday, Sat and Sun)

**3 lunches (depending on when your guests arrive on Thursday and when they leave on Sunday. Thursday, Fri, Sat and Sun) And don’t forget to use leftovers if you have them.

**You will also need one big Thanksgiving meal and 2 additional dinners (Fri and Sat)

**Drinks/refreshments/snacks for all three to four days (Lots of coffee for the adults!!)

blueberrybuttermilkpancakecasserole
By Allison with Celebrating Sweets

Once you look at your recipes and have decided on which you are going to use; then you are set to make up a grocery list. I tend to make two lists—one for canned goods and things I can get right away and store easily, until needed. My second list is for the items I will need to get a day or two before guests start arriving.

Hint: When deciding on menus, it will make entertaining much easier if you choose recipes you can make ahead of time. Or you can lean toward one pot type meals. Otherwise, you will be spending all your time in the kitchen rather than having fun with everyone else.

HOW MUCH DO I NEED?

Here is a guide that will help you determine what amounts of food or drinks you will need for your gatherings.

BREAKFAST TIME

This can be easy or very busy, depending on what you choose to feed everyone each morning. You can already tell that I prefer to spend time with family rather than standing over the stove cooking. So, I almost always go the casserole route for breakfast.

Baked Blueberry Lemon French Toast
By Chungah with Damn Delicious

People have been so inventive with these types of breakfasts. It makes the hardest part choosing which goodie you want to make and impress with. I’ve chose a few recipes to share with you to entice your family and guests with. I’m sure there is more than one you might want to try.

Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole
By Deborah with Taste and Tell

This would be way tooo hard for me to decide which of these recipes I’d want to make!

Cheesy Potato Breakfast Casserole
By Kristyn with Lil Luna

There you have it—the first post for Holiday/Party times. I hope you, your family and guests enjoy these breakfast recipes. They each look absolutely delicious to me.

Bon Appetite