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Happy Holidays
from the Staffff
at All Island Media
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1982 Happy
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Holidays
• Tips for First-Time Holiday Hosts
The holiday season is a busy time of year. From
Holiday hosting can be a whirlwind of activity, but novice hosts can quickly get into the swing of things.
holiday shopping to readying the home for
guests, there’s no shortage of things to accomplish
in a relatively brief amount of time. Seasoned
holiday enthusiasts may be ready to put their
game faces on and tackle tasks with ease. But for
fi rst-time holiday hosts, the prospect of crossing
items off to-do lists may require a little extra assistance.
According to Dr. Vanessa Kennedy, a clinical psychologist
at Driftwood Recovery, holiday hosting
can “lead to the pressure to curate picture-perfect
moments, creating stress and anxiety.” Th e following
are pointers those new to holiday hosting can employ
to simplify the process and enjoy the holidays
a little more.
• Do as much prep work in advance as possible.
Giving yourself extra time to get things done can
help immensely. Grocery shop one day, prepare food
the next, clean the house one day, and set the table
or arrange decor on another. Minor task can be left
at All Island Media
for the morning of the day guests arrive.
• Cook and freeze items. Utilize recipes that enable
you to cook in bulk and then store foods until you
need them. Casseroles, baked pasta dishes, freezable
soups, and ready-to-bake cookie doughs made in
advance will save a lot of time closer to the holidays.
• Stock the pantry. If holiday hosting involves overnight
guests, be sure to keep easy items on hand so
guests can help themselves. Dry goods or pre-packaged
muffi ns for breakfast, chips or pretzels for latenight
snacks, granola bars, or store made croissants
can fi t the bill. Put everything in a dedicated basket
so guests can grab items as needed. Stock the refrigerator
with water, seltzer, iced teas, and sodas, and
make a full pot of coff ee in the morning so guests
can pour their own.
• Avoid complicated cocktails. You don’t want to
be stuck mixing drinks all evening. Instead, make
it simple for guests to help themselves. Wine, beer,
premade punches, or even one specialty drink are
ideal.
from the Staffff
• Consider hiring a caterer. If the idea of a homecooked
meal feels like climbing Mount Everest,
swap out some items for store-bought alternatives,
or work with a favorite restaurant or caterer to secure
foods that only need to be reheated and served.
• Free up closet and room space. Guests will be
coming with a lot of stuff , particularly if you live in
a cold climate. Make room in the entry closet for
guests’ coats and boots. Be sure you can accommodate
suitcases or overnight bags. Set aside an area
where guests can deposit their wrapped gifts.
Edition 804 Holiday Magic 2025 www.ALLISLANDMEDIA.com