We at TOTT are professionals when it comes to entertaining guests. It’s what we do all day every day. We love to make our clients and their guests feel relaxed, pampered and full of the holiday spirit. When entertaining is not your profession, it can be fun, but also a little nerve-wracking, especially when folks are visiting from out of town or dropping in for a bit of holiday cheer.
Here are our Top 10 Tips for Keeping
Your Cool During Holiday Entertaining: 
- First and foremost, manage your expectations. Nothing needs to be perfect. Sometimes you run out of vodka or forget to heat the meatballs. It’s OK! The holidays are about smiles and stories and being together.
- Be sure you don’t run out of vodka and also preheat the oven so those meatballs get warmed up!
- If you have not done so already, call TOTT and pre-order your holiday treats for your party. We can accommodate pick-up orders until Dec. 24th at 2 pm for hors d’oeuvres and desserts and then again after Christmas through mid-day December 31st.
- Divvy up the prep. Even small kids can help out, so pull them away from the TV for an hour and give everyone jobs to do, so you don’t feel overworked and they feel helpful. Things that usually can be done by others include: cleaning, setting the table, putting out snacks like nuts and fruit, etc.
- Have a place for coats and jackets. If you don’t already have one, a rolling coat rack like this one, which is available for 2 day delivery, then just move your coats from the coat closet to the guest bedroom or simply have a child help with bringing guests’ coats back and forth to the guest bedroom for you!
- Outsource trash duty! Buy an extra box of garbage bags and keep it handy. Ask a loved one – or teen who needs to keep busy – to keep an eye on the trash for you and periodically take a bag out. You will appreciate not having to do that yourself!
- Mix up a signature holiday cocktail. Not only do guests love a festive drink, but you can do one with and without alcohol, so everyone can enjoy! Also, having some thing pre-made really cuts down on how many different types of bottles you need to have on-hand. A favorite cocktail recipe is Jingle Juice from Delish!
- Don’t overload the dining room table. Have mains and sides set there, but other items, such as desserts and snacks can be displayed all over your home to encourage mingling and keep traffic in the dining room to a minimum.
- Make time to greet guests yourself at the door. Plan your prep so that you are done by 20-30 minutes before the party begins. You can pour a glass of wine and relax in your pre-fete home while you wait to graciously greet guests with a warm smile.
- Music makes the party! Wireless speakers, like these, are easy to come by and pair with your phone so you can easily play and change music around the house. Play a mix of holiday favorites, jazz and even some fun current hits to please everyone.
