Five Tips To Make Holiday Entertaining Go Smoothly

Thank you BabbleBoxx for sponsoring this post.  All thoughts and opinions are my own!

Do you do any entertaining for the holidays? Maybe you host family for Thanksgiving or have friends over for a Christmas party?  No matter what the occasion, holiday entertaining for family or friends can be overwhelming if you aren't prepared.  

We recently received a BabbleBoxx that was full of all sorts of entertaining goodies to help us prepare for holiday entertaining. Today we're sharing a round up of five ways to make holiday entertaining go smoothly. 

1. You know nothing gets the party started like some holiday cheer! Having a variety of wines already opened and out for guests to enjoy and pass around will allow your guests to feel more at home and you to be able to enjoy their company without feeling the need to cater to their every need. Our favorite lately has been Rodney Strong Wines from Sonoma County. Having both a red and a white options available for guests is always a good idea. We went with the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Chardonnay as crowd pleasers! 

2. Easy appetizers and snacks on hand prior to a meal is key!  Everyone wants to have something to munch on and we love yummy nuts as an easy no-prep option. You might just need a game day snack or you might want to make an appetizer board before a meal.  These Frank's Red Hot Almonds are a must! They are made with Frank's Original Hot Sauce and California Almonds so there are no artificial colors or flavors. They take boring almonds and turn them up a notch with the perfect blend of flavor and heat!

3. Whether you are cooking an entire meal or just prepping a few side dishes, when it comes to having guests we like things to be as streamlined as possible. I don't know about y'all, but if a recipe calls for too many ingredients I tend to shy away from it.  The easier the better and we've found the ultimate cooking hack! Dorot Gardens are pre-portioned herbs, garlic, and onions ready to be added to any dish with no peeling or chopping.  Their products are harvested fresh and flash frozen within 90 minutes to ensure freshness. Crushed Garlic, Crushed Ginger, Chopped Basil, and Chopped Parsley are just a few of the pre-portioned options they offer. 

4. Everyone loves the favorite sitcom Friends, and this new book combines a cookbook with entertaining tips for Thanksgiving and the holidays. Friendsgiving: The Official Guide to Hosting, Roasting and Celebrating with Friends by Shoshana Stopek not only shares recipes, but also entertaining tips and activities.  This would make a fun gift for any of your friends who love to entertain or for yourself to help with preparations for hosting! 

5. Ending the night with something sweet is a must! These Dewey's Cookie Thins are baked in a southern hometown bakery in Winston-Salem, NC. They are made with real ingredients, no artificial flavors and no preservatives.  The Sugar and Ginger Spice cookie thins are perfect for serving, but the adorable tubes are perfect for adding a bow to and sending home with your guests as a little gift. You can shop HERE and use code: DEWEYS10 to get 10% off site-wide November 10-December 10. 

What are some of your holiday entertaining tips and tricks?  Share them with us in the comments! 

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