Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Top Tips as We Gather Together

Are you starting to feel a little overwhelmed with planning and executing holiday entertaining? Whether you're entertaining a few or a few dozen guests, the key to having a successful go of it and a good time is to be prepared. Today, I'm sharing my "Top Tips as We Gather Together", practical tips for entertaining at home, especially through the holidays. As one of several bloggers joining our host, Amber, from Follow the Yellow Brick Home, you're in for a slew (that's a lot!) of tips and ideas, whether it's decor, crafts, recipes, traditions or reflections, for Thanksgiving and even holidays beyond. If you've just come from Carole's blog, Bluesky at Home, you know exactly what I'm talking about! 
All of these tips I'm sharing consistently made my life a whole lot easier as I geared up for hosting big events in my home (guests up to 40). I'm simultaneously sharing several of my favorite past fall tablescapes (with original links back as the caption to each photo). While I'm reaching into my archives, the content remains relevant now. My hope is that one or more ideas may inspire you, whether it's an organizational tip or table styling idea, so you can host with the best of them, and have fun too! Sharpen your pencils, readers, class is about to begin!

1. Coat, please. If it's coat-donning season, why not empty your foyer coat closet and use it for guests?  Hangers are inexpensive to buy (or free), and leaving your own coats on a bed or portable, folding clothes rack allows you to let guests feel welcome (and useful, hanging their own coats) right at the door.
Richly Rustic, Romantic Autumn Tablescape
2. Rely on the numbers. Ask guests to RSVP by mail (if formal), email, text or phone call by a set date. Plan groceries accordingly, and a seat for each person with a table (snack tray or drink table, if necessary) and coasters. Set the tables you have, and then make utensils readily available at the buffet line for those who will take seats elsewhere.
Pale Palette Fall Tablescape
3. Plan an organization chart for the meal or buffet. Pull out all serving dishes in advance (at least a couple days in advance), making sure everything will fit, whether on your table or on a buffet service. Also important to consider is where electricity will be necessary for crockpots, roasting pans, coffee makers, etc. It's important to have a good flow when serving a large number of people. Using paper teepees to label items being served on a buffet is helpful.
Pheasant Merriment Tablescape
4. Do as much of the food preparation in advance as possible. Have as much food cooked, baked and/or in serving dishes in advance as is possible. I even have a sister-in-law who prepares her turkey one day in advance! That way, your last couple of hours prior to guests arriving is just in heating things up and setting things out. If family members help with some of the dishes, try to have them deliver those earlier in the day, where they slide into the fridge or coolers until the evening heating and serving.
Fall Tablescape: Cornucopia, Canyon, Currier, Color!
5. Don't forget to plan space for the drink station, appetizers, and dessert bar. It is so much easier to let guests serve themselves drinks, apps, and desserts, if not the meal itself (buffet style). Plan a bar set with glasses, ice, mixers, etc., and have a cooler (indoors during inclement weather, or outdoors with better weather). Keep ice in the cooler and a towel at the ready for drying up drips, and on a tile floor in case of mishaps. This makes mixing and mingling much easier, while you handle last minute prep tasks.
England Crown Ducal 'Atlanta' Autumn Tablescape
6. Is that my drink? If you're using real glasses, try using wine charms, ribbons, or some other type of identifier for each person's glass to minimize confusion and keep drinks organized. If using cans or bottles, consider koozies that guests can write their names on and take with them. This would make a great take away for guests!
Impromptu Merriment Table - Fall Flourishes
7. Plan for cleanup. No one likes the overwhelming task of cleaning up after an event, so plan for it. For food trash, consider two cans in the kitchen, one for compacting, the other for food waste that doesn't go in the disposal. If using cloth napkins, keep a basket in the laundry room where they can be dropped and laundered later. Invest in a few plastic bus tubs (utility totes) where dirty dishes, utensils and glasses can be rinsed, separated, and stacked until guests leave, or even until the next day.
Forest Walk Thanksgiving Tablescape
8. No butts about it! If there are smokers in the group, have a designated smoking area outside at the ready, with either ashtrays or a sand-filled pot for the butts.
Feline Fondness for Fall Tablescape
9. Privacy, please....Most people don't wish to use the same towel as others before them (gross!). Do everyone a favor and leave the towels as pretty decor. Buy a supply of disposable, fingertip towels as an option for guests to use once and toss. Provide your guests with the option of a simple can of your choice of air freshening spray in a decorative basket so they can be comfortable taking care of their business.
Fowl and Feather Fall Tablescape
10. If you provide take away 'thank yous' for guests, prepare and have them ready and waiting near the front door as guests leave. If your event is casual enough and you offer leftovers, make sure you save your reusable plastic containers leading up to the event, or purchase an assortment inexpensively beforehand. Chinese takeout cardboard containers are also a nice alternative.
Ironstone, Transferware Fall Tablescape: "Meat and Potatoes" China
Oh, and one last thing: plan time for holiday fun! All work and no play makes for stressful holidays. Make sure you make time for yourself. Have fun, turn on some music, get out and enjoy the sights and sounds of the season, and relax with friends and family! Or, take a nap!

Feel free to pin from this post so you can refer back to it for organizing your own events or for table ideas. I invite you to leave your comments here on my blog, and feel free to add your own tips for entertaining at home in your comment.

Next, Shannon at Belle Bleu Interiors follows me, and her style is beautiful, see for yourself! Then, check out all the other links below for all the participating bloggers' ideas!
You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!
Click here to enter

37 comments:

  1. These are all great and timely tips, Rita. I couldn't agree more about preparing as much of the food as possible in advance. I also enjoyed your lovely variety of tablescapes. Happy almost Thanksgiving!

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  2. Rita, I so enjoyed looking back over these ten beautiful tablescapes...so much inspiration. Your tips for entertaining during the holidays are spot on. Organization is the key for me, I prepare all the food for Thanksgiving and Christmas, just like my beloved Mom always did. Keeping the two granddaughters makes it even more important to be organized. What a great read and eye candy this morning, thank you!

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  3. I love your tips! Especially the ones about coats and hand towels. Those two people often forget! Gorgeous tables, I am trying to (slowly) put out Christmas decor because I don't have to do that holiday at my house anymore, and seeing your gorgeous tables has me feeling like i need to do a nice table.

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  4. I must have been taught well, as I do all of these tips, without even realizing it! I could never have put it into words, tho!! I never seem to get stressed out with entertaining and its probably because i am organized. All the tables your pictured are gorgeous...Hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving!

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  5. Rita, It was so nice to see a recap of your tables today! They are all so pretty and creative.
    You have great organizational skills. I am glad to have your holiday tips written down that I will pin to be reminded about again.
    I appreciate your tip on towels and I agree. Even in the kitchen when I have all my family I insist they use paper towels.I like my dish towels to be for drying dishes.
    Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. What are your plans?

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  6. Hi Rita,
    Love all of these tablescapes. You have great advice on making the holidays much smoother and more of a happy time and less stress. I am going to find time later to go through all the inspiration of this gather together. Have a good day today and a great week ahead.
    Hugs,
    Kris

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  7. All of these are wonderful, Rita, and some I've even done before but I have NO idea why I never thought of emptying OUR coats from the closet and putting the guests there! That's my big take-away!

    Have a wonderful Thanksgiving in your new home. With guidelines like these, I'm sure you will!

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  8. What a great collection of tips for Thanksgiving. Planning for entertaining a large group is a lot of work and if one uses your tips is likely to go smoothly for the hostess. My personal favorite tip is to provide disposable hand towels. I despise using a towel that countless others have used.

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  9. Great tips Rita. I think I’ve shared many of them before. I love the idea of the tubs for dirty linens and other remains from the party. I buy the paper guest towels all the time for the powder bath. Thank you for the reminders.

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  10. These are all fabulous tips Rita! I love all the beautiful tablescapes and place settings you've featured as well. I always feel like Thanksgiving goes by way too fast so it's going to be fun to implement these tips and make the day fun and relaxing. I hope you and your family have a fantastic time celebrating. Hug and Happy Thanksgiving, CoCo

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  11. So fun to see all your beautiful tablescapes, Rita! And great tips for hosting, too! I loved seeing all your vintage dishes and treasures accessorizing the tables! I can tell you love setting tables as much as I do!

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  12. Professional party tips Rita! I have learned over the years of hosting large gatherings that organization and a time line is the key to success...I also write a food timeline of when each food goes in the oven or can come out of the fridge and print it out and follow it. I discovered you can bake dishes in advance, wrap them in towels and stack them in a cooler or on top of each other and they will stay hot for hours! Can you entertain 40 in your new home? I love the tip about the disposable hand towels, I need to do that! Your tables are always beautiful, it's such fun to look back!
    Jenna

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  13. Great tips Rita! I love a drink station and a separate dessert area, hopefully away from the kitchen. It gets so crowded in there and no matter how many times you hint around, people still hang around in the kitchen. Ugh. Hope your Thanksgiving is wonderful and you find that carved out fun time.

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  14. This is such a fabulous and useful post! I love the idea if clearing out the coat closet and your tips for planning for clean up. All of the tablescapes you shared are wonderful and creative too. I am so impressed that you serve so many during the holidays and I know everything looks and tastes fantastic. Your guests are in for a delightful visit!

    Thank you so much for joining the hop. Have a very happy Thanksgiving!

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  15. Such great entertaining tips for the holidays, Rita... and I love perusing through your lovely table settings! Love that blue one with the white scrolled charger! Wow!Pinned, and so happy to be hopping with you!

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  16. Rita, you nailed it with all these tips! After 20 years of hosting Thanksgiving, I don't stress a bit and follow all of your tips. But thanks for the reminder about "Coat, please". I always think of that at the last minute, and I'm headed to the foyer right now! All your tablescapes you shared are delightful, and I hope your Thanksgiving is wonderful.

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  17. Oh wow, what lovely tablescapes over the past years. I enjoyed seeing them all. Thanks for the time saving tips too, we all need to make this as stress free as possible.

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  18. Rita, this post is so helpful, and it offers such wonderful tips to help us with our holiday entertaining. I loved seeing your many beautiful tablescapes, and you know I adore the Currier one with that pretty blue and white! I hope you have a very happy and blessed Thanksgiving!!!

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  19. Those are some wonderful tips!! Thanks for the ideas. Have a wonderful Holiday!!

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  20. Rita - Your table settings are beautiful and your tips are great ! Especially having the take home gifts at the door. I used to make favors for the table as a take home gift and then would be cleaning up afterwards to find that half of my guests forgot to take them! I know you have downsized to an apartment as we have...one of the perks is that this new building is a NO SMOKING building. Takes the pressure off of me to provide a smoking space. Most everyone knows this about our building now so it is great. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours !

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    1. Ann, thank you so much! It's a new adventure decorating this year in the loft, and it'll be my first time NOT hosting Christmas in 15 yrs! My daughter's taking the torch, and I am grateful. I'll be happy helping this year. Happy Thanksgiving to you too!

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  21. Rita, great roundup of tips from an experienced hostess with the mostest! I'm fortunate to have a gang who chips in from preparation to serving to cleanup. Although in the years when all the kids were little it was a lot more challenging, as we also needed crowd control, naps, and entertainment built in to a busy day. That said, I can't wait until I have grandkids underfoot!

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  22. What a helpful list - and such beautiful tables! We actually do the same thing with our coat closet before we entertain. I always clean it out and make sure there are enough hangers for everyone. In fact, that's another thing I need to add to my list for this year! So great to hop with you - Happy Thanksgiving!
    Shelley

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  23. While there will only be 3 of us for Thanksgiving I am having an event for 20 in February. These tips are invaluable!!!

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  24. Your tips are spot on, Rita! I also loved seeing your tablescapes interspersed throughout your post. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your Mr. P!

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  25. Some lovely ideas here, I love all the table layouts

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  26. All wonderful tips Rita!! I host Christmas every year, and have been doing it for the last 30 years....we've got it down to a science at this point!

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  27. We have one small closet near our front door that I keep clear all year long just for guest coats.

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  28. Great tips my friend. I usually make two things ahead of time, stuffing and biscuits. The tablescapes are all lovely. I'm happy to be hopping along with you, pinned. Hugs!

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  29. So many great ideas! I am a firm believer in prepping as much as possible ahead of time! Last year the crowd was so big, it was a two turkey year. This year there will be just five of us, so it will be simple! Thanks for sharing, have a great Thanksgiving!

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  30. So many beautiful tablescapes Rita, I'm glad I don't have to pick a favorite! Great tips too especially planning what dishes to use on the buffet and if they all fit! Happy Thanksgiving, I know yours will be a success!

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  31. Rita, these are all fantastic tips! Number 9 is one I've adopted in recent years. It's something often overlooked, but I'm all about the disposable napkins. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing this walk through your past tablescapes. Wow, you know how to decorate a place setting! I love the variety of dinnerware, chargers, goblets and more that you showcase in this post. I'd love to be a guest at your table! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

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  33. What a lovely collection of tablescape ideas!

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  34. Leave it to Rita to totally have the organizational skills covered!!! haha, so many great ideas. I'm more of the chicken with it's head cut off type of hostess. Good thing I never have too many people at one time! Have a great Thanksgiving, Rita! ps love love that brown transferware tablesettings.

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  35. I love these tips and find that I already use a lot of those ideas. I loved hosting big parties but haven't done that since we sold our house and moved here. Next year I hope to be back in a new home and hosting parties again. xo Diana

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  36. Rita, thanks for sharing your fabulous tips and lovely tablescapes at Vintage Charm!

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