When hosting a great holiday dinner party, the key to success is making the event feel like the perfect balance between a cozy home environment and a professional restaurant. It may feel like a stressful goal, but it’s certainly achievable with enough planning and insight. Keep the following checklist of hints and tricks in mind when prepping for your holiday dinner. 

5 Tips for Organizing a Holiday Dinner Party 

1. Determine a Guest List 

Create formal invitations to inform your friends and family members about the party at least two weeks beforehand and ask them to RSVP. This gives them time to plan their schedules around it and lets you know whether they can attend. Additionally, you’ll know how much food and space you’ll need.  

2. Plan for Plenty of Seating 

Once you have an idea about who will come to the party, you’ll know how many extra chairs you need, which will influence how you choose to organize them. However, just in case you receive any unexpected guests, it’s a smart idea to arrange more seating than you may think is necessary. You should also make sure there’s ample walking space so you can easily bring in food from the kitchen.

3. Clean & Decorate 

Vacuum the carpets in areas where you anticipate the most foot traffic. Consider covering some of the carpets with festive rugs that you wouldn’t mind ruining, just in case there are any spills that cause stains. Disinfect the bathrooms and any surface areas that might be touched frequently. Hang other holiday-themed decorations around your home. If Christmas is the occasion, hang garlands, wreaths, and lights, and set out winter figurines and artwork. For a non-denominational event, you can light scented candles, buy a festive table runner, and put out bowls of potpourri and pine cones. 

4. Hire a Catering Service 

Although there are many simple yet elegant foods that you could make yourself, it’s much less stressful to leave that to a restaurant. Order catering trays to easily serve your guests with little preparation required on your part. Italian fare, like steak, pasta, and eggplant or chicken parmigiana platters, is a popular choice.

5. Make a Playlist 

Many restaurants use holiday music playlists to set the atmosphere for their guests during this time of year. To achieve a similar ambiance, create your own playlist. Choose cheerful holiday songs or smooth jazz to play from a wireless sound system connected to your phone for easy access. The music should be prominent enough to encourage a generally merry mood, but quiet enough to allow for conversation. 

If you’d like a quality Italian restaurant to take care of the food for your dinner party, choose Brookside Inn Restaurant in Oxford, CT. Having served the area since 1954, they’ve perfected the art of authentic Italian fare, guaranteeing a menu that your friends and family will love. Find out details about what delectable dishes they serve both in-house and on party trays by calling (203) 888-2272 or checking out their website.