It was 32 degrees this morning, and all I can think about is summer. The season ended just a few months ago and yet it seems so far out of reach now; we have a long way to go before we get there again. Thankfully we did have a rather warm fall and we took advantage of that great grilling weather whenever possible. Some folks closer to the equator are lucky enough to still be enjoying warm weather and barbecue parties.
If you are one of the lucky ones, Glad is perfect for the before, during and after a BBQ party. Grilling may be a bit out of reach for us for some time, but we do a lot of entertaining over the holidays and Glad will be here to help clean up the mess. And there will be a mess.
For Thanksgiving, we’ll be hosting Kevin’s family which grows every year. He’s one of six, and now there are wives, husbands, girlfriends and kids. Holidays are always crazy and messy but we wouldn’t have it any other way. Since I’m used to hosting large gatherings, I thought I’d offer some tips on how I make everything go smoothly when you have a lot of guests coming:
1) Make sides and desserts ahead of time. It’s cold here, so we don’t have to worry about refrigerator space.
2) Put out appetizers in the living room (or as far away from the kitchen as possible). Nothing is more hectic than having everyone in the kitchen when you’re trying to get around and prepare food.
3) Set up a buffet line. It’s so much easier to let everyone serve themselves. It’s also easier for me to refill whatever is low.
4) Use paper plates. I know it’s informal, but with 20+ guests at times, it has made my life so much easier. Would you rather be doing dishes or enjoy your guests’ company?
5) Set out large trash and recycling cans. Line your cans with Glad bags so that the mess can stay off of your counters and tabletops.
These are great ideas! We can all always use ideas to reduce the stress in our lives, especially around this time of year, a time many of us love and look forward to, yet it can also bring so much stress with it!
The buffet line is a very good idea. My parents host Thanksgiving so I don’t have to worry, just show up and eat….lol
These are great tips for having a stress free party. I always try to prepare as much as i can ahead of time.