With Christmas decorations, holiday-themed packaging and pre-bundled gifts already lining every supermarket, annual dinner parties are coming just as quickly as the holidays we celebrate them with. Whether it is your parents’ friends’ party that you are practically required to attend or a friend’s potluck, there are do’s and don’ts for every guest.
Holiday dinner etiquette:
- Prior to committing, make sure you actually can, as it is rude to commit and then back out closer to the actual event.
- Respond to your host’s kind invitation by asking if there is anything you can bring … and then do your best to bring it! I’ve had multiple experiences wherein people ask what they can bring and are given a suggestion, yet still show up with whatever was easiest for them to pick up on the drive there. By doing this, you disregard the host’s needs after you have made a point to ask, and are not appreciating the overall invitation.
- Don’t just bring the most convenient thing to the party. Refuse to be that person who adds to that over-abundance of drinks. You know it happens every time. If people do end up bringing something to add to the meal, more likely than not they will show up with a few bottles of soda. So, this year, go a little bit further. Bringing a side dish or baked brownies (even if they came from a boxed mix) shows a level of appreciation that Walmart’s packaged sugar cookies cannot.
- After eating, help clean up. Cleaning up trash and washing dishes is simply a considerate gesture. Furthermore, now the same people who hosted and prepared the meal don’t have to further exert themselves and can enjoy their evening.
- Be mindful of your portion sizes. Yes, the holidays are a season of eating lots of food that we don’t eat during the rest of the year. It’s exciting. However, do not be greedy and take more than you can eat because you have eaten with your eyes first. Remember that others have waited just as long as you have to eat these delectable goods!
Appetizers or dishes to try for a holiday party:
- Homemade pastries or desserts
- A simple charcuterie board — get a nice block of cheese from your store’s deli with a French baguette and some complimentary seasonal fruit and you’re all set.
- Easy-to-eat appetizers — Caprese skewers are one of my go-to’s. You take mozzarella pearls, cherry tomatoes and fresh basil, throw them on a skewer and the crowd goes wild.
