The smells of thyme and rosemary in the kitchen give me a sudden rush of bliss. Flickering candles, a football game whistle, and the laughter of the company signal the season. Hosting takes its most genuine and natural form during the holidays. We get a chance to welcome our loved ones in from the cold and warm them up with our meals and presence. I have 5 tips to do just that: keep on reading!

1. Time your Food Correctly:

Serena Wolf, chef and cookbook author, states that the most common mistake people make when gathering is not timing their food. I could not agree more! Have you ever been served cold mashed potatoes? It's a tragedy! Look at all your dish's prep and cook times and what temperature they need to cook at. I have seen people get all the sides done first while waiting on the main dish, and all sides get cold. Now, you can keep things heated in the oven, a crockpot, or with a buffet set with fuel cans, but I am a sucker for things being fresh and hot out of the oven or off of the stovetop. Let's say you have a turkey cooking for 4 hours and two casseroles that take only an hour. Then you put those casseroles in once the turkey has hit its 3-hour mark. If you have something reasonably quicker to make, like mashed potatoes, you can do that while the turkey and casseroles bake and time it to be done at the 4-hour mark. That way, everything is piping hot, and you can get them plated immediately as guests are directed to the table. As guests wait, of course, they will be snacking on appetizers. Prep appetizers that can be kept fresh in the fridge a couple of hours before guests arrive, like a charcuterie board, and cover in saran wrap; anything you need to make that needs to be warmed, make sure it's done 5 minutes before guests walk in the door. That way, no one is getting a chunk of lukewarm spinach artichoke dip you had sitting out too long before guests arrived. Grab out all your serving dishes before so it's an easy and fast transition and clean up that can be done in 5 minutes, and then all you have to do is grab out your other prepped appetizers in the fridge and arrange everything quickly and make it look pretty. Light a candle and welcome guests with a smile!

2. Bring out the Polaroids:

Pull out a cute bowl and put a Polaroid camera next to it filled with film. Invite your guests to take pictures to put in the bowl and take some home so everyone has captured memories of the gathering. A small blackboard or homemade sign with directions is a nice touch, too!

3. Don't just Save the Florals for the Tablescape:

If you are adding florals to your tablescape this year, buy a little extra or trim a few florals or greenery from what you have and make smaller vases of arrangements to spread throughout the house in the entryway, the kitchen island, the living room, bathrooms, or whichever spot is calling for you to spruce up. It is a great way to carry the holiday theme throughout your home and add fragrance and beauty to the other areas.

4. Make a Toast:

I feel like making a toast is a dying art form. Typically, we rush to the table, and when we get a seat, we let out a big sigh and say, “How is the turkey?” Instead, saying a simple thank you for coming and welcoming everyone to the table before eating is a class act and makes everyone feel appreciated.

5. Let the Games Begin:

Maybe you have a traditional family game you play together after dessert has been served and everyone has had a few minutes to slump into the couch and contemplate whether or not it's appropriate to unbutton their pants, or maybe you need something new to switch it up. I recommend finding a game related to the holiday. I found an inflatable turkey hat in the dollar section at Target, where the game's object is to get rings onto the turkey legs. The idea of how this game will go down on Thanksgiving makes me chuckle!

That's a wrap! What are your go-to tips for hosting the holiday? Feel free to share them in the comments. ☺️