Christmas Party Preparation and Sunday Morning Coffee
Our Christmas party is in twenty days, and as you know, I cook all the food. Of course, I am freaking out. But I have a way to get it all done!
The party is a big event that has grown in every aspect over the last thirty-eight years. We invite our friends and family (and their children), and I cook all the food—for about 200 people. And no, I am not a caterer, but I know how to plan a party. Today, for Sunday Morning Coffee, I am sharing my biggest tip with you, which gets me through the prep for this party every year.
Season 4 Volume 46
About Me
I love our Christmas party. Why?
Because it’s a way to spoil my family and friends with good food and fun.
But the weeks leading up to the party are stressful. It’s the “cooking all of the food” part of our party that is currently freaking me out. There is so much to do!
Over the years,, I have created a very good menu of heavy hors-d’oeuvres and desserts. I don’t change the menu much because anytime I delete something, one of our guests hears about it!
Here is the menu for our Christmas Party this year, which is on December 21st.
H O R S – D’ O E U V R E S
- Beef Tenderloin with rolls
- Smoked Turkey with cranberry/orange muffins
- Smoked Paprika Salmon with Lemon Dill Sauce
- Tomato Bisque Soup with Mini Grilled Cheese
- BLT tomatoes
- Skewered chicken with peanut sauce
- Skewered flank steak with peanut sauce
- Crab cakes with lemon dill sauce
- Artichoke Dip in wonton shells
- Carmelized Onion and Goa Cheese Bites
- French Onion Soup Bites
- Whipped sweet potatoes in crusts with pecan topping
- Brie cups with pomegranates
- Roasted Shrimp Cocktail with Lemon-Horseradish Aioli
- Pesto stuffed mushrooms
D E S S E R T S
- Double Mint Chocolate cookies
- Peanut butter fudge
- Frosted sugar cookies
- Coconut cupcakes with candy garnish
- Christmas Crack (subject to change)
If you want a copy of these recipes, stay tuned as they will be available. Soon.
Surviving the Christmas Party Preparation
As you can see in the photo above, from a few years past, I am good at multi-tasking while cooking for our party.
I am making four different menu items in this photo!
I created an Excel spreadsheet that allows me to prepare all of this food in an organized and timely fashion. It is color-coded and lists everything I need to cook by day.
It has a very fancy name, my Color Coded Spreadsheet. Hehe.
This spreadsheet allows me to prepare fifteen appetizers and five desserts for 200 people in two weeks. It takes a huge task and makes it manageable. It breaks out my cooking tasks for the 18 menu items I cook for the party. I know if I get everything done every day, then come party time, it will all be done.
Here is last year’s Color Coded Spreadsheet:
Each menu item is listed, and the tasks that need to be completed for each item are broken down to the right. The boxes are color-coded by the due date, and the color key is listed at the bottom of page two. For example, the tasks in the yellow boxes should be completed the week before the party, and the dark orange boxes should be completed the weekend before.
As you can imagine, Thursday and Friday (light orange and aqua) are the killer days. Many menu items can’t be made that far in advance, so I have a lot to accomplish on those days. Those are also the days my girlfriends come over to help!
I honestly couldn’t do it without them.
I need to mention that I have a staff coming on Saturday afternoon. They will cook everything I have made, serve it during the party, and clean up. This is the only way I can enjoy our party. I started this about ten years ago, and it’s the best thing ever!
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My Latest Project
On Tuesday night, I am hosting a craft night with my girlfriends. And we are making oyster shell ornaments!
Dave and I rushed up to the beach house yesterday, and I gathered 70 oyster shells!
I have collected all of these napkins and cannot wait for our craft night!
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My Biggest Challenge This Week
I cooked a lot this past week to prepare for the kids’ coming to town, especially for a unique Russian and, of course, our Thanksgiving dinner.
It was really fun, and I loved every minute.
But it was tiring as well.
Fortunately, I have many helpers who made the cooking so much easier!
Recipes are coming soon, I promise.
- Finishing decorating our house for Christmas.
- Host Craft Night with my girlfriends.
- Bake and finish two desserts for the Christmas party.
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And here are some of the best Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals! Get them before they are gone!
And what a week it was!
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You are so organized!!! I am just putting away all of Thanksgiving stuff…. just the thought of dragging out Christmas decorations, shopping, wrapping, cooking just stresses me to the max!!! You make it look so easy.
Oh that’s very kind but it definitely stresses me out too!
love all your ideas and look forward to the recipes. where can i get those paper napkins with the houses on them?
I always love catching up with you at party prep time! You start preparing just after I hold my big party so it’s fun watching you do what I just did – even though it’s for way fewer people. Your spreadsheet is much prettier than mine too – I’ll have to remember to color mine next year. 😁 Have fun!!
Aw thanks so much Barbara! Sounds so fun. Took me a while to perfect it hehe ☺️