Merry and Bright: Your Guide to Effortless Holiday Hosting

Speaker 1: 0:07

Hey cuties, welcome back to day three of 12 Days of Podmas. Always wanting to save Vlogmas. What I'm learning from 12 Days of Podmas is I fricking love wearing a uniform Like it gives me kind of all the feelings that I need in my life. There was actually a time I just have to tell you this quickly before we jump into the episode but there was a time in new motherhood where we had just moved into this house. It was probably that winter, so Ro was like eight months, almost almost a year old, and I was just in the depth of I can't do anything anymore. I think I was like overwhelmed.

Speaker 1: 0:53

Eventually, after our move, everything was kind of settling in. The life was so different than because, obviously, covid was going on and I was like extremely isolated. I was enter, I was in like the newness of motherhood and just like almost realizing like what is my life going to be, especially after we moved? Because it was like I should have been coming to thinking like, oh, I'm going to go back to work at some point or whatever, my life will get back into some rhythm of what it was before, but like because we moved, I was never going to go back to that job, and so I had like this openness in front of me. That was like terrifying. And then I was also trying to like embrace the current moment.

Speaker 1: 1:33

Laundry was like the is it vain or vain of my existence? Because I don't know what Bain means, so it must be vain. But anyways, laundry was just like the absolute worst thing. I just felt like it was like running my life. I didn't it's not even like there was only three of us, but somehow I was just like always doing this laundry and like it was cold and we weren't getting out of the house as much. It was just so overwhelming.

Speaker 1: 1:58

And I remember I would wear the same thing. Like I think I did this for two weeks and then I had to give up because I was like disgusting and smell gross, but I would wear the exact same thing, not even like as a new uniform, like I had multiple of this same outfit. No, I would wear the exact same outfit obviously different underwear every single day, because then I would only have to wash one pair of sweatpants and one T-shirt at the end of the week. That's, that was what I came to, that's what I, that's what I tried to do to, to stop having to do as much laundry. But you know what the joke was on me, because everyone else still had so much clothes that they were wearing and I just smelled gross and was taking care of a baby breastfeeding like your milk in all the places. I was just so stinky but like all I saw was myself, but like I just felt gross. You know, when you just wear the same thing, like a few days, okay, but like every single day for seven days, like too much. Anyways, I just had that memory because I've been wearing the same outfit for all of these episodes and you know what, I actually kind of love it for this situation and I'm only sitting in it for an hour while I record. It's not that gross and like, obviously I can wash it at the end of the week, so the stress is not too high, but I just that was like that just reminded me of that.

Speaker 1: 3:11

Anyways, welcome back to day three. I'm so happy I haven't lost track yet. Uh-oh, my face ID isn't working. There we go. I am so excited for today's episode. It's a really festive, jolly good time because it is my holiday, hosting 101, which also just works in general for hosting but obviously because this is Podmas. Hello, we are counting down to Christmas. It is a holiday hosting guide which I think is going to carry you into, obviously, if you're hosting anything up to Christmas, but also New Year's.

Speaker 1: 3:41

Last year we hosted New Year's and I absolutely loved it. Fun fact me and Trevor always host New Year's. It's kind of our thing. Ever since we like got into our adult life, we would always host New Year's.

Speaker 1: 3:53

Um, we would either host like going out, like there was a time where we used to go out in Toronto, which is my least favorite thing to do for New Year's. I will never do it again. You cannot make me do it. I absolutely hate going out for New Year's. It's so horrible, at least in Toronto. It is just so, so horrible. The only time we ever did it right. Finally, after years of waiting in line, you always have to wait in line everywhere. Even if you get tickets, you'll have to wait in line and unless you get tickets and you go early, like really early, like too early, then you'll have a good time, but then you have to be in the mindset to like be there earlier.

Speaker 1: 4:29

Um, anyways, we used to always host like we do like a pre at um my mom's, and then we would head into wherever we were going to go and it would be like waiting in line and like you're with the people you love, but like something about me is, if I'm hungry and I'm cold and I'm tired, I'm not in a good place in life. If I'm all three of those things, you do not want to be my friend at that moment in time. You really do not want to be, you do not. Okay, and I have that awareness within me. I do, I do, and I apologize for any of the victims who have been in my way when I am hungry, tired and cold, because it's not a good place to be. And I, I learned and we stopped doing that. So, anyways, then eventually we moved.

Speaker 1: 5:08

Actually, the first year we figured it out Like when you're young, it's fun. You're like I want to go out, I want to be at the club, I want to be at the bar, I want to be in the cool scene, I want to wear the cool outfit, like that's what you want to do. But then when the reality hits that it's not fun, like uh, then you eventually get, after so many years, it's like I can't do that anymore. So then we would switch to. This was the year that it all changed was we were in Oakville, where Trevor grew up, and so his parents. We were at his parents' house. But what, how did this end up? I think it was his parents' house and we had no plans. I think we eventually were like you know what? This is the year we have no plans. We're not, we're hanging out, we're going to do our own thing.

Speaker 1: 5:45

And then last minute we were, we were like texting his friends and they were all like oh, like maybe we should go to a bar. So we decided to go to a bar. So we went to a bar earlier in the day Well, not in the day, but like, we were like maybe we should go to a bar. And then we were like oh, it's Trevor's parents and we're like hey, maybe, like if we go to this bar, but like we just get a few drinks, we can come back here if that's okay. And they're like oh, yeah, totally. So we were going to have everyone back at Trevor's parents' house.

Speaker 1: 6:10

And so, um, we went to this bar, some random bar in Oakville, like literally, I think it was like a O'Malley of some sort. I don't remember the names of them all, but it was like an O'Malley of some sort and there was no. This was very last minute Like. We were literally playing this till last minute. We probably went at like I don't know, like eight or nine like, and so there was literally no weight to go in. There was a group of us like we needed a longer table. There was probably like I don't know, like probably not more than 10, but like 10-ish I think, and so we were able to go in, sit, have some drinks and then we all had it back to Trevor's parents' house and we just had so much fun. We literally just chilled and like drank and played games and I feel like so many inside jokes came out of that night and Trevor's sister was with us. It was so fun and maybe both his sisters were definitely one Lauren was with us and we just had such a good time and we got snacks like chips and whatever, and just like chilled and spend time with the people that you liked to spend time with, like it was so fun.

Speaker 1: 7:11

And then I think that like unlocked hosting era for us. That's when we started doing the New Year's holiday host and we actually would continue it at Trevor's parents' house for years on until we got married. I think we would do it there and we would invite everybody like from all the different places of our life, people from work, people from our friend groups, people from schools that we went to like whatever. We would all come together and it was so fun. And then we got married and we started hosting it at our condo equally so fun. And then we had Ro and well, I think the year I was pregnant I don't think we did anything, so I had a Rosa Winter baby. So I was very, very pregnant around New Year's and I feel like I just went to bed. I don't think I did anything really so that was like our year off.

Speaker 1: 8:04

And then we were excited to hit it back up the next year, but then it was COVID and so then we had moved, we were in our new house. I remember me and Trevor sat by the fire. I don't even think I stayed up till 12. Me and Trevor sat by the fire rowing the sleep and we just reminisced on, like our past years, new Year's of New Year's, past, and then last year was our first year where we got to host it again at our house and it was so fun. Literally, I had the best time.

Speaker 1: 8:31

It was so fun and because now we live out of the city, we had everyone stay over as a sleepover, like some people were wanted to go home or like weren't drinking so they drove home or whatever. Even people who weren't drinking could stay over, like anyone could stay, but like anyone who was available to stay over, and, of course, we had extra space just in case. We had a huge sleepover. It was so fun and then we all had our recap the next morning. It was so like school, like college, like dorm rooms. It was so fun and I was looking forward to doing that this year, but someone else snagged it from us. Someone else is hosting it, so we'll see. We'll see what we're gonna do, because I think they're hosting in Toronto and you know, I just prefaced this by saying my least favorite thing in the whole wide role is going out in Toronto, out in New Year's. So we'll see. I got to talk to my sisters. I think Becca's going somewhere. We'll see what Lauren's doing, but yeah, anyways, that is a little bit of my New Year's hosting history, but also I've hosted many things.

Speaker 1: 9:30

I love hosting. I think people from my understanding do not like hosting, but like, if you are like me and you like hosting, that's fabulous, and if you're someone who doesn't like hosting, then hopefully people will host you. But either way, in a predicament, if you are the only person who is available for hosting. I am here to share with you my holiday hosting 101 guide and just in general, because, honestly, I feel like I've perfected it. I think there's like a wiggle room, but like I've perfected the situation. Specifically, we're gonna talk about holiday here, but I also might throw in a few other tips, because what else are you gonna get a hosting guide for me? Okay, so let's hop in.

Speaker 1: 10:10

I think there are important things Food, atmosphere, activity. These are my three important things to hosting. Okay, did you hear that? Food atmosphere activity? Now, in a holiday hosting environment, usually I feel like it's a larger group of people coming together. So if you are having an intimate get together, like it's gonna be you and a couple, or maybe you and a couple, couple, six people, then there might be a different rule, mainly to the food part, because I'm saying food for if you're having like a bigger group, let's say 10 plus. This is my food guide for 10 plus. Even honestly, now that I'm saying six people, that kind of sounds like a lot, but no, this is for my 10 plus. Okay so, but honestly, you could do this with less than, especially if you don't like cooking. Really, the only thing comes down to the cooking that's gonna change different. So, for activity, I think this is so important.

Speaker 1: 11:05

Now, I personally love an activity, like one of my favorite memories of growing up in Christmas is that it was one time a year like that people would come together and play a board game. I always got a new cranium for Christmas. Growing up, like, pretty much, I was obsessed with cranium. I had like all of them. I loved it because, I feel like one, you got to do acting and singing, you got to do create, you got to do what was it? Math and science, I don't remember them all, but anyways, I feel like there was something for everyone. Some of them pushed you out of your comfort zone. You were not very good at them, and other ones you were so good at, but then your other teammate would be good, like. I feel like it balanced out and it was really fair playing ground because, like, everyone has a different strong suit and there was something for everyone. So, yeah, I loved it, like I loved cranium, and so it was the one time a year where I felt like everyone would come together and we would play my new cranium and it was so, so fun. I love, love, love it. That being said, that's one thing I want to start doing Now that Rose getting a little bit older is like implementing the family board game, like getting a board game every year Cause it's so fun, anyways.

Speaker 1: 12:10

So activity it doesn't have to be a board game, but the purpose is I love to bring people together with an activity. I think a lot of the time during holiday hosting it's either people family coming together that haven't maybe seen each other for a whole year, or it's you bringing together a whole group of people who aren't necessarily all BFFs you know what I mean. Like you bring together people from work, youth, and then they meet your family, home, friends, and then sometimes your family's there, or maybe your old school friends, like. Or maybe it's you as a couple coming together, bringing your significant other person's friends and your friends together, and you don't necessarily all get along. There's new people in the mix to other people and I love. I think that's why I love hosting. I love bringing people together.

Speaker 1: 12:56

I think it's so fun and sometimes it can feel really overwhelming as the host when you know that there's all these different people and you feel like you need to be part of all the conversations to bring people together. Like that can feel overwhelming. But I promise you step back, relax, like everyone's an adult. They can all come together and they can find someone to talk to. And if you obviously as a host, see someone who is feeling left out, invite them to come help you with something, invite them or connect them with somebody. Of course, but like I feel like I used to always feel like, oh my gosh, I'm not giving enough people, enough attention. But like everyone comes together, they give each other attention. But the number one way to remove that pressure is with an activity. I really think it's important and if you can bring it together like a little bit earlier in the night, obviously everyone's kind of coming and within the first hour or two. Now I don't even know.

Speaker 1: 13:46

I used to be such a punctual person. Like five minutes early was like on time for me. But I feel like when it comes to hosting, especially at someone's house, it's always polite to show up either right on time or like within the first half hour. That's kind of my expectation is that people will be there within the first half hour. But honestly, since I've become a host, I have learned that people show up like two, three, four. I don't.

Speaker 1: 14:13

My biggest thing is like I like if people can tell me they're gonna be late, like, oh, I'm working, I'm gonna be late, like whatever, then I have no expectation. But sometimes I'm like, oh, should I wait for them? Should I not wait for them? So yeah, for me within the first 30 minutes is like the best time to show up and I get it like for myself as well. I like to be closer. But if it's someone I know and I know the people that are gonna be there, then I don't mind being on time. But if it's gonna be a situation where it'll be a bunch of people that maybe I don't know, then I like to show up a little bit later, like within that first 30 minutes, not later than that, because then I feel less intimidated to have to like talk to one person that I don't know. Or it's just like a social thing, a social anxiety thing, but anyways, so within the first hour or two.

Speaker 1: 14:58

Well, I guess some parties people only host technically for three hours Like this is what I'm considering like If you're gonna have a long party, like into the night, like a New Year's party we're gonna do a dinner into the night than the first hour or two. But okay, let's say the first hour is for mingling With. At that, after that first hour mark, I would bring out an activity and my favorite activities are catchphrase or If you're drinking, you could do one of the passing drinking around games. Those are always so fun. There's so many apps you can download for your phone and basically you just input everyone's name and they get people like teamed up with people. It's so funny. You sit in a big circle and you just pass around the phone and it tells you exactly what you need to do. So let's say me, grace, and you, jessica, are playing together or playing in the circle. So it'll be like Grace tells Jessica Whatever, or Jessica is responsible for grace to this, or grace, you give Jessica two drinks, like whatever, but it'll choose all different names and it kind of gets people who don't know each other connect it. So like if you, if it's a drinking party, like that's so fun.

Speaker 1: 16:05

I love catchphrase. I think it's so fun. You can make everyone in their teams right. You do one, two, one, two. Get them sitting in a circle. One, two, one, two, one, two. Every other person is on whoever's team. Heads up. Oh my gosh, wait, did I say catchphrase? And I did heads up because I meant catchphrase, like the Circle game. So catchphrase is a game where it's the best. You used to get it with cards, now they. It's like a digital thing I have the digital one now and basically you input team one and team two and you break everyone up into two teams and you pass this thing around the circle. You're all sitting, every other. You pass this thing around the circle and you can choose a category or you can do mixed category and it gives you a word and you have to describe it to your teammates without saying the actual word, and then they all have to try and guess and it's so fun, like literally. That's probably my favorite game like in the world and I always bring it out for parties. I think it's a great party game.

Speaker 1: 16:59

Heads up is a classic one. You can download it right on your phone and it's so funny. Oh my gosh. Last year, new Year's, we were playing heads up and I just remember like it was like I laid into the night we were playing heads up. So you know we were all a little toasty and I was literally dying. Everyone was doing oh no, this wasn't even had New Year's. I get my heads up blurred together. This is what my friend's birthday party were playing New Year's and everyone was acting At a dolphin, I think to me, and it was hysterical. I was sitting on the one side of the table and everyone's being a dolphin and I was literally dying like Watching everyone act as a dolphin. For some reason. It was just so funny. It's like all at the same time. They all were like I don't even know, but it was. It was so funny. But long story short is that heads up really is like a great crowd, please. They're like.

Speaker 1: 17:45

I personally Use heads up in so many different ways Like I think it's great for parties. When we went to Disney, like years ago, we downloaded it for in line, it was amazing, for when you're waiting in line and it gets everyone involved, like you can play, but then everyone else will start Participating as well. If you've got like an active group around you people you don't even know. Then you make friends. That's so fun. So, yeah, theme parks, like I just love that game, but yeah, so that's a great game. So, catchphrase, heads up. You can get those drinking games. You can also just play like a classic card drinking game, which is like Kings Cup or whatever, but yeah, just doing some sort of activity. Or you could even get even more classic, doing charades, anything.

Speaker 1: 18:25

I just think it's so Fun to have an activity and like the people who want to participate participate. Then you already know, like who your vibe is, and the people who don't can just go hang out and enjoy Abev and eat some food or whatever. Like it's not a mandatory everyone get to the letter room. Now we're playing a game. But I think it's great to have an option, especially for newbies, so that they can feel more welcome and Connect it with other people. It's so fun. So activity is so fun. And then also, if you're having like Unlike themed party, you could also like with your girlfriends or something. It doesn't have to be all girls, obviously guys can participate as well, but I'm thinking like you could also bring people together and like have like a gingerbread decorating competition or stuff like that, but like I do love like a group activity and it's super low maintenance. You don't have to buy anything for it. So those are fun games.

Speaker 1: 19:16

Okay, food, food I think is one of the most stressful things when it comes to hosting a party. Like I feel like Even for myself, like I can get caught up on this. But now I think like I have like a good, good background of like things that I love to bring or make when I'm hosting. So like, yeah, I just feel like food is one of those things that can become so overwhelming in my mind. I'm always thinking like, okay, how am I gonna have everything prepped and prepared? But then I also want to have my space clean, like especially Depending on where you live. But like in my life, the only places I've ever lived have had like the heart.

Speaker 1: 19:53

The heart of the house is kind of the kitchen. Like in Our condo is very open concept. Living room, like the kitchen is there, everyone's in the living room. You can see the kitchen. Same thing here. Like our living room is a little bit more secluded, but it's still like our kitchen is like a heat, like half of our main floor, so it's like a huge part of the entertaining zone, and so how can I keep that not so Messy and like food everywhere? Like food for eating, of course, but like if you're cooking, like you know it creates mess dishes, pots, pants. Like it's like I want For me that's stressful. Like I don't want all of that out and about. Well, people are trying to like mingle and mix.

Speaker 1: 20:29

Sir, this is my food rule nibbles, drinks and order in. It is Literally the best thing ever, because nibbles you can prep ahead of time, like make your fruit platter, make your vegetable platter, make your focaccia, make your. This is like my new obsession right now is focaccia and meats with a burrata in the middle. Oh, my gosh, make that. We need to add that to our recipe of the day because it's so good. I'm gonna put that down. I'm gonna write that down for one, for one One day. Recipe of the day focaccia I don't think I had that out yet. Meets, it's just so good, I promise you. Like that is a showstopper.

Speaker 1: 21:13

Oh, and the fresh focaccia is so easy to make. Like yes, it's time-consuming, but like it's so delicious and it's like an elevated Cheese and crackers, so, anyways, but like all those things are easy to make ahead of time, your Chikouterie board, or even your cheese and crackers. All of that stuff you can make ahead of time any dips if you're gonna make a hot dip, which, wink wink, might be part of our recipe of today, but like all of that stuff you can pretty much make ahead of time or it's easy to assemble. You can prep the stuff and assemble it. You can pop it in the oven to heat up before Like if it's a hot tip, pop it in the oven to heat up before your Guests arrive, or just as your guests arrive, so that you're pulling it out around that mark where most people have come. But most of that stuff, like the mess of it, is taking a care ahead of time. So nibbles are my favorite and Also, on the on the note of nibbles, chips, candies, like sweets, chocolates, things like that I do think are very important and I think it's important to.

Speaker 1: 22:13

I personally don't do a dessert After dinner, like I don't put out a dessert spread after dinner. I mix in the sweets with the Savories. I just like to put it all out at the start, or like Timed at the start. It doesn't. You might not want to put it all out right away If you know people are coming later, like I probably usually start with just some bowls of chips and like peanut M&M's around In different areas of the house where people would probably be sitting or mixing or mingling, and then usually around that half hour mark or 20 minutes and I'll start putting out like the the actual big nibbles, and then that will include some dessert things. I'm just gonna grab my water. That will include some dessert things, and then I always save for the end of the night, after, like when it's starting to wind down or we're chilling or people might be having coffee or espresso, martinis or whatever. I always like to save a few things in the fridge for that moment or in the cupboard. But like I'll always have a few things for after, after dinner nipples, okay, so you have your first nibbles out.

Speaker 1: 23:22

Another good rule of thumb is don't over buy chips. I feel like everyone over buys chips. You really don't need one bag of chips per person, like one giant bag of chips. You only need a few. I feel like for my life I always went to Costco and you don't need to go to Costco, maybe if you're hosting for like a hundred thousand million people, for sure, like if you're having a huge blowout but like I'm talking about like 20 people are under, like you don't need Costco sized everything because that's too much, like that's for lots and lots of people. I know there's Costco lovers out there, but this is something I've learned for my years of hosting is I always end up with so much leftover, especially party food, where it's like I'm really not gonna eat it or it's gonna go bad. It's gonna go bad before I get to even eat it, so or I don't have room to store it Like yeah anyways. So I just get like maybe two different types of chips, like maybe a popcorn I have a friend who's allergic to potatoes, which has opened my eyes to not buying just potato chips, so maybe a popcorn or a Dorito and then like a plain classic chip with a dip. Like I keep it pretty simple and if someone wants to bring chips, they bring chips, whatever.

Speaker 1: 24:30

Okay, now drinks. I did this for new years and it kind of like changed the game for me in the sense that I didn't feel overwhelmed when I went to the LCBO, which is our liquor store, to like buy things is. I did a drink, a drink at the night. So I had our drink like what do you call it? Like you know what Weddings, when they have, like a drink, what is that called A signature drink? That's it A signature cocktail. So I did a signature cocktail and we did whiskey, cranberry, whiskey sours they were so fricking good and so that was something easy that I had all the ingredients for and could make if someone wanted a mixed drink. And of course we have lots of stuff, like we have our alcohol cabinet which has like bits and bobs or whatever, but I didn't feel like I had to be fully stocked up on a full bottle of this. Full bottle without a full bottle of this, it was like that is gonna be our cocktail. And then we have wine and some beers and then, if anybody wants anything else, oh, and I always have stuff for espresso martinis, okay, that's just like I always do, because you never know when you want an energy pickup, right, it's just something I do, okay, but like that was our signature cocktail.

Speaker 1: 25:39

And then I felt way less stressed out and I made a fun shot. I did Jell-O shots, which I thought was so fun, and I think fun shots are fun. Like, personally, for myself, I do not take hard alcohol shots anymore, like hard liquor shots. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. I actually did recently If you've been listening to the podcast and are not new, on the 12 days of Christmas.

Speaker 1: 25:57

You heard back in November when I went to my besties 30th birthday and it was the last of our friends of the 38 year, like we're born in 93. And he's like my bestie, like I, and he is a tequila man, like, loves tequila, and I used to love tequila, like too. And then I had really bad tequila one time at my other friend's 30th birthday years ago he's older than us and it was so horrible it actually like scarred me. I have not had. Like I can have a mixed drink with tequila I love margaritas, I love it like that but like I cannot just have a shot of tequila no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. And I haven't successfully for years, like years six, seven, lots of years, okay. And so I went to his birthday, being like I'm not going to drink shots, tequila. I even went to his fiance's birthday, naveena, my dad see, you know, naveena, there's an episode of us called multicultural couples. But anyways, I went to her birthday and I went, which was like the same place with the same people, and him, which he's always like everyone tequila and I successfully said no, because you know what, that's not Naveena's thing.

Speaker 1: 27:04

But then this one I don't know what came into me, probably the bottle of Prosecco I had as a pre. We had just come back from Italy and in Italy, me and Trevor, any night that we were going to go out for like our pretty much like our last night at each city we would like have I don't know why we did this as our last night of each city, because then we'd have to wake up the next day and, like, trek to a new place hungover but we would have a share, a bottle of Prosecco, while getting ready for dinner and having a slow afternoon or whatever. Yeah, and so I brought that for us to do that. But Trevor was so exhausted because he had come home from a business trip and so he just wanted to sleep until we had to leave. He was like I can't drink, like I'm so tired. I was like that's fair, whatever, and then we can drive, we don't have to Uber, save money, woohoo.

Speaker 1: 27:51

But I was like I only brought a Prosecco and so I was at, we were at Trevor's parents, for we were going to stay there for the night because it was closer to where they were and we weren't sure if we were Ubering or not or whatever. And also I had to pick up Trevor from the airport, like he literally just got home and they live closer to the airport, anyway. So I was like well, I'm still going to have my Prosecco because it's good vibes, and I'm like totally in a sparkling wine mood, like I love Prosecco, like I literally think that's going to be like my 30s drink Maybe not, but like I do truly feel that within me, like Prosecco is my vibe right now. And so I popped the bottle, thinking like I'd have a couple of glasses and like Trevor's dad did come home from work and start helping me out, but I probably had a lot of it. Anyways, I was feeling good, I was feeling fine.

Speaker 1: 28:36

But I walked into the party and I think right away it was like okay, shots of tequila, and like they were tiny shots, you're like little itty bitty glasses, but still I would not do that, like I would even just mix it with juice. Like I'm lame, I will do that. Like if I'm at a party and they're giving out shooters, like I will grab a chase and like properly mix it and like not take it because it was just a ruin it for me, but for some reason this one did not ruin it until the next day, of course, but anyways, I took it. I was like okay, fine. First I was like no, no, no. And they were like come on, I was like okay, fine, for Akbar's birthday. And I took it, and I took the lime and I was like I can't believe I just did that. And then like literally I don't even want to tell you how many times I did that after that slash, I don't remember but I was like, wow, only for you, akbar. The next morning, that's literally when I messaged in the group chat, everyone's like how's everyone feeling? I'm like, literally only for you. I would do that and only for your 30th they are getting married later this year but not for their wedding, only for specifically for him, for his 30th. Anyways, it was a good time.

Speaker 1: 29:42

But back to the story, or back to the drinks. So, yes, I would choose a signature drink. I think that is so good and it just like makes it really easy for you. You don't even have to do that if you don't want to. That's more catering. If you know that the people you're inviting are going to want a cocktail instead of beer or wine, and if you know that they're not going to drink wine or beer, don't get any of those things either. Mostly, like most of the time, we barely buy beer because most of our friends are cocktail people or wine, and people will always bring wine, like, always bring wine. So like don't even go that hard on the wine, but anyways, so that was a big thing. For me is just like be the one cocktail is such a good thing, like a signature drink. I think that's a pro move. And then obviously you don't have to be drinking alcohol. You can also.

Speaker 1: 30:32

We did. We did our Jell-O shots, which were so fun. I thought that was such a fun and simple shot to make and you can prep it at a time and, like you would literally just pass them out, so that is the best thing ever. Another fun shot that I'll make is a sour no, what is it called? A Swedish berry which is sour, puss and crumb to banana. I think everyone loves it. It's delicious. You can also make a cocktail using Sprite with it If someone really just loves. Like a fruity, fun drink. But we also made because we knew that there are people. We have friends who don't drink and we also have friends who are going to be DDs or whatever. So we also did just like Jell-O shots. Like just Jell-O but in a shot glass with nothing else in it, and then it's like they still get to partake and have fun.

Speaker 1: 31:17

We also always have some sober beers, depending on what the brand's called. Like I have one called sober carpenter that I like, and Farm Boys actually such a great place. They have a whole sober bottle shop like area where you can get all the different non-alcoholic stuff. So, yeah, we always get some fun things like that and you can actually make such fun If you if you're, it's a total not drinking party you can make such fun non-alcoholic drinks down like mocktails that actually taste good. Like you can make like a whiskey sour that doesn't have a whiskey sour, like whatever. Like they sell so many fun bitters and stuff and find a sober bottle shop near you. Like we have a really good specialty, one that's included in Bushel Impact, which is now run out of Delatère, if you're local to me, and they sell so many different bitters and also just like Jins and like that are non-alcoholic and Prosecots and stuff like that, like there's really good stuff now. So yeah, just have fun with it, make fun different things. And obviously if you just like drinking pop, then just buy pop. Or if you like drinking just water, then just drink water. But like, yeah.

Speaker 1: 32:21

So nibbles, easy, make them ahead and have two rounds of nibbles. You have your starter nibbles and then you have your end of the night nibbles. Okay, so end of the night nibbles are more like cheese and I always like to do a cheese plate and I like to do a. Our friends actually do this. They bring it everywhere. A spinach dip, they buy the spinach dip and the big round pumpernickel and then you just like cut it up and you dip it, like that is what they always bring, and so I always put it out as an end of the night nibble. I think it's a great end of the night nibble, it's a great beginning of the night nibble too. But it's also easy to throw together if you're inebriated at the end of the night and so, yeah, so I like to do like a dip and a bread vegetable situation and then a cheesy one and then some sort of sweet as well, which is great.

Speaker 1: 33:09

You could do the Hello Dolly's that's a great one to put out, or even a sweets tray with, like all the different sweets that we're going to do for recipe of the day for our 12 days of Podmas, and then order in, literally, do this, it's the best thing you could possibly do. Like, don't stress yourself with cooking if you're hosting, especially if it's. If it's not, if it's six people or less, like that's easy enough. You can make a simple meal, or any meal will be a simple-ish meal to cook for six people, because that's just like a family meal, right. So, like more than that, like, unless you're having like a proper literal, no, even I would not. Just don't do it, I would not do it. Order in Last year for New Year's, we did Greek food.

Speaker 1: 33:49

It was amazing. Everyone loved it, especially in the wintertime. Like if you live in a place where you have a climate where you can do barbecues or for your holidays, sure, barbecues are easy, throw on the hot dogs, throw on the burgers, whatever, like that's easy. And food you can prep ahead of time. The mess stays outside of the house, sure, but I'm talking cold winter climate here, like where I'm from. And so, yeah, we did Greek food.

Speaker 1: 34:12

I feel like Greek food is great. Most people love it. There's options Like if you don't eat gluten, then you can just stick to the meat and sauce and veg. If you don't eat dairy like, I feel like there's options for other people who don't eat things, and then if you don't like pickle or pickles not pickles olives you can pick the olives out. Like, I think Greek food's great. I think there's something for everyone. I personally love it.

Speaker 1: 34:35

Another great one is Chinese takeout. Like, literally, chinese takeout is so classic, it's so delicious. People love it for a reason you can always order everything. You can choose your menu ahead of time. Like for the Greek food, we ordered it ahead of time. I think if you're doing New Year's specifically, you probably have to order it ahead of time, but if it's like on a random weekend or weeknight, like, I think you have more flexibility. In that Chinese food you can even ask ahead of time if people have any requests or just make sure you order, like you know, turbo shrimp come on, that's the best part. But like a noodle, a rice dish, two proteins, like whatever, a vegetable like, and also Indian food, like, I feel like Indian food is so good. There's something for everyone, as long as you get something that's not spicy. But maybe I don't know, you know you're a crowd better than I do, but yeah, and I just think that that's a great one, an easy one for like a mass quantity, but there's so much.

Speaker 1: 35:28

Oh, one Christmas I think it was the Christmas after my dad passed away someone had pressed, someone from my mom's work, I think, had sent us Christmas dinner which was so sweet, but it was so memorable because we had the most delicious Jamaican food which we literally wouldn't have never had for Christmas, ever, because that's just not how I was raised. I love Jamaican food, fyi, and it was so fun and it's like one of those things that I will forever remember and it's like that's also a great one to get in and I feel like Jamaican food is a good one for everyone because everyone, at least, even if they're sensitive to spice, you could just get chill. The big thing of festival like who doesn't love festival? And I mean personally I love the oxtail, delicious, but like you can just get fried chicken too, like delicious. So oh, and jerk pork. I personally love jerk pork because it doesn't have bones, but one time in Jamaica, we had the most amazing jerk chicken at this random side stand on the side of the road and I still dream about it like literally, and I have no, someone took us there so I don't even know what it's called or where exactly it was, but I want it. So bad, so good.

Speaker 1: 36:29

Anyways, delicious, delicious, delicious. So many delicious options. So order it Honestly. Just save yourself the stress and order it. Promise you it's worth it. So yeah, for food, nibbles, drinks. Order in more nibbles at the end. Sandwich it all together Food to make people happy. Okay, let me grab a drink.

Speaker 1: 36:47

I feel like I've been talking forever. I'm very passionate about hosting Delicious. I've actually got into this. I realize this really is about holiday hosting. I feel like I do have notes on, like, summer hosting, because we did talk about barbecuing and being outside. It's different for me for holiday hosting. I don't live in a warm climate. Okay, atmosphere, this is an easy one. You start by what time of day are you hosting your event. That really starts off what the atmosphere is going to be. But usually holiday hosting, I feel like, is like you want it to be cozy, vibes, right, like I feel like most of the time that's what it is for me personally. So even if it's going to be like a brunch, I still want cozy brunch vibes, cozy Christmas brunch vibes, and if it's going to be an evening thing, definitely cozy vibes.

Speaker 1: 37:37

For sure, do not put your overhead lights on. Dim the lights. Lamps, lamps are a BFS. I feel like we know this already. I live in an old house. We don't have overhead lighting. The only places we have, like pot lights, the only places we have pot lights, is our kitchen, because it's like newer added onto the house or newer renovated. We didn't renovate it, but whoever lived here did. But like literally our living room. We had two lamps in there and I finally put in two more lamps on the other side of the room and now it feels very, very cozy and less like dim and dark, but like turn off the overhead lights, turn off the pot lights, put on the lamps. If you have a dimmer switch, dim it up. You really want to set the mood. Okay. So that's the mood.

Speaker 1: 38:25

I'm always very hesitant to light candles, especially for parties. Sorry, I'm always very hesitant to light candles for parties because I will forget to blow them out if it's a party situation most of the time, especially if people are like sleeping over, like. So that's for you. And also I'm nervous like what if someone puts their bag down somewhere? Or what if someone like doesn't know what's there and they knock into it? Like I'm always just like a little hesitant about candles, so it's up to you. But definitely dim the lights If you got the Christmas tree up. Christmas tree brings in the light like there's so much good stuff about that. But yeah, just lower, lower, lower. And then when people get there, if they need a little louder, you can turn it up a bit. But like low mood music, not necessarily mood music, but set the mood with some music.

Speaker 1: 39:13

I love Spotify, like I'm a Spotify Convert. I love Spotify so much and so like Spotify will give you now they have so many amazing things. Like I love DJ X oh my gosh, so much so that row will get in the car and be like ma, put on X. I Love when X chooses this music. I'm like, yes, queen, okay, as long as I don't have to listen to Kids music. I don't mind kids music sometime, but sometimes I just want to be in this car and vibe out. You know what I mean. And row just wants To listen. Actually, right now she's very much into veggie tales, knows every word of silly songs with Larry's like loves it. Sorry, I have everything stuck on my head from that, but anyways, set the mood.

Speaker 1: 39:56

So you can either curate your own playlist or you can start off if you use Spotify. I love to start off with a couple songs that are like kind of the vibe and then put it on like Shuffle, ai or whatever it is. It's not called shuffle, I, maybe it's recommend it and it'll just like Go from. It'll take those songs that you chose and it'll like go from there and create things. Also, I just realized Spotify.

Speaker 1: 40:17

Within the past like month or so, I personally realized this. I don't know when they started doing it is they have like a made for you, and I know they always do like your discover weekly and whatever but now they have playlists that are specifically curate it for you like that are like called I Don't even know happy playlist or energy or Indie, like. They have things that I would have thought are like general, but it's made specifically, specifically for you and literally everything is always a banger. I'm like, oh my gosh, I love this song. I love this song. I love this song. I love this song. Like they get it pretty much most of the time for me, so that's a really great thing to do. And then you don't have to stress like it shovels through. If all of a sudden you hear Something weird, you just go when you like, change it.

Speaker 1: 40:58

The funniest story I totally don't think I told you guys this, oh my gosh it. So last year for our New Year's party I keep using our New Year's party because that's the last holiday thing I host it um, last year I had my Spotify on and then also, if other people have Spotify, they can add, they can somehow link up together. I'm not sure how it works, but you can. They can somehow link in and like send. So we use Google and our housing, we have Google homes on our main floor and so you can cast your music to the main floor. And then, um, people were able to add to the queue somehow through Spotify. I don't know Trevor did it, but like, I'm pretty sure it's not that hard to figure it out. But people could like go on their phone and be like, oh, add this to queue. And so there were all these things queued up like all night long. So everyone was able to add their own music in. Everyone was getting their own vibe. It was so fun.

Speaker 1: 41:49

So then the next day, um of New Year's Day, I was taking a bath and I was like, oh, I just really need like a restorative bath right now. And so my favorite way to take a winter's bath is crack the window a Bit, make a really really hot bubbly bath with salts in it. I like I've had the speaker already. I was gonna play like this really calming, like restorative music, and so I like put on my playlist, but I think it was like a Spotify generated playlist, so I didn't know what to expect again. Like I didn't know what specific songs were going to be on it. But like I looked over it quickly and I was like, yeah, I think this is the vibe, so I play it.

Speaker 1: 42:23

The first song comes on. It's like all zen, super restorative. I'm taking this lovely bath, it's so nice. And then all of a sudden, it's like kind of a Kind of a more upbeat song and I'm like, okay, whatever. And I'm like going through and I'm like, okay, maybe this isn't the playlist I want. Like I'm probably sitting in this bath for at least 10 minutes being like I feel like this isn't the playlist that I want. But I'm already in the bath and I have to get out. Whatever, like it'll eventually turn into something lovely.

Speaker 1: 42:50

And Trevor comes in. He's like why are you literally listening to like literal bangers dubstep in the bath, like taking a restorative bath right now, and I was like I honestly don't know, like this isn't the place. I thought could you change it. And he picks it up and he's like grace, it's all the queued up music from last night. So, like, because I had clicked play this playlist, it played the first song but then it started going in order of the queue. Oh my gosh, I probably spent 15 minutes in this bat listening to like all of the party music queued up from the night before. Like, oh my golly. Just thinking like okay, it's gonna, it's gonna catch the vibe soon, but anyways.

Speaker 1: 43:27

So you've got to set the atmosphere so low light, fun music or whatever your vibe is. So jazz music, what at Christmas? Music, whatever to whatever your vibe is, set it with the music and don't make the music too too loud, like I always start with the music like a little too quiet and then, as I Hear the people, as the rooms fill and the people continue to file in, then I will like adjust the music accordingly and then off. Sometimes it ends up in a dance party, right, like I feel like all good parties have a dance element at some point, and sometimes that even means just going, like Downstairs or to wherever another space in the house that isn't part of the party necessarily. Like You'll end up in the basement and everyone will just be, like those are where the dancing people are and it's fun, it's a good time, so, anyways.

Speaker 1: 44:12

And then also just like making sure that for me personally, I open a window like I'll open a few windows. It always gets hotter than possible. Like we have a wood burning fireplace, which I love, but it's really not practical for Using when you are hosting a party, because it gets really hot unless you're prepared to open a window, which for me sometimes it's worth it. Like it is so cozy, especially At the beginning and when you're winding down at the end to have the fire going. But it is way too hot if you have people there. So we'll like crack windows, be prepared, be on standby, feel the temperature at all times, yeah, and also people can go outside if they want to want to catch a break too. But like be aware of the the, the warmth or the coolness of the space. Honestly, I feel like you can't ever have it too cold unless you're outside in the elements.

Speaker 1: 45:04

But yeah, I'm trying to think of other things. Like, honestly, I don't ever spend time or energy really on decor. Like I'm not that cutie. I think there's a time and place for that, but personally, like it's not part of the stress. Like I rather spend my money on getting order taken food than Buying decorations, and I also feel so wasteful when I buy decorations that are like one time or will I really ever use them.

Speaker 1: 45:28

Like we do have a few things. We have like a birthday sign we put up every year for Trevor's birthday and we have a birthday sign we put up every year for any birthday we host. And I think we do have a new year's sign and we do have some blowers that, like our leftover, we always get a few. Like I do buy a few. If it's a new year's party, I will buy a few like beads or hats, like the little headbands or blowers, just because it's fun and interactive and like part of the ringing in the new year. But like I really don't buy anything else than that, like I won't buy specific napkins or plates or any decorations. Um, it's just not my vibe and it can totally be your vibe, but it's not mine. That's one thing I like. Check off my list like no stress.

Speaker 1: 46:08

I rather set the table cute, with like my standard cuteness and just like you know, just be like chill. That's how I am, that's how I am personally. That makes me less stressed. Um, oh, sorry, I forgot that. I opened this tag up, okay, and I'm trying to think of other ways that I set the atmosphere. But really I just like to keep it easy and clean like I just clean the. Usually I'll clean.

Speaker 1: 46:33

Okay, I used to always clean like rush clean the day of, and that was so stressful because it was like I felt like, oh, if I clean before, it's just gonna get dirty Might as well. Just do it the day of. I don't do that anymore. I clean a little bit every day and it's so much easier. And then the day of, you're really just picking up and like wiping it off, it's much easier. And then the day of, you're really just picking up and like wiping down the counters and like doing a quick vacuum, like it's no stress, like not a full on, like Uh, actual clean where I'm putting everything away.

Speaker 1: 47:02

So I kind of do a little bit every day Leading up to the event, like for maybe a few days, and then the actual day of it's like not stressful and if I'm having people stay over, then I just change the sheets and I already have them washed and everything like. Then I can spend more time on like getting ready, if that's what I want to spend time on, and then it's like not worried if people show up early, because every so often one person will show up early. So I always like to be prepared, like I like to be ready A half an hour before the event is gonna start, like me, fully dressed ready, because there's nothing worse than coming in and you're still getting dressed, um, okay, so I think that's it. We hit up food, we hit up atmosphere, we hit up activity oh, activity is the best part and food and atmosphere and also just like bringing people together. I love it. I love bringing people together. It's one of my greatest joys like being with the people you love the most and bringing them together with other people. I think it's so fun. So let's get into our recipe of the day. Okay, I need to take a sip. Um Drum roll, please. I'm drum rolling with my hands.

Speaker 1: 48:14

Recipe of the day this is, uh, classic for my mother-in-law. I never had it until I started dating trevor and I think it was one of the first things I had um at one of his holiday things Is artichoke dip. Like I had had artichoke dip before. Like that you get at the store and you dip your crackers in and whatever that's cold. Like I had had that before and I love it. But oh my gosh, this is 10,000 times better and it's a hot artichoke dip and it's so good and it's so easy to make and it's so good. Okay, cuties, it's so, so good it is.

Speaker 1: 48:46

If you are going to host something or go to somebody's house, bring the artichoke dick or dick the artichoke dip, bring it. Or, honestly, just make it for you and yourself to watch a movie one night. It's so good and I love to have it with the. She always serves it with triskets, but my favorite, like triskets are such a tough cracker. Right, like they. But something about them. Like they last. They're good, we like them. They come around again, but A thin triskit, the triangle ones. The thin ones Perfection, love them. Like. If I'm gonna have a plain triskit like a traditional Thickness of triskit, it's got to be one of the flavored ones. Like I can't go back to the, go back to the, the regular, just like sea salt ones, unless it's a thin one. They're so freaking good and it's my favorite. So go check out Instagram. Tick tock at five years time podcast.

Speaker 1: 49:36

I'm going to share the restaurant restaurant recipe for this artichoke dip. It's a warm artichoke. It it's a warm artichoke dip. It is Unbelievably delicious. I feel like it's a crowd pleaser. Everyone will love it. It is so easy to make and then you can definitely pull it together, um, super quickly. So that is a holiday favorite. Thank you so much for coming back for day three of pod miss. Talking all about holiday hosting 101, I hope you've learned something, um, and maybe a little bit too much about me and tequila, but I love you all so much. You mean the world to me and I can't wait to come back tomorrow for day four. How fun is this uploading on a friday? How strange. Love, love, love you. Wishing you all a beautiful rest of your day and see you back saturday morning. Mwah, mwah, mwah, love you, cute.