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Food & Family

Tips for crafting a holiday meal for a crowd

November 2025

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for crafting a holiday meal for a crowd Tips

Holiday meals typically involve a large number of people sitting around the table enjoying one another’s company. AllRecipes estimates the average gathering size for a Thanksgiving dinner is eight people, while Pew Research Center data indicates a little more than a quarter of Americans invite six to 10 people for holiday feasts.

Holiday hosts typically prepare food for larger than normal crowds, and that requires a few tweaks to typical cooking routines. The following tips can ensure that anyone can host a crowd and send them home happy and well fed.

• Plan ahead. It is important to give thought to what you will be cooking several weeks in advance of the holiday meal. This enables you to decide on a menu, shop for ingredients at the best prices and accommodate any food intolerances or allergies.

• Consider versatile dishes. Choose foods that can be made in large quantities and easily adapted to different dietary needs. For example, offering a tray of roasted chicken enables guests to add sauces, cheese, vegetables, or enjoy it plain, depending on their preferences.

• Utilize bulk cooking. Certain meals lend themselves to larger batches. Casseroles, baked pasta dishes, stews, and stir fry all can be increased in volume

depending on how many guests will be attending. Purchase items in “family size” packages to save money and time.

• Keep it simple. Stick to dishes that you’ve previously cooked, and utilize slow cookers, air fryers or other tools to make things easier. Limit your meal to one main course and three sides. Think about making appetizers and dessert pot luck, so that guests can contribute to reduce the amount of work you will need to do.

• Be mindful of others. Don’t make food allergies or health needs a second thought. Try to have a separate main course that guests who adhere to vegetarian or gluten-free diets can eat safely.

• Try to limit waste: Even with careful calculations of guest-tofood ratios, there are bound to be leftovers. Plan ways to utilize leftovers if you choose specific types of food. For example, roasted chicken can be made into sandwiches or salads. Another idea is to have take-home containers at the ready so guests can bring some leftovers home with them.

Feeding a crowd takes some advanced planning and preparation. Bulk-friendly meals that can be made ahead or in a timesaving kitchen appliance means that holiday hosts can enjoy the festivities with guests.

Entertaining is par for the course from November through the end of December. The holiday season is an especially festive time of year, and there’s no shortage of opportunities to celebrate. Holiday hosts may wonder where to get started in regard to planning their events. It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the process, but with some pointers just about anyone can have a holiday gathering worth remembering.

• Don’t be scared off by social media. When Rebecca Jennings, Vox senior correspondent covering social platforms, was hosting Thanksgiving for the first time last year, she remarked that her social media feed was filled with tutorials that made her feel like everyone was doing it better than she. Although social media can be great for generating ideas, it also might put undue pressure

PartyPointers for holiday hosts

on hosts who feel they need to measure up to the events being executed by professionals, or people with a lot more time on their hands. It’s fine if a host can’t make everything from scratch or doesn’t have a home that looks like something out of a Hallmark Christmas movie. Guests won’t be expecting perfection; they just want to have fun and spend time socializing.

• Plan around the guest experience. Instead of getting bogged down on details related to decor, holiday hosts should direct most of their attention to the guest experience. They can ask themselves if a guest will even care about something they are considering having at the event. This can certainly save time and stress.

• Keep everyone full. Great food often is at the center of a holiday event, and the menu should be designed to be a crowd pleaser. Work with familiar ingredients that may be presented in unique ways. For example, a traditional

caprese salad can be transformed into finger foods by alternating cherry tomatoes, chunks of mozzarella and leaves of basil on skewers. Don’t forget classics like roasted meats, mashed potatoes, stuffing, rolls and butter, and other hearty items. They will fill guests up and keep them happy.

• Lighten the hosting load. Hosts can identify ways to alleviate stress and free up time to engage with guests. This may involve making the event a potluck where everyone is tasked with bringing a dish. Or, if budget allows, hire bartenders, caterers or a cleaning

service to handle some jobs and free up time for hosts to mingle.

• Plan for some entertainment. Music and entertainment can set the tone of the party. Create a playlist that includes a mix of holiday favorites and other tunes. Hosts who want to go above and beyond may want to hire a DJ or live musicians, or enlist a karaoke company to get guests involved. Entertaining during the holidays, whether it’s a festive party or a formal dinner party, can go more smoothly with some simple planning.

to keep holiday guests entertained Tips

Gone are the days when extended families live in close proximity to one another. Ours is now a global society, and it is not unheard of for people to live on the opposite side of the country or even the globe from their parents and siblings. But come the holiday season, families often congregate at one place so they can spend time together. That means that out-of-town guests may be spending a few days with holiday hosts to maximize their visits.

According to Diane Gottsman, a national etiquette expert and owner of The Protocol School

of Texas, a weekend is typically sufficient for a nice visit, while anything more than three days can be challenging for hosts, particularly if guests are not being helpful.

Hosting houseguests for a few days requires hosts to keep guests engaged. Although the actual holiday itself provides ample opportunity for entertainment, hosts may need additional ideas to quell boredom if visits stretch for more than one day. Here are some ideas for making spirits bright without having to stress too much.

Create a guest basket

Offer some in-house entertainment for guests. This can include best-selling novels, a book of word games, an adult coloring book, or some small craft kits picked up at the store. This option enables guests to self-soothe if boredom strikes.

Host a movie marathon

When guests visit, hosts can whip up some microwave popcorn and additional snacks and cue up a few different films. They can be holiday classics or movies that will bring back fond memories.

Take a trip

This time of year there are plenty of activities going on. Plan a drive over to a Christmas tree farm that may be offering rides through the fields or has a hot cocoa station. Walk down the main street of a quaint local town and savor all of that cozy flavor. Time a trip to a tree lighting or another holiday-related special event, or drive around at night and look at neighborhood lighting displays.

Make an edible craft

Spend some time in the kitchen making gingerbread cookies or another relatively easy holiday treat. Guests can customize their desserts with colored sprinkles or other embellishments.

Set up Christmas karaoke

Get everyone in the holiday spirit by streaming instrumental tracks of favorite holiday carols and songs. Everyone takes turns singing a tune, whether they’re great singers or not. The fun is in giving it a shot and laughing along the way.

Go on a crawl

Whether it’s to visit area pubs, diners, dessert shops, or coffee spots, pick a few different places to stop in so everyone can get some fresh air and have a little fun.

Entertaining guests for the holidays requires some creative thinking and a willingness to have a little fun.

Kitchen and dining tools

no holiday host should be without

Holiday hosting is a significant undertaking. The holiday season is a beloved time of year filled with merriment and anticipation. When accepting the responsibility of hosting, hosts are taking on the challenge to keep the festive vibes going, and that often involves meeting guests’ expectations for a special time of year.

There’s no shortage of holiday traditions, but family meals are a notable and cherished custom in many households. Hosts planning family meals this holiday season can look to some particularly useful kitchen tools to make preparing and serving go smoothly.

Carving set

Carving sets may not get too much daily use, but they’re a must-have come the holiday entertaining season. Whether hosts are serving a Thanksgiving turkey, a Christmas goose or a holiday ham, a carving set can help make quick work of the main course when it comes time to serve the meal. A carving knife and fork can ensure slices of turkey, goose or ham are as beautiful to see as they are delicious to eat.

Steak knives

Despite their name, steak knives are not reserved for steak. A set of quality steak knives can make it easy to cut through any type of meat. That’s particularly important during a time of year like the holiday season when family

meals tend to be formal sit-down dinners featuring entrées like holiday roasts or turkey.

Meat thermometer

Ensuring foods are cooked to the correct temperature is necessary for safety and serves to ensure guests will be impressed by the finished product. Meat thermometers let cooks know when meat, including beef and poultry, is cooked, saving them the hassle of cutting into the meat to determine doneness. Cutting into meat like steak can affect its flavor profile, as juices can pour out before they have a chance to be redistributed when the food is removed from the oven.

Prep bowls

Certain must-have holiday hosting tools are easily overlooked, and prep bowls likely fall into that category. Family meals during the holiday season tend to focus as much on side dishes as the main course, so hosts will need some good prep bowls to prepare the potatoes, stuffing, vegetables, and other sides. Collapsible prep bowls can be ideal for hosts with limited cabinet space.

Wine decanter

A wine decanter adds an elegant touch to a holiday dinner table, but this useful dining tool offers more than aesthetic appeal. Red wine may contain some sediment and even small bits of cork, and a decanter can filter and remove such residue. A decanter also can improve the flavor profile of some older wines, which some guests may find bitter. But the primary function of a wine decanter is to aerate the wine and allow it to absorb oxygen, which improves the flavor.

Hosting a family meal during the holiday season is an honor, and it’s a responsibility that can be made easier with some essential kitchen and dining tools.

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Christmas Eve fun for families

The day and evening before Christmas is a time of much anticipation for young children, particularly those awaiting the arrival of Santa Claus. What children do not realize is their parents have been working hard behind the scenes for many weeks to help maximize the holiday magic, and Christmas Eve often is the final push to get everything done before the big day (and man in red) arrives. Keeping children happy and entertained on Christmas Eve can free up time for adults to check off their to-do lists and savor some of the holiday spirit themselves. Here are some traditions to explore on Christmas Eve that are entertaining for kids and adults.

• Bake some cookies. Santa is going to want a fresh batch of cookies to refuel for a long night of delivering presents. Therefore, having children prepare and bake some cookies can be a Christmas Eve tradition that keeps little ones occupied. When cooled, and after sampling one or two themselves, kids can feel pride placing a dish of cookies out for the jolly old elf.

• Decorate gingerbread houses. Christmas Eve is a great night to decorate gingerbread houses. Families who do not freshly bake the panels for the gingerbread houses can rely on pre-made kits available at various stores. It’s a smart idea to have some extra icing available, especially if kids

are anxious to “glue” on extra candy embellishments.

• Attend evening services. Most churches hold Christmas Eve services, with some offering a Midnight Mass for parishioners. Spending time at these services enables families to slow down and celebrate their faith.

• Do a Christmas pajama reveal. It’s traditional in some families to buy matching PJs to wear to bed on Christmas Eve and then lounge around in them on Christmas morning. Whoever is in charge of wrapping gifts can set apart the Christmas PJs by wrapping them in a different patterned paper. Then everyone opens the pajamas at the same time for the big reveal.

• Leave out reindeer food. Kids can have a fun time putting together a batch of special reindeer food. After all, Santa isn’t the only one doing the heavy lifting delivering gifts; his reindeer probably get hungry, too. Reindeer food can be made using a few different ingredients, namely oatmeal, shredded carrots and glitter. Children can decide where to toss this reindeer food, with some opting to make a path along the front lawn leading toward the house.

• Watch a holiday classic. Choose a Christmas movie and gather the family around to watch it. Some options include “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” “Miracle on 34th Street,” “Elf,” or “A Christmas Story.” Set up a popcorn bar nearby where everyone can customize their popcorn with different add-ins, like chocolate candies, cheese or seasonings.

Christmas Eve traditions can be fun for kids and families as they anticipate all the festivities to come on Christmas morning.

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Great Christmas stories for children

December is filled with opportunities to make magical memories, particularly for families with young children. Christmas commands a lot of thought and attention, and parents know such efforts are worth it to see smiles on children’s faces. Stories help set the holiday scene and enable children to hold tight to all of the magic. Whether they are read together as a family or children read them on their own, these literary works can enhance special holiday moments.

• “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry: This story tells the tale of a young married couple who have to sacrifice in order to buy Christmas presents for one another.

• “Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree” by Robert Barry: When Mr. Willowby’s tree arrives for Christmas, it is too tall for his parlor. He must cut off the top so it will fit, and that top is passed along again and again to spread holiday cheer.

• “The Greatest Gift” by Philip Van Doren Stern: Written in 1943, this story is about a man named George who is contemplating his life while standing on a bridge on Christmas Eve. This tale became the basis or the classic film, “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

• “A Christmas Carol,” by Charles Dickens: No Christmas season would be complete without reading (or watching) “A Christmas Carol.” When three ghosts visit Ebenezer Scrooge, he learns an important lesson about charity, friends and family.

• “The Berenstain Bears Meet Santa Bear: A Christmas Book for Kids” by Stan and Jan Berenstain: Kids of all generations have grown up reading Berenstain Bears books. This volume has Mama and Papa showing Sister and Brother that the true meaning of the holiday is about giving.

• “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” by Dr. Seuss: Famed children’s writer Dr. Seuss was a master of imbuing life lessons in his stories and this book is no different. Isolated and angry, the Grinch learns to appreciate his neighbors in Whoville and comes to realize that Christmas is about being with loved ones and not material gifts.

• Gospels of Matthew (1 and 2) and Luke (1 and 2): Families can read about the birth of Jesus Christ, whose birth is primarily narrated in these passages. Matthew focuses on the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, while Luke speaks to the angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary, Christ’s birth and visits from shepherds.

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Santa Claus is Coming To Town

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Sugar cookies Vanilla Bean Sugar

for your holiday baking session

Baking cookies is a holiday tradition. Although there are many different cookie recipes out there, no cookie-baking session is complete without traditional sugar cookies.

Sugar cookies are ideal for cutting and decorating, which makes them great selections for holiday baking sessions. This recipe for “Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies” from “Butter, Flour, Sugar, Joy” (Sourcebooks) by Danielle Kartes is perfect for family baking sessions this holiday season.

Cookies

Yields two dozen cookies

Cookies

1½ cups confectioners’ sugar

1 cup butter, softened

2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened

1 egg

Seeds scraped from one vanilla bean

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon salt

2½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 cup butter, softened

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 pinch salt

4 to 6 cups confectioners’ sugar

In a stand mixer, with a hand mixer, or by hand, cream the sugar, butter, and cream cheese together in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes; add the egg, vanilla, almond extract, and salt; mix well.

Add the flour and cream of tartar and mix by hand until it just comes together. Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes, but overnight is best.

When you are ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll the dough on a floured surface into a 1⁄4-inch thick rough circle and use your favorite cookie cutter to cut out shapes.

Place them on the prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake 12 to 14 minutes, until set.

Continue this process until you’ve used up all the dough. Cool cookies on sheets of foil and frost once completely cool. These cookies are fine to eat right away, but Kartes feels they get their signature touch when frosted and left out overnight. The author does not put them away until the next morning.

For the frosting, cream the butter, cream cheese, almond extract, and salt until light and fluffy; slowly add the confectioners’ sugar. Kartes likes hers less sweet, so she uses 4 cups of confectioners’ sugar, but you may use up to 6 cups. Feel free to color small bowls of the frosting and decorate the cookies with sprinkles or tiny candies.

Learn to decorate like a holiday pro

The sights and sounds of the holiday season help to make this a special time of year that people look forward to. With its magical moments and opportunities to gather with family and friends, the holiday season is a period to celebrate and, of course, decorate. According to an informal poll from the decorating, culture and travel experts at Veranda, 65 percent of respondents said that the time to decorate for Christmas is right after Thanksgiving or the first week of December. Many stores now display holiday decorations and other wares concurrently with Halloween and fall items, so people can plan their decorating early if they expect to be adding to their holiday collections. These tips can help with decorating and make anyone deck the halls like a professional.

• Choose your theme and color palette. Consider a specific style of decorating, whether it’s traditional, minimalist, country, or even winter wonderland. Then select a few coordinating colors to complement the theme and existing items in your home. Pick up these items as they become available in stores, as holiday merchandise often goes quickly.

According to an informal poll from the decorating, culture and travel experts at Veranda, 65% of respondents said that the time to decorate for Christmas is right after Thanksgiving or the first week of December.

• Focus on a few key areas. While it’s tempting to decorate an entire home, pros know to focus on key areas like tables, doorways and mantles to create the most visual interest. This also makes decorating more manageable.

• Rely on the rule of thirds. Create balanced and visually pleasing arrangements by dividing the space visually into nine equal parts, symbolically drawing two equally spaced horizontal and two equally spaced vertical lines. Designers often place important elements along these lines or at their intersections to create a more visually balanced and appealing composition. When grouping decorative items together on shelves and tables, threes often look best.

• Remove clutter. It’s important to declutter a space prior to introducing holiday elements in order to create a clean and organized look. Store additional decorations and knickknacks until after the holiday season.

• Start with lights. It’s often easier to decorate by beginning with lights first, and then weaving additional decorations into the mix. Build on lights with garlands and accent items.

• Less is often more. Keep the decorating simple.

A few elements here and there can have a much more effective impact than several things that draw attention away from one another. When taking out holiday decorations this year, use it as an opportunity to assess and cull the collection, which will make things easier next year.

Homeowners can decorate their spaces for the holidays effectively with some guidelines professional designers often use.