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At Home: Tips for hosting a stress-free party

Planning ahead and delegating tasks help make hosting a breeze

Gatherings with friends and family are a big part of the holiday season. Many people travel during the holidays to spend time with distant relatives, but those same people often want to gather with those loved ones who live nearby as well.

There are an abundance of gatherings in December, when office parties, dinners with family and festivities with friends have a way of dominating the last five weeks of the year.

All of those gatherings translate to a lot of holiday hosting, and hosts can easily feel overwhelmed as they try to juggle hosting duties with everything else that comes along during this time of year. The following are a few steps holiday hosts can take to make hosting a lot less hectic and a lot more fun: Enlist help Just because a holiday party is at your home does not mean others can't pitch in or will be unwilling to help. If you plan to decorate for the party, invite a friend over to assist. When hosting a holiday dinner party, ask guests to bring certain items to save you some work. Ask one guest to bring some dessert, saving you the time it takes to visit the local bakery or bake your own desserts, and ask others to provide side dishes.

Plan well in advance The earlier you begin planning the party, the less stress you're likely to feel as a host. Certain items for the party, like decorations, snacks and beverages, have no expiration dates, so buy such items well in advance. This leads to one less task to tackle in the days leading up to the party. Planning early also affords you ample time coordinate with guests and decide who will be responsible for certain party tasks.

Hire a cleaning service One of the more difficult parts of holiday hosting is cleaning the house before guests arrive. A thorough house cleaning can take up a substantial amount of time, which tends to be hard to come by during the holiday season. To avoid a late night cleaning session or the need to spend a valuable weekend afternoon hard at work around the house, hire a cleaning service.

Have a theme for the party Holiday hosts may worry about how to entertain their guests throughout the party. A theme party makes it easier to entertain guests, who can show up decked out in holiday pajamas or sweaters or bring along a favourite unique compilation of holiday songs for a sing-along.

Pass the buck Consider passing the hosting duties on to a local restaurant, especially if your friends and family members are on board with the idea. If your schedule is especially hectic this holiday season, then move the party from your home to a local restaurant, where the staff can worry about accommodating your guests and you can simply relax and have a good time with your loved ones.

Holiday hosting is meant to be fun, but hosts often find themselves scrambling to prepare for the party as it draws closer.

Planning early, seeking help and input from your guests, and delegating certain tasks can help ensure hosts have as festive a time as their friends and family members.