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December always means holiday parties, events, and just getting together with family and friends! Even though CA and I haven’t found a home, yet I usually help my mom prepare the meals on Christmas Day. We don’t generally go crazy, there are only 7 people that are at the dinner table so we don’t cook too much. Christmas is CA’s favorite holiday and it’s easy to get into the holiday spirit being married to him, luckily, he helps decorate and put up lights! Since we went on a cruise the decorating is a little delayed, the only thing we have up are the stockings as well as any decorations and plates we have in our basement… aka easy access. So whether you are having family, friends or throwing a party hopefully these tips can help you keep as stress-free as possible!
*This is what everything came in! It was 2-day shipping and it truly couldn’t have been more convenient if it tried, love Walmart!
1.Decor
I love decorating… as long as it’s the inside of the house because ya know it’s December and it’s COLD out! We try decorating the outside of the home on the weekend because decorating during the daytime it’s generally warmer out. Since the house we live in is a Cape we don’t over decorate because of space, we have lights around the windows, stockings on the staircase (hung with care), door decorations, and obviously the tree!
2.The Menu
The number of people attending will play a huge part in this part. You don’t need the same amount of food for 7 guests that you would for 20. Usually, for our typical Christmas Deal meal, we have one or two entrees, Baked Ziti or Lasagna, and maybe even Ham! Sides include the usual, potatoes, corn, peas, stuffing (cause it’s delicious), green beans, Italian bread (if we have Italian food), and sometimes new dishes that I find and want to make. One year each dish I made was 100% new, I never made before and it was all delicious. It’s truly whatever works for you, your home, guests, and your kitchen set up. My main tip, pick entrees and sides that work for most of your guests! Make sure no food allergies would be a danger to any guest(s), and you can build your menu from there.
3.Tablescape & Centerpiece
Usually, for our table, we have a beautiful Ivory Silk tablecloth, it’s around 20 years old and covers the table with the leaf in. We also have placemats, napkin rings (that were hand painted by my grandmother), China plates & (the good) silverware, and a few others. Candlesticks, wooden trees and maybe a wooden Santa usually make up our centerpiece. The table is on the skinnier side so our centerpiece needs to be long & skinny, the candles always make for a nice touch. What do you usually do?
4.Clean the House
This is most likely a no-brainer but needs to be on the list just because it can be overlooked easily! We always do a deep clean of the house once a month, ya know pull furniture away from the walls, throw out things we don’t use, etc. And each room gets clean each week, so cleaning for the holidays isn’t too hard but we always make sure to clean only a day or two before people come over. This also ties into number five!
5.Buying the necessities- paper towels, toilet paper, tissues, hand towels and more! Raise your hand if you dislike going to the store during the holiday season…. *raises hand* Well with Walmart, you can do your one-stop shopping. Whether you want to buy in-store, buy online and pick up in store, or do what I did, buy online and let the 2-day shipping do all of the work! I was able to grab Scott toilet paper, Scott Paper towels, Perfect Fit Kleenex & Oval Holiday Kleenex tissues. They have the same deals online and in store, so buying online you get the same deals! Perfect right? I grabbed a few paper goods that we use for the holiday’s and loved the ease of ordering online and having them delivered to my house within 2 days! I’m a habitual online shopper, I love the ease of being able to get everything I need without going into the very busy stores. Plus with Walmart, the deals are the same as instore and online, such a win-win, and no having to deal with the crowds. And, you can get everything you need from Walmart, paper goods, decorations, grocery shopping and even cross some gift shopping off your list!
*I’ll just make a note…. my dining room table is usually a mess up until we have guests over because it’s the only spot that can hold all of the baking and things we need for decor wise!… can’t be the only one right?!*
Don’t forget to use Ibotta! You can grab Viva paper towels, kleenex tissues (oval or perfect fit), Cottonelle toilet paper (here or here), or Scott paper towels or toilet paper. With Walmart you can either shop in-store, buy online or pick up in-store, or buy online and have it shipped in 2 days!
