Holiday Hosting Guide + Recipes by Amanda Cordony
The sounds of a successful holiday party? Clinking glasses and low laughter drifting through the home. An intimate dinner stretches into late-night chats, or a lively gathering spills from the sofa onto the balcony. The host is relaxed, unbothered, and surrounded by good food. Their secret? A little planning.
Holiday hosting feels easier with a plan. We’ve put together a step-by-step guide to help you get started, along with easy recipes to impress your guests. Here are our tips for hosting over the holidays.
Know your guest list
A good host sends out invitations ahead of time. A well-prepared host knows who’s coming, what they can eat, and where everyone will sit. Get these details sorted about a week before the party, giving you ample time to accommodate requests:
How many people are coming, and whether they’re bringing children or pets.
Your guests’ dietary requirements.
Whether you’re hosting a sit-down dinner, with everyone eating at once, or setting up different spaces where guests can mingle.
Plan the menu ahead
The secret to a relaxed host? Choose dishes you can prepare in advance. Marinate meat ahead of time so it’s ready to slow-cook on the day, and balance the meal with simple sides or store-bought additions, like sauces or pre-cut fruit.
For Alina Peerzada (@dressyourdecor), hosting is about balance between beauty and function, effort and ease. “For smaller gatherings, I love serving plated dinners that feel personal. But when my guest list grows beyond seven, I switch to a buffet-style setup that keeps things relaxed.”
Pro tip: Don’t leave all the cooking at the last minute. Amanda Cordony, owner of The Cordony Kitchen and the Food Editor at Australian House & Garden, shares easy recipes that look right at home on the dinner table and take less than 30 minutes to prepare. Here’s how she gets her oven to do the heavy lifting at parties:
Set the table for good food and conversation
Leave room for the food
Make your dining table a conversation piece, but leave enough room for plates, glassware, and serving dishes. Add a personal touch with a table runner, a bud vase, or decorative bowls. A few botanical details can bring a little holiday spirit to the table. Just don’t go overboard; you’ll want guests to be able to interact with each other from across the table.
A well-prepared host knows an extra guest or two might show up. An extendable dining table can make room when plans change. Set the table and put out serving dishes ahead of time, so everything is within reach when dinner is ready.
Give everyone a comfortable seat
You’ve made room at the table. Now, check the seats. Dining chairs matter when guests are settling in for a long meal. Comfortable seats can turn dinner into one more drink and another good conversation around the table. Here are a few things to consider:
Whether the seat cushions feel comfortable for a long meal.
Whether there’s enough room for everyone to sit comfortably.
Whether it’s easy to get in and out of the chairs.
If you're expecting a larger group, consider additional seating around the home, or choosing dining benches and banquettes.
“I like to think of my home in zones,” explains Katie Staple (@halfway_wholeistic). “The dining area for sharing meals, the living space for cosy conversation, and the kitchen for grazing and cocktails.”
This flexible approach keeps the energy flowing. Guests can move naturally between spaces, making entertaining feel seamless and a little less like work.
Make room for the essentials
Your dining table may not have room for everything, from drinks and condiment bowls to extra plates and cutlery. Keep the extras close by with a sideboard, console, or small side table. It’s a handy spot for napkins and extra sides, so guests can help themselves to seconds without crowding the table.
A little planning also makes it easier for everyone to move around:
Create a relaxed atmosphere
Make it easy for guests to help themselves, whether they need a drink or an extra napkin after a spill. When the essentials are easy to find, you can spend less time fetching things and more time enjoying the party. A few simple setups can help:
Set up a self-serve drinks station
Give guests a spot to pour a glass of water or to fix themselves an easy cocktail. A bar cart is a handy option: keep glasses, drinks, and garnishes together so everything’s within reach. You can also set up a wine station on a sideboard or a tray on the coffee table, with a clear spot for guests to return bottles. Place the drinks station away from the kitchen and serving area to keep the busiest pathways clear.
Don't forget the little comforts
Create a few corners where guests can settle in for a quieter conversation. Put extra napkins on a side table, keep water within easy reach, and add comfortable seating. A nesting coffee table with tucked-away stools can offer extra seats when you need them.
A few more thoughtful touches help everyone feel at home:
Extra napkins
Water within easy reach
Comfortable seating
A designated spot for bags, so they’re not underfoot
Layered lighting as the evening goes on
A soft playlist that sets the mood without making guests compete to be heard
For Ella Victoria (@ella_victoriaa), her hosting tip keeps the party flowing in different parts of her home. “I love setting the tone with a great playlist, making sure there’s plenty of food both inside and outside, and having games on hand so guests can relax and have fun,” she says. “For an evening gathering, I light candles and turn on lamps to create a warm, inviting atmosphere.” Ella shares that spreading food and drinks across both areas is a good move to give people reason to wander. “Comfortable seating and good lighting do the rest,” she adds.
Amanda Cordony’s Recipes for holiday hosting
Amanda’s tip for making holiday hosting fun and relaxed, is to get ahead by keeping the food simple, and making the most of what is in season. “I love generous platters, recipes that come together easily and the little hosting details that make guests feel special. That’s how I like to welcome people into my home.”
Apart from her must-have recipe, the Spiced Cranberry & Date-Glazed Christmas Ham, she shares accompanying sides and dessert recipes that are easy to make ahead of time.
Recipe 1: Red Oakleaf Salad with Raspberry Dressing
Among all the Christmas favourites, Amanda always makes room for a simple leafy salad, with shaved fennel and a sharp raspberry dressing to freshen the plate.
Recipe 2: Roasted Maple Pumpkin with Labneh, Cherries & Walnut-Pistachio Praline
What you’ll love about this dish is the balance between the golden pumpkin, cool labneh, fresh cherries and a nutty praline that gives every mouthful a little crunch.
Recipe 3: Charred Radicchio with Pecorino, Walnuts & Currant Dressing
A little char, salty pecorino and sweet currants bring out the best in radicchio, making this a beautiful side to Amanda’s Christmas ham.
Recipe 4: Pavlova Wreath with Figs, Chocolate & Cherry Cream
Christmas at the Cordonys always calls for pavlova, it brings together crisp meringue, ripples of cherry cream, ripe figs and dark chocolate for everyone to help themselves.
The best holiday hosting tip? Enjoy it, too
A plan is a great start, but you don’t have to get every detail exactly right. It’s a holiday party; you should enjoy it, too. After all, a good gathering is about people, not perfection.
“Whenever I host, I do my best to keep it as casual and relaxed as possible,” says Daren (@thepantryboy). “Just good vibes and simple, delicious food.”
Frequently asked questions about holiday hosting
What are some simple holiday hosting tips?
Start with your guest count and the kind of meal you’re planning. Then set up clear spaces for eating, chatting, and setting down a drink. Prepare the table and serving area ahead of time, so you can spend less of the gathering looking for plates.
How do you prepare for hosting the holidays in a small home?
Keep the main walkways clear and choose flexible furniture, like movable side tables or seating that can shift between dining and conversation. If you have an extendable table, plan the expanded layout ahead of time so there’s still room for chairs and serving dishes.
How do you make holiday hosting less stressful?
Choose recipes you can prepare ahead, make food and drinks easy for guests to find, and don't try to make everything perfect. Your guests are there to enjoy time together, not inspect every detail.
How can I make indoor and outdoor hosting flow better?
Keep the route between the dining area and outdoor space clear, and put frequently used items where guests can find them without crossing the busiest area. For an Australian summer gathering, plan for shade and have an indoor option ready in case the weather changes.