Comfort Zones

I never put stress into holiday entertaining in the first place. Holidays are for close friends and family who don’t care if the pie looks perfect or if everything is made from scratch. We concentrate on relaxing together, playing games, cooking and eating good food together, and giggling as much as possible.
Jodi Blum
Salt Lake City, Utah

I stick to tried-and-true recipes. They not only reduce the fear factor but also evoke a pleasant sense of nostalgia, as we recall Aunt Martha’s caramels and Aunt Ginger’s fruit salad from holidays past.
Elizabeth A. Keville
Proctorville, Ohio

I realize that perfection is an impossibility, so I buy as much of the necessary food as I can already prepared. I used to have a 1950s mind-set with a modern-day lifestyle, and it only made me miserable. I learned that people would rather have a calm hostess and prepared food than time-intensive dishes and a stressful holiday meal.
Joyce Zurel
Clarkston, Michigan

Well Prepared

I always make Thanksgiving dinner for my family, with about 17 to 20 people. I break the week down into daily chores so I can get everything done before the big day. On Monday I grocery shop; on Tuesday I bake; on Wednesday I make stuffing and prepare the potatoes. The evening before, I set the table and decorate it with leaves, candles, and pumpkins. On Thanksgiving morning, I cook the turkey, and I still have time to relax and watch a little bit of the parade on TV before company comes. Just before dinner, I heat up some vegetables and anything else guests have brought. I don’t end up overwhelmed by the number of things that need to be done, and I actually get to enjoy my company.
Denise Wheatley
Tarrytown, New York

Movable Feasts

Instead of the usual preholiday parties when everybody is so busy, I throw a Twelfth Night of Christmas party on January 6, usually incorporating traditions from the countries where it is routinely celebrated, from Ireland to Greece. Planning is so much easier and less expensive (all the holiday decorations are on sale), and I have more free time to attend to details. Most important, all my friends and family are around, with no multiple invitations and holiday-travel obligations. They tell me they look forward every year to extending the festive season for a few more days.
Sarah Lang
Los Angeles, California

It had become too difficult to find a day that would fit everyone’s schedule during the holidays, so five years ago I decided to have a post-holiday party. I always plan it for the week after New Year’s. I add in a game called the Regift Grab Bag, which is a great icebreaker: Each guest brings a gift she received that doesn’t suit her, and we pool them. Then everyone picks a number from a hat. Whoever picks number 1 is first to choose from the pooled gifts, and so on — and there are always some hysterical offerings. The post-holiday period can be depressing, and this party keeps our spirits up.
Amy Kubovcik
Wharton, New Jersey