How to host a dinner party!

We’ve all been there. You made plans on a day you were feeling social. Now the day is approaching and you want to cancel. Who thought it was a good idea to let me host Christmas dinner? I don’t know how to host a party. I don’t even know how to cook! Lucky for you, you’ve got TADAAM. And with the help of the Internet and a few great apps, even you can become the host(ess) you’ve always dreamed of being.

Christmas cooking with food blog

Step 1: Food prep

First things first: let’s put together a menu! Pinterest is your best friend to find fun, step-by-step recipes. It’s a hub for food bloggers, amateurs, and everything in between to share their creations. Our favorite food bloggers are Halfbaked Harvest for some of the coziest comfort foods and Love and Lemons for all things veggie and delicious.

If you don’t want to read through a food blogger’s entire life story before getting to the recipe, there are tons of instructional videos on YouTube as well. You Suck At Cooking is a good place to start if you truly do suck at cooking. Don’t know how to cut an onion without ending up in the emergency room? Then this YouTube channel might just help you out. These days, even star chefs like Gordon Ramsey have found their way to YouTube. If you like it a bit more casual, we suggest Binging with Babish for some mouth-watering recipes.

 

Once you’ve narrowed down a few recipes and have put together a grocery list, you can head to the store. If grocery shopping overwhelms you, you might want to check out Crisp. It’s an app that allows you to order groceries and have them delivered to your doorstep the next day. The app also has a handy recipe tab that lets you add all the ingredients to your cart with one click. Grocery shopping from the comfort of your couch and with the help of your TADAAM. Huge time saver! If you are a worse chef than a Sim with cooking skill zero, Crisp also has a bunch of ready meals that you just need to heat up. None of your guests will know that you, in fact, did not make that delicious chicken parm fusilli from scratch.

Christmas decoration table

Step 2: Setting the scene

Now that we’ve got the menu down, it’s time to decorate. Since you’re already familiar with Pinterest now, don’t hesitate to look for some table decor inspo here.

If you really want to make an impression, some homemade cocktails (maybe named after your guests for a fun personal touch?) are always a good idea. The Drink Blog has some great no-nonsense cocktail recipes.

Spotify christmaslist on TV

Nothing screams cozy quite like a fireplace. Unless you have an actual fireplace at home (we get it,you’re fancy), a fun hack is to simply play a yule log video via the YouTube app on your TV Box. Our favorite one for Christmas parties is this one. There truly is nothing better than one hour of Michael Bublé Christmas songs accompanied by the crackling of firewood. If your dinner party is not Christma sthemed, there are also plenty of videos without music like this one (which is no less than 10 hours –let’s hope your guests don’t stay this long).

Did you know that you can also install Spotify on your TV Box? Spotify has plenty of pre-curated playlists to fit every mood. Our personal favorites are Dinner with Friends for a more laid back vibe or Jazz in the Background if you want something more elegant. Of course, it’s also fun to just create your own playlist. Maybe you can even let your dinner guests contribute by making a shared playlist in advance. That way, you can ensure that the music will be to everyone’s liking.

Christmas dinner with family

Step 3: Party time

You did it! Everything is now ready for your guests to arrive. You have put together a delicious menu that fits your cooking level (ready meal or 5-course menu, we don’t judge), copied a Pinterest photo of table decor, have some delicious cocktails at the ready and the vibes are just right with your fireplace and Spotify playlist. Now all that’s left to do is survive the awkward small talk and hope you didn’t forget about anyone’s food allergies.