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Bienvenidos a - Holiday
Decorating and
Entertaining Tips
Home is the center of
where the Latina woman’s
heart is and a place for
celebrations with family
and friends. With the
holiday entertaining
season upon us, now is
the perfect time to
begin planning for those
festive fiestas.
The secret to
stress-free holiday
entertaining is about
setting a lovely table
and creating the festive
ambiance for family and
friends to gather around.
No matter what your
heritage is, use your
vibrant culture to
decorate your table and
home the way you want
it. |
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Let the Party Begin
The Table
Use holiday decorating
as a means for
expressing your
creativity, and layering
those things you love
that create sensory
delight. Begin with an
elegant tablecloth in
creamy ivory or holiday
jewel-tones to begin
this tabletop layering.
You can also spray paint
natural items like
leaves and branches
bright gold and place it
on the center of the
table against colorful
linens. Next, create a
centerpiece that will
become the focal point
of your table. Use
fragrant flowers or
various-sized candles on
a tray to create a
dramatic effect. Next,
add your favorite mix of
dinnerware, stemware,
linens and flatware that
reflects you are setting
the table for a special
occasion.
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Turn on the
Lights with
Latina
Sensibility
Fill your
rooms with
festive
scents and
sounds,
serve your
family’s
favorite
holiday
recipes and
create
comfortable
and visually
pleasing
places to
spend the
time with
family and
friends.
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Take the
Pressure Off
Here are a
few
suggestions
to take the
pressure off
your
entertaining
and focus on
the fun.
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Plan in advance
Your event, your food, your entertainment, your outfit. Try to eliminate the need for making last minute decisions.
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Help yourself!
Say “yes” when guests offer their help. Not only will it take the pressure off the host to coordinate everything, it will make preparation part of the party. The trick is to keep necessary items close at hand and easy to find.
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Pamper yourself
The secret to entertaining is putting everyone at ease, which translates to feeling at ease with you. Spend the last half hour before guests arrive to prepare YOU. Make sure party clothes make you look and feel great. A pre-party glass of wine wouldn’t hurt either.
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Keep it simple
Stick to recipes with a proven track record. This is not the time to experiment! Food items that guests can have fun assembling themselves, like taco or chili bars, are a good choice. Try to minimize the number of dishes that have to be kept hot or cold. Consider selections like white wine and clear cocktails that don’t lend themselves to staining disasters.
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Don’t plan every minute
If guests are staying with you for a few days, give them a little breathing space! Offer suggestions for local sites and attractions provide maps and discount coupons. Keep easy to organize breakfast items at hand, and then meet them for lunch somewhere fun!
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Consider the kids
Adult parties are a bore for children, making them much more likely to act up. Either clearly designate “Adults only” for those elegant evening affairs, or hire a baby sitter. Then set up a separate area for children with their own food and activities so parents can relax and enjoy the event.
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We would love to hear any of your home décor questions. For more information on home design, visit www.latinastyle.com. To all our readers, we’d love to see before and after pictures of your decorating efforts. Send jpeg photos with your contact information to editor@latinastyle.com.
Source: IKEA |
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By
Janice Simonsen |
