How to Host a Holiday Party Pot Luck

Edited for 2020: please make sure you follow your state or provincial protocols for sizes of gatherings during this Covid-19 pandemic. Let’s all be safe this holiday season.

So, you get to do the holiday party this year and you’ve decided to go with a pot luck. But how do you make sure there are enough main dishes and sides and desserts? You don’t want everyone bringing dessert and then not having an actual dinner, or maybe that would be kind of fun. But whatever your preference – while you’re not cooking the whole meal you still need to maintain control over it. So here are some tips for how to host a holiday pot luck.

* Know your guests and work to their strengths. If your mom makes the best green bean casserole ever, then ask her to make that. For the take-out kings of your group, don’t put them on the spot and expect them to cook; ask them to bring the napkins or some dinner rolls.

Here are some ideas for Christmas Party Appetizers and Take-alongs   From How To by This and That.

* Know what your guests food will require. Find out if you need to have room in the refrigerator or if the oven is needed for reheating purposes or final cooking. You want to make sure you have the room and can time it correctly. Check on your serving utensils as well and ask your guests to remember that too so you can be sure there are enough utensils to serve.

* Ask your guests to mark their containers and utensils or just use disposable. This way you know whose is whose and you can make sure everyone leaves with their container and utensil.

Related: The Best Ways to Transport Food to Reunions, Pot Lucks and Social Gatherings

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* Let guests know about the seating situation. If you don’t have a lot of seating then you’ll want your guests to bring foods that are easily eaten while standing. You also want to make sure they don’t provide meals that require a lot of cooking time there. You don’t want your guests occupying your kitchen. They should bring something that can be prepared ahead of time at home.

* Don’t forget about the drinks. You don’t need to provide a full bar. Go with a nice seasonal eggnog or just have some beer and wine on hand. A few choices of soft drinks are always good too for the non-drinkers in the bunch. And don’t forget about the children. Juice boxes are a simple solution and you don’t have to worry about pouring cups of juice for the kids every two seconds.

* You don’t need to have a large table to set up your buffet. Use your counter top or a bar top if you have it to set up your buffet. Just as long as it can be approached from all sides.

* Set up your buffet in a logical order with plates at the start and napkin bundles with utensils at the end of the table.

* Decorating festively for the holiday is a must. Nothing big, but having greens around the house and candles and some holiday lights will really help people get into the festivities.

* Don’t forget about the music. Keep it low but festive. This way people still feel they can communicate, but there’s something to fill the dead spots in conversation.

Paying attention to little details and being organized will make for a great holiday party pot luck. Enjoy all of those different foods that other people bring. This will be one party for the memory books if you follow these simple steps for your holiday party pot luck.