Will the celebration be at your house this year? We've put together some tips to help you organize dinner. Check out!
Decoration: The traditional habit of decorating the house for Christmas extends to the table on supper night. A well-decorated table becomes even more inviting. One tip is to put a lot of effort into the centerpiece, with plants, seasonal fruits, pine cones, candles and other elements related to Christmas. The crockery and cutlery are also worth highlighting, as are the napkins. It is important to ensure that table decorations do not interfere with conversation and interaction between guests, so avoid very tall arrangements.
Menu: Dinner is one of the most anticipated moments of Christmas Eve, you need to pay attention to the menu. Think appetizers, starters, main courses and desserts. Among the dishes chosen, the most traditional cannot be missed, such as turkey, cod, roast suckling pig, salpicão, Christmas rice, panettone. It's worth thinking about guests who may not like some of the typical Christmas combinations, such as raisins in rice and apple in mayonnaise, and offering more basic options too.
Entertainment: Supper goes well beyond dinner and the host needs to ensure guests have fun. In addition to the good old conversation between those present, you can bet on a playlist of songs that will please the guests, including Christmas songs. Remember to keep the volume lower so as not to disturb conversations. Extra tip: don't insist on Secret Santa if the family isn't in the mood for the game.
Children: If your guest list includes children, you need to think about them too. Set aside a space in the house for children to play during Christmas Eve, leave Christmas-themed films playing on television... Also, don't forget that children's taste buds are not the same as adults' and some dishes need to be designed exclusively for them. One tip that will entertain them is decorating Christmas cookies.
Gifts: Think about souvenirs for guests to take home when they leave. It could be something related to Christmas, like Christmas cookies, chocolates and gourmet panettone, or more general, like succulents, scented candles, handmade soaps...
