8 Steps to Hosting the Perfect Open House This Festive Season

Noone knows open houses like a Malaysian. But whilst we’re seasoned experts at attending them, playing host can seem a little scary.

Well, it doesn’t need to be! In the spirit of holiday cheer, here are 8 simple tips to give extra oomph and ease to your open house.

Catering for larger numbers doesn’t need to be a headache. Stick to the golden rule: the earlier you get the food planned and prepped, the less you’ll stress. If you’re keen to upscale your famous chicken wings for mass consumption, use an online recipe calculator like Double my Recipe to do the math on your ingredients.

Alternatively, visit your favourite deli or even pasar malam to pick up some delicious crowd-pleasers that will save you from turning your kitchen upside down.

SOURCE: hype.my

Open houses are all about people coming together for a good time. Your seating arrangements can play a big part in setting the social tone. Buffet-style food layouts encourage guests to mingle, whilst dinner sit-downs can feel more intimate. Plan accordingly.

Don’t let a small dining area limit you from inviting a bigger group – use different areas in the house for eating.

Decoration is half the fun at dinner parties, so go wild with holiday knick knacks!

You might even want to create a ‘photobooth’ spot in holiday colours where loved ones can get goofy (and subtly show the world what a great host you are). All you’d need are some streamers or ribbons for the backdrop, and satay sticks and printouts for the props.

SOURCE: Clockwise: Brit.co, DIYcandy.com, and Brit.co

Table decoration can add a great touch without needing to be complicated. Just ensure that any decorations on the table aren’t too tall that they block anyone’s pretty face.

Place-settings are great for making dinner guests feel extra welcome, especially the ones with name cards. They don’t have to be over the top or expensive, just use simple and festive elements like leaves or baubles.

SOURCE: L: coolmompicks.com; R: inspiredbycharm.com

Since your guests will be chowing down communal style, it’s doubly important that every paw is pristine for meal time. Fill some pretty glass bowls of water, add a few lemon slices and place them on the table on some cloth napkins for guests to dry hands on.

Match them to the colour scheme and they are basically extra decorations, with a practical twist.

Few things are as distracting to good conversation as stubborn flies. Keep bugs away by poking cloves into lemon halves – simple, natural and effective!

SOURCE: storyvilag.com

One area often overlooked in the art-of-house-party is the bathroom. Some fresh sprigs of herbs in a small vase or a plug-in air freshener can go a long way in making your guests feel completely comfy.

Bored kids = distracted parents. It’s a good idea to prep some activities to keep the little ones from climbing the walls. It can be as simple as colouring exercises – lay out some crayons with some huge pieces of brown paper. Optional for grown-ups.

Good tunes work magic on setting a mood and can also help drown out the clatter of cooking. A Bluetooth speaker is perfect for letting your guests play DJ. Alternatively, find or compile a playlist ahead of time.