Holiday Entertaining & Giving Back

I love the holidays… You’ve probably noticed. And I love entertaining! So – I throw a lot of holiday parties. A party can be a ton of work, but you don’t want to allow your holiday parties to become too stressful. The whole point of holiday entertaining is to have fun and enjoy the season with your favorite faces! So, read on for a few tips and tricks, and learn how Hickory Farms {ohmyheck, my favorite!!} can help you save a little time and money – and gives you an easy peasy way to support a great cause.

“Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.” – Hamilton Wright Mabie

Ok – so you’ve got a party to prepare for. You’ve picked the date. You’ve invited friends, family, and maybe a crazy neighbor or two. First thing – do a quick clean up of the house. When I’m entertaining last minute, this is what I do to speed clean: Grab a laundry basket, and go through the house picking up things that are out of place, then stick the basket in a closet. {Speaking of closets, make sure your coat closet has enough room for guest’s jackets!} Now, no need to clean everything, stick to the stuff that makes a difference:

-Grab a canister of glass-cleaning wipes to make all of your mirrors and surfaces shine!
– Do a quick vacuum of all areas people will see.
-Fluff up throw pillows, and add a pretty blanket to the couch.
– Dim the lights a bit, and set out bunches of candles. This makes any space more festive.
– Remember, it’s the little details that people remember. The picture above is from HGTV.com – you can find more simple ideas like this there too. No one will remember your semi-clean bathroom tile, but they WILL remember special little things like this!

“Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.” –Calvin Coolidge

Now on to the most important part of any party – the food! Busy Mom Solution: Let Hickory Farm do some of the party prep for you this year! We all know that they have the best meats and cheeses, right? But they also have super yummy desserts, fruits and nuts, and more. Here are a few ideas on how Hickory Farm can come to your rescue for last minute parties –

Start with a great gift box like the Deluxe Smokehouse Collection. Now you’ve got 5 delicious meats, 5 cheese choices, and a couple of fun mustard jars for dipping! Start by using 2 of each, slice them, and arrange on a big holiday tray. Add some fruits like grapes or strawberries, and a few types of crackers. You’ve got a totally yummy appetizer tray!
Next, use your other 3 meats and 3 cheeses to make kabobs! These are super fun for kids, and easy for adults to eat while holding a drink and mingling. Just cut up your goodies into chunks, then thread them onto skewers – add cherry tomatoes for a pop of festive color if desired. Now spritz ’em with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with fresh herbs. Amazing, right?
Hickory Farms can even take care of your main dish! Have you ever tasted their Spiral Sliced Honeygold Ham? Mmmmm….. Now you’re ready to whip up a few desserts and side dishes of your own – or check out the Fruits & Sweets category on their site.

Now that was easy, right? For the selection, quality, and huge assortment of goodies that come in a Hickory Farms gift basket – they are so worth it! These also make the perfect hostess gifts, and they even ship to soldiers overseas. And I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love Hickory Farms!

“Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.” – Calvin Coolidge

Hickory Farms has partnered with NoKidHungry.org to make it incredibly easy for you to give back this season. No Kid Hungry is working to ensure that no kids in American have to miss meals, and it’s so easy to contribute – When you purchase the Signature Party Planner {shown in the pic}, Hickory Farms will donate $5 to the No Kid Hungry Campaign. You can also sign the No Kid Hungry pledge of support on Hickory Farms Facebook page. And make sure to tell your friends about Hickory Farms – they’re donating .10 cents for every new Facebook fan they get, until December 25th! Super easy way for you to help raise money for an important cause.

Learn more:

Use the store locator to find a Hickory Farms near you.

You can also shop online – they have an amazing $3 for 3-Day Shipping offer!

And don’t forget to visit them on Facebook to sign the pledge, and encourage your friends to “Like” their page to raise more donations!

{Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Hickory Farms and received a product sample to facilitate my review.}