Hosting shortcuts for the holiday season from the Fashion Journal team
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHARLIE HAWKS
WORDS BY CAIT EMMA BURKE
Handy hacks for lazy girls.
At Fashion Journal, for better or worse, we’re lazy girls. Unfortunately for us, we’re lazy girls who love to host. The silver lining of this is that we’ve found many hosting shortcuts/hacks/tricks that make the often stressful experience of playing host a lot more relaxing.
Interested to hear how others navigate the world? Head to our Life section.
I can attest to the fact that these hacks have saved me and my time-poor housemates on multiple occasions (readymade cocktails, emptying the dishwasher prior to guests arriving and a collaborative playlist your guests can add to are a must, IMO). Whether it’s an intimate dinner, a casual long lunch or a boozy brunch, read on for our best suggestions.
Try premade cocktails
Recommended by: Giulia, Fashion Journal’s Managing Editor
Bottled cocktails might be my greatest hosting hack. I know pre-mixed drinks don’t always have the best reputation, but there are some really quality alternatives on the market these days. Melbourne Martini offers a genuinely bitey margarita or tart amaretto sour, or for dessert, an espresso martini made with locally brewed cold drip coffee. You can buy a 700ml bottle for easy pouring, which has saved me both brain space and dishes in the past.
Curate a seating plan
Recommended by: Enya, Fashion Journal intern
Curating a seating plan is probably your best bet to avoid the initial awkward silence of people getting to know each other. Putting people near those they know and others they’re not so familiar with is the best approach to take. Consider what these people might have in common and whether they’ll get along – you want to create that instant ease that encourages people to mingle later on. It also just means that everyone feels welcomed and taken care of as soon as they enter the door.
Give conversation cards a crack
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Recommended by: Ella, Fashion Journal’s Partnerships and Campaign Manager
Whenever hosting a bunch of friends for a get-together, I love scattering conversation cards across the table as a means to create genuine relationships and spark conversation. Living in a share house, we often have dinners with an eclectic mix of people, so it’s always nice to have a playful ice-breaker on hand to encourage connection. If you’re not one to shy away from existentialism, then I highly recommend Self Care’s Big Talk Card Game which centres on vulnerability, validation and identity. If you’re after something a little more light-hearted, you can’t go wrong with a deck from Flex Mami.
Set up an ice bucket
Recommended by: Giulia, Fashion Journal’s Managing Editor
If I’ve learnt anything from hosting friends and family over the years, it’s that people are always happy to wait for food if their hand is wrapped around a full glass of something yummy. A good host will never let a guest’s cup run dry. That said, it can be stressful offering top-ups when you’re also trying to juggle food prep and keep people out of your tiny kitchen. A great hack I learnt from my in-laws is to set up a drinks station. Having an ice bucket full of drinks next to a table of clean glasses encourages people to help themselves, without them feeling awkward about asking for a refill. It also forces you to grab ice from the servo before your guests arrive, which avoids the awkward scenario of pouring cocktails without having ice on hand.
Make a collaborative playlist
Recommended by: Cait, Fashion Journal’s Digital Editor
The right playlist can massively enhance the atmosphere when hosting (and in the same vein, the wrong playlist can make everything feel off-kilter). But why not include your guests in the playlist creation by making a collaborative one they can all add to? I find these work best when you give them a bit of a brief (e.g. Italian dinner party or ’70s ski resort) and ask them to curate their choices with this in mind.
Opt for drinks in cans
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Recommended by: Georgi, Fashion Journal’s Partnerships and Campaign Coordinator
While I enjoy sharing my space with my loved ones, there are two fundamental tasks when hosting that make me want to avoid ever having people in my home altogether; the post-host cleanup, and the replacement of any broken wine glasses (which, unfortunately, has been my fault on more occasions than I would like to admit). My biggest hack has been offering canned drinks to my guests, my recent favourite being Somme’s lightly sparkling rosé, which is perfect for summer events. There’s something so satisfying about seeing the cans pile up to throw in the recycling after, and the peace of mind that comes with knowing no one, including me, will break my favourite wine glasses.
Start with an empty dishwasher
Recommended by: Cait, Fashion Journal’s Digital Editor
This one’s pretty self-explanatory, but it really makes a difference. The last thing I want to do when four pet nats deep and contending with a mountain of dirty dishes is to unpack a whole dishwasher full of clean ones.
Use machine-washable tablecloths and place settings
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Recommended by: Enya, Fashion Journal intern
Nobody wants to be worried about stains and spills while hosting. Machine-washable tablecloths and place settings just make it so much easier to relax with the knowledge that you can throw them in the wash later. As an added bonus, they’re reusable (so better for the environment) and you can buy styles that work well with your glassware and table settings for a thoughtful touch. We love these options from Suku Home.
For more hosting tips, head here.
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