5 Staples for Easy Entertaining

While spur-of-the-moment visits from family, friends, or neighbors can be fun and exciting, they can also be equally as stressful when you're suddenly left scrambling, trying your best to play double duty as joyful attendee and hostess extraordinaire. Here are 5 simple staples to keep on hand to assist you when any spontaneous visits come about.





A simple appetizer: assorted nuts. Keep a bag or two of assorted nuts in the back of your pantry. Place them in a festive bowl, add a few shakes of sea salt, and voila. Simple, pretty, and your guests will enjoy them just as much as any fancy tray of appetizers.



A bit of bubbly: sparkling water. Depending on who your visitors are and what time of day it is, a glass of wine or a cocktail might not be appropriate. While your guests will be just as appreciative with a glass of ice water, it's always nice to have a little something sparkly on hand like Pellegrino or mineral water. Add in a squeeze of lemon, orange, or lime for some extra pizazz.



A little glow: tealight candles. Lighting a few unscented (to assure all guests are comfortable) tealight candles can immediately add warmth and charm to your gathering. Tealights are great year-round, and can be quickly dressed up by placing them in a mason jar or small votive.

photos by KT Merry Photography via Dreamy Whites

A few laughs: a game to play. Games tend to be overlooked when entertaining, but they can be a great way to get everyone talking and involved. Whether it's a box of trivia cards to keep the conversation flowing, or it's your favorite go-to board game to liven up dull moments, having a game or two in your storage closet readily available will surely result in a good time had by all. Suggestion: Apples-to-Apples



Good tunes: a guest-friendly playlist (or CD). Adding music to your get-together will immediately energize the room and may be just the thing to keep your guests entertained the entire time. Create a playlist on your iTunes with a variety of genres to appease all tastes, or use genre specific CD's like Putumayo's French Cafe or Italia.

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