I’ve always been a fan of a great at-home bar. I strongly believe it’s a must-learn life skill to mix up classic cocktails, and as an avid host, it’s important to provide an array...
Looking back on Easter as a child, I remember how excited I was to dig through my Easter basket. Full of chocolate bunnies, malt ball Easter eggs, Peeps, golden coins, and my favorite Cadbury...
Lets be honest, salads can be boring. So I’m always trying to think outside of the box to come up with salad recipes that I’ll thoroughly enjoy, but are beyond easy to make. Enter...
Lets be honest, salads can be boring. So I’m always trying to think outside of the box to come up with salad recipes that I’ll thoroughly enjoy, but are beyond easy to make. Enter...
Our magical Woodland Wonderland Dinner, specially styled for Rue Magazine’s Holiday Issue, was well-worth pulling out of The Archives to share for even more cozy holiday table styling inspiration this year. Cheers, Kat
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There’s no denying that Christmas is one of my all-time favorite holidays. Cozied up with loved ones in cabin socks next to the Christmas tree, sipping mulled wine while watching Home Alone? That’s my definition of an “entertaining” holiday season.
But along with that cozy picture I just painted comes a lot of additional holiday hosting duties. And the truth is, hosting during this time of year can quickly become a little chaotic and even quite stressful. In the Rye household, it usually consists of a few holiday dinner parties, several out-of-town houseguests and a kitchen full of dirty dishes after Christmas morning brunch. And all that chaos, while lovely, can leave my home in need of a little refresh. Think full guest bedrooms (and bathrooms), the smell of holiday recipes lingering for hours after we’re full, and wine stains on just about every surface…you get the picture.
So long before guests arrive, and long after they’ve left, I prepare by festively spritzing the heck out of my home. As you’ve seen on Snapchat, Addy loves to lounge on our designer pillows and just about every bed in the house, so those of course all need a quick spray before guests arrive. And since we always have an artificial tree, we miss the smell that comes along with having a real one. Needless to say, I did a little happy dance when I found Febreze’s Jolly Pine Air Effects spray to get us that whiff of pine I love so much. I also find the Cranberry Cheer to be helpful in the kitchen when all I want to do is join everyone on the sofa after dinner (the dishes may or may not wait until the morning…). And without question, I make sure to have the original spray and plug-ins in those high-traffic areas. A little spritz here, a little spritz there…and the entire place feels clean, yet festive. When preparing for houseguests, these thoughtful details that are sure to keep everyone comfy and me sane this season. Truly, MKR
P.S. Our friends at Febreze take holiday entertaining sans smells seriously just like us. And for all of you fellow Glee fans, Jane Lynch and Matthew Morrison put it quite perfectly in a nice little parody on the truths of having holiday houseguests and the 12 stinks of Christmas…a vid that will sure make you smile. And we’re giving away a prize pack full of goodies to keep the 12 stinks away! Head over to Facebook to enter. Happy holiday houseguesting Loves!
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Photography, Kathryn McCrary | THIS STORY IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FEBREZE, A BRAND WE LOVE AND USE REGULARLY. OPINIONS AND IMAGES ARE 100% OUR OWN.
Every year, we hop in the car and drive north to my aunt’s house for an amazing Thanksgiving dinner. Though my Turkey Day plans find me away from home (and without a fridge full of leftovers afterwards), I wouldn’t trade them for the world. It’s always such a treat to visit with family around my aunt’s table, even long after we’ve finished our delicious food and the plates have been cleared.
I’m sure there are many of you like me on Thanksgiving day, and I think talking about dinner guest etiquette is just as important as sharing the tips for hosting the feast itself (check out our Field Guide if you’re hosting!). A lot goes into this day, so showing that you appreciate your hosts’ hard work and tasty menu goes a long way.
I’ve included six ways to be a gracious dinner guest in the slideshow above, and yes that includes offering to help in the kitchen, but not pushing it! Sometimes being a gracious guest means simply accepting that glass of wine and having long-overdue chit chat while you wait on the turkey. Cheers, Kat
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BE ON TIME
COMMUNICATE YOUR TRAVEL PLANS/SCHEDULE AND BE SURE TO ARRIVE ON TIME. YOUR HOSTS HAVE PUT THOUGHT INTO WHEN THEY'RE PREPARING AND SERVING THE MEAL, AND APPRECIATE DEPENDING ON YOUR PUNCTUALITY.
WHETHER IT'S A HOSTESS GIFT BASKET OR EXTRA DESSERT, ARRIVING WITH SOMETHING FOR YOUR HOSTS IS ALWAYS APPRECIATED. WE LOVE THIS GIFT GUIDE ON GLITTER GUIDE FULL OF GREAT IDEAS (AND #3 and #18 ESPECIALLY!).
EVERYONE DOES IT; ASKS WHAT THEY CAN DO TO HELP IN THE KITCHEN. IT MAY JUST BE A FORMALITY, BUT SOMETIMES THIS COMES ACROSS AS AN AGGRESSIVE PLEA. IF YOUR HOST INSISTS THAT THEY DON'T NEED EXTRA HANDS IN THE KITCHEN, SIT BACK AND ENJOY THE COMPANY AND CONVERSATION INSTEAD.
NOT ONLY IS IT TACKY TO BOLT IMMEDIATELY AFTER FINISHING THE PUMPKIN PIE, IT'S A MISSED OPPORTUNITY TO RELAX AT THE TABLE IN CONVERSATION AND REFLECTION ON THANKSGIVING.
TAKE THE TIME TO THANK YOUR WONDERFUL HOSTS AFTER YOU RETURN HOME WITH FULL BELLIES AND FULL HEARTS. THOUGH A GIFT IS NICE, A HAND WRITTEN LETTER WILL ALWAYS SUFFICE.
