A checklist of things to remember before you call people home this festive season

4. Declutter the entire home—clear out the countertops of all the bathrooms (especially the ones which will be used by guests. Your personal items and products must be tucked away in the vanity drawers or elsewhere in the house away from sight. Swap these with a simple hand wash and hand lotion on the countertop, along with enough hand or paper towels for all your visitors. In these times of Covid alertness, it’s best to have disposable paper towels. If there are any leakages or repairs that are pending, it’s a good time to tackle them now. Empty out all your magazine and newspaper racks, as well.

5. In the kitchen, keep the countertop clear at all times, stowing away all storage boxes, cutlery, raw produce, and items that don’t belong in your festive décor. Your counter-top should only be used for plating when you have guests over.

Stock Up Your Home

For the perfectly stocked home for any gathering, celebration or even surprise guests,  Eeshaan Kashyap, partner at PassCode Hospitality, shares his go-to checklist.

1. Stock up on winter spices, fruits and red wine to make mulled wine before your parties—these can be stored in decanters for days… the older the better!

2. Your bar cart should always have fresh herbs, a soda maker,  champagne coupes, martini glasses, a cocktail shaker, and a generous number of  napkins (you can never have too many!). If you’re brewing hot toddy or eggnog, a set of brandy balloons or even Irish mugs will come in handy. For teetotallers, sipping hot soup or herbed infusions in these will make the festivities even more special.

3. Always keep pairs of tongs handy for your ice buckets, snacks and canapés and, even, for garnishing your cocktails—this will provide the best solution for keeping things germ-free.

4. In a pinch, a stock of snacks, crisps, papad and Indian namkeens will work as bar snacks or quick eats before the food is ready. A box of chocolates, truffles or even mithai should always be kept in the fridge for guests with a sweet tooth.

Setting Up The Home For A Gathering

Srila Chatterjee, curator and co-founder of BARO, shares the 10 steps she follows in the run up to a gathering at her home.

1. Order enough ice so you don’t run out.

2. Plan your table setting—from the dishes you’ll use to the number of accessories, plates and napkins you’ll need to account for as per your number of guests.

3. Check every bulb, fan and the air conditioning or heating so that there are no last-minute surprises.

4. Make sure the bathrooms or powder rooms have soaps, candles or a small festive centrepiece.

5. Plan for your pets—if they love parties then get them bathed, brushed and ready! If they don’t, keep them where they are happy and safe.

6. Set up the right mood with lighting, candles, flowers and music that will work perfectly without needing constant attention and rework.

7. Make sure you are ready and set at least half an hour before the time your guests are meant to arrive—no matter how unpunctual they might be!

4.  Place a small stack of magazines or coffee table books which your guest would find interesting; otherwise, books on travel and art are a safe option for any room. You can also include a few comic books to pique their nostalgia! If your guest is arriving in the morning, a set of the day’s newspapers can be placed in the room, as well.

5.  A few cookies or snack boxes on the sideboard are great for hunger pangs between meals. You could also stock your guests’ favourite candy in a jar!

6.  Most houses have a signature scent—use a room spray, diffuser or incense burner the day before to freshen up the space. You could also do this in the evenings before dinner so that the room has a pleasant scent by the time your guest goes to bed. 

7.  Place a bottle or carafe of water on each bedside table, along with a small radio clock, a notepad and pen, and a card with details of the house and passwords for the Wi-Fi and other technology. An extra phone charger can be placed in the drawers, as well as the Netflix password if there is a television in the room. 

Things To Keep In Mind

While the right planning and stocking in advance will promise the perfect get-together, pandemic-era gatherings require a little bit more thought about safety. Editor-in-chief of BeautifulHomes.com Manju Sara Rajan is always prepared before hosting any guests.

1.  Ensure there is small table for a sterilizer and disposable tissue papers accompanied by a small waste bin, just by the side of the front door.

2.  Make sure you have some disposable masks available at home for folks who need one on their way out.

3.  Appetisers that don’t require sharing work best.

4.  Use an open space, if possible, to gather, like a balcony, or a terrace rooftop, rather than an airconditioned closed space.

5.  Always be prepared by having a plan in place to routinely check on the food, the cleanliness of the home, if the décor is in place, and, most importantly, the bathrooms.

6.  You, or someone else, must also make sure the powder rooms are clean, restocked and dry at all times.

7.  Make provisions for waste. Keep small waste baskets, or an extra plate on the table, to dispose paper towels and small refuse.

8.  Keep an emergency box of any supplies that may come in handy—a first aid kit, female hygiene products, safety pins, hair ties and bobby clips, wet wipes, a pair of scissors, and anything else you foresee your guests needing. Place this in a neat box on your bathroom’s countertop or in one of your vanity drawers for guests to find easily.

9.  Leave a room spray within sight in the bathroom for anyone who wants to mask the embarrassment of unwanted odours.

10.  If you have valuables around the house that you fear could break or get damaged during the festivities, save yourself the heartbreak (and your guests the embarrassment) by putting them away for the night.

3.  In the kids’ zone, make sure all the trays of toys, games and book  shelves are at a low height, so that when left alone, the children don’t need to be supervised.

4.  For a real party, place a small bathtub or inflatable pool in the bathroom for kids who want to play in the water. A generous number of bath toys will go a long way. If this sounds too messy, you could always fill the tub with plastic balls instead.