Hosting Christmas Dinner Party: 5 Organisation & preparation tips

The festive season is upon us. This December 2022, it's a mad rush for everyone in Singapore. All in the short span of two months, you've got to get your holidays in, clear annual leave, spring clean, get all the work done before your office closes, prepare for Christmas, New Year's eve, and the Lunar New Year (or Chinese New Year).

Phew! That was an entire mouthful.

May we suggest vibrant, colourful, yet vaguely generic decorative items that are multi-purpose and can help you with entertaining and hosting as well. This way, you can double up and use these decorative items until February 2023 without having to make three shopping trips.

Colours, curves and graphic shapes come together in these items to bring the festive spirit into your home.

AYTM Unum Candle Holder

AYTM (pronounced "item") is a Danish design brand founded in 2015 by husband and wife duo Per and Kathrine Gran Hartvigsen that's based in Aarhus, Denmark. It's most commonly recognised for its simply shaped home accessories, furniture such as table and chairs, lights, and mirrors.

AYTM Unum Candle Holder, $60, from Space Furniture.

Bitossi Tribe Bowls

Bitossi. One of the most illustrious Italian ceramics house operated by the namesake Bitossi family. The family's involvement in ceramics reportedly runs back to 1536 in the Motelupo Fiorentino region (nearby Florence).

However, the modern Bitossi Ceramiche company's history dates back to 1921 when Guido Bitossi built a factory for production where it still stands today. The Bitossi aesthetic that we understand today was very much formed by a man named Aldo Londi, who worked his way up in the company from 1946 onwards.

Bitossi ALE 10743 and 10744 Tribe bowls, $1,315 and $990 each from Space Furniture.

Opinion Ciatti Zenzero Bar Cart

Italian furniture makers, Opinion Ciatti, was founded in Florence, Italy in 1950 by a man named Rolando Ciatti. Back then, the company produced TV benches. Over the years, their offerings expanded to other home furniture such as kitchen units and innovative materials such as steel.

Since 1984, the brand has been active at international design and furniture trade fairs such as the Milan Furniture Fair and Salone de Mobile.

Opinion Ciatti Zenzero Bar Cart, $3,030, from Space Furniture.

Vista Alegre

Founded in 1824 by Vista Alegre by the late businessman José Ferreira Pinto Basto (died in 1839), Vista Alegre is a Portugese porcelain tableware maker. Today, Vista Alegre is owned by a Portugese conglomerate Visabeira Group, and services direct consumers, restaurant groups, and hospitality hotel clients.

Vista Alegre plates, bowls, saucers etc. are considered durable, easy to use, dishwasher, and of good quality. They aren't jaw-droppingly thin or stunning, but they work well.

Here, a lacquer serving tray by Vista Alegre in collaboration with the fashion designer Christian Lacroix (left), and a charger plate (the decorative base plate used to place actual serving plates) on the right.

Northern Loud Bar Cabinet

Produced by the Northern furniture company, the original iteration of this Loud Bar Cabinet comes in four basic colours:

• Smoked oak frame with aluminum front (pictured)
• Smoked oat
• Light oiled oak
• Black painted oak

Curved, elegant, but visually simple and quiet, this cabinet on wheels was designed by Stockholm-based Swedish designer duo who go by Färg & Blanche between 2018 and 2022.

Northern Loud Bar Cabinet, $4,573 from Danish Design Co.

Fabrice Juan Art de la Table x Faiencerie Georges Plates

This is a series of plates designed in collaboration by the French architect and interior designer Fabrice Juan, and Faïencerie Georges a French earthenware family business that's currently being helmed by fourth generation owners.

Fabrice Juan Art de la Table & Faiencerie Georges Plates, $54.20 to $121.23.

Bordallo Pinheiro Flora

Bordallo Pinheiro, a Portugese tableware company named after the Portugese cartoonist Rafael Bordallo Pinheiro, was founded in 1884. It's most recognised for its nature-inspired art-but-functional pottery ceramics.

Think along the lines of... dragonfruit bowls, watermelon bowls, cabbage bowls and plates, and banana trays.

You would have noticed these tongue-in-cheek items if you shopped in Tangs Orchard long enough. They're truly fun and cheeky additions to the house.

Bordallo Pinheiro Flora Bowl and Pitcher, $15.65 and $84.69 respectively.

5 Christmas Party Hosting Tips

Get organised

Instead of cramming all your condiments and ingredients into kitchen cabinets, prioritise them. Try open shelves in the nooks and crannies of your kitchen workspace to keep often-used ingredients within easy reach.

Store the rarely used, specialised items on pull-out shelves within the cabinets to keep them out of sight, but still not too hard to get to.

Kitchen countertop shouldn't be too deep

You can't exactly change this one last minute, but here's an ideal tip. To ensure good ergonomics in your kitchen, Daniel Magg, kitchen specialist and general manager of Toto Kitchen, advises that the distance between the worktop and the user's elbow shouldn't exceed 15cm.

Shop for fresher groceries and produce

"To get healthier ingredients, shop at independent, specialised retailers such as butchers, bakeries, or gourmet food stores. They bring in smaller quantities, thus stocking fresher produce. Importing smaller volumes also means they can air-freight the items and cut down on the need for additives required to stabilise the products during long sea-freight journeys," says Bruce Chapman, co-owner of premium gourmet food label The Providore.

A wide range of knives can help you

Using a range of knives in different hues makes food preparation at home more professional.

Chef Stephan Zoisl from My Private Chef says he uses red-handled knives for red-meats, yellow for chicken, green for vegetables and fruits, blue for fish, and white for cooked foods.

This way, you identify the knife's usage by colour!

Prepare several sweets to go with coffee

According to Thierry Akroman, you should pair your sweets with the right coffee. Serve a medium roast with fruity snacks. For example, espresso should be paired with really sweet bites such as fudgey brownie.