This season's must-have hosting accessories, as recommended by our GH experts
If you're hosting friends or family this Christmas, you'll want to make sure you have everything you need for your celebrations to run as smoothly as possible.
Needless to say, hosting can feel stressful and overwhelming. However, the great news is that it doesn't have to be.
We spoke to our team of experts here at Good Housekeeping to get their top insider tips on this season's must-have hosting accessories. From items to help make cooking the turkey feel like a breeze to the prettiest serveware to wow your guests, here's what they told us...
For the kitchen...
Naturally, when we asked our expert food team what their go-to hosting accessories were, they all have some great recommendations for items that will help make cooking run more smoothly on the big day. "It may not sound glamorous, but my must-have hosting accessory has to be a Thermapen," says Meike Beck, Good Housekeeping's Cookery Director. "It reads the temperature inside your choice of meat, taking the guesswork (or fear) out of meat cookery and prevents over-cooking, so again your meat will be at its best."
Grace Evans, Digital Cookery Writer at Good Housekeeping agrees that meat prep is very important. "Resting your meat is imperative, so a meat caving board is a must on Christmas Day. Whilst your meat rests, it will collect all of the tasty juices, which you can then add to your gravy to make it extra special, making sure nothing goes to waste" says Grace Evans, Digital Cookery Writer at Good Housekeeping.
With the turkey being the real prize of any Christmas dinner, Gaby Huddart, our Editor in Chief, also explained her must-have piece for the kitchen is a knife sharpener, to get the most of your meal. "For Christmas lunch, it’s essential to have a good knife sharpener and to use it before carving the turkey," she says. "When you’ve spent a lot of money on a wonderful bird, and a lot of time cooking it to perfection, it’s so important to ensure it’s beautifully carved, so having a really sharp knife is vital."
Once your turkey is prepared and roasted to perfection, you may wonder what to serve as a side dish. Needless to say, our food team's delicious recipes will have you covered; and are as popular with our own team as they are with our readers! "Working at Good Housekeeping, I see first hand just how much work goes into everything our fabulous cookery team do, so there are no recipes I’d trust more on such an important foodie day," says Bethan-Rose Jenkins, our Assistant Digital Editor. "Last year, I was given a copy of Christmas with Good Housekeeping, as a good cookery book for Christmas hosting is an absolute must-have."
The final step in the hosting process when it comes to food is transporting your beautifully-cooked dishes to the dining table. "A must-have for me would be some lovely oven-to-tableware, and I opt for a casserole dish from Procook," explains Alice Shields Cookery Writer at Good Housekeeping. "Using the same dish to cook and serve saves on the washing up, and because it's got a lid, any left overs can be stored in the fridge once cooled."
For the living room...
Hosting isn't just about what food and cocktails you serve; it's also about making for an experience that your guests will enjoy and remember.
Adding some thoughtful touches to the room you're hosting guests in, be this a living room, kitchen, or conservatory, is a great way to instantly put a smile on people's faces. "In my home, we split our time between the kitchen and living area as we don’t have an open plan layout so I always dust off my favourite tray as my go-to accessory," says Sarah Keady, Style and Interiors Director at Good Housekeeping. "It's a mirrored design with a perforated silver rim which I picked up from a local vintage store, and I use it to ferry canapés, drinks and nibbles to guests."
Carolyn Bailey, Good Housekeeping's Home and Gardens Director, has a similar recommendation. "My must-have hosting accessory has got to be a large serving platter," she reveals. "I love to serve a huge sharing board piled high with a variety of cheese, a generous mix of fruit such as figs, grapes and pomegranates, plus pickles in tiny bowls nestled in between. The platter can also be used for other sharing boards such as sweet treats and canapés."
And, as your guests congregate in the living room, it's only fair to offer them a drink! "When I've got friends round for a Christmas party, I love starting the evening off with a glass of fizz," says Joanne Finney, Consumer Affairs Director at Good Housekeeping. "My go-to glasses are my Ferm Living ripple champagne coupes; which are so beautiful and make anything from prosecco to champagne feel special."
For the Christmas table...
When your guests aren't spending time chatting to you in the kitchen or relaxing on the sofa drinking a glass of wine, there's one other place you're sure to find them: at the table.
Christmas is always about being as imaginative and creative as you like. So, if you're looking to go all-out with your tablescape this year, James Cunningham, Style and Interiors Editor at Good Housekeeping, recommends offering your guests cocktail napkins in addition to the napkins you use for the meal itself. "Whatever the drink, whatever the snack, a glamorous napkin instantly sets a celebratory tone," he says. "Bonus points if it is metallic, block-printed or scallop-edged!"
Good Housekeeping's Senior Food Writer, Melanie Giandzi, also agrees that adding Christmas decor can make your table feel not just prettier, but make your job as a host easier, too. "This year my go-to accessory for hosting will be Ferm Living's Oli Pot," she explains. "I'll use it for storing and serving olives, nuts, pickles, or sweet festive treats."
To make the most of your Christmas table, you can even opt for decor that doubles-up as being an object you can use practically, too. "Over the years, I've picked up a number of pre-loved French aperitif bottles from bric-a-brac markets we've visited on our summer holidays," says says Emilie Martin, Consumer Affairs Director at Good Housekeeping. "They make brilliantly mis-matched water jugs for the dining table when guests come over, or vases for flowers to brighten up our dining space. I love that they had a life before they were part of ours and that they're a more sustainable option than buying new."
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