8 minute read
Ditch the Holiday Stress
Party shortcuts for cutting your workload
Story by Courtney Jonsson
Even if you look forward to hosting your family’s holiday party each year, you likely have moments where you’re stressed beyond belief. It’s not easy trying to do all that cooking, baking, cleaning, and organizing when you’re trying to keep up with all your other daily commitments as well.
Instead of stressing out this holiday season, wouldn’t it be nice to delegate some of the work to someone else? That way, you can enjoy your holiday season without feeling rushed every minute of the day. Here are some shortcuts you can take to make your holiday a little brighter so you can soak in all those moments that matter.
CHOOSE A MAIN DISH
One of the simple joys of the holidays is enjoying a nice meal with your family, but it can be overwhelming to prepare. From main dishes to sides, appetizers to desserts, there is a lot to do, especially when you factor in cleaning up all those dishes.
Local restaurants can be an excellent resource when your holiday party planning begins. The main dish, some would argue, is the most important part of the meal, but it can take hours to prepare. Tony’s Butt Shack in Hollowayville offers catering services that will save every party host a handful of hours.
“The main dish of choice at the Butt Shack is our Texas beef brisket. No one really has 17 hours to cook a brisket, so this dish makes a great impact at gatherings,” Tony Vaccaro, owner of Tony’s Butt Shack said.
Verucchi’s Ristorante in Spring Valley offers up main dishes rooted in tradition. Their family favorites are served at holiday parties and never seem to disappoint. Paula Verucchi Tomsha shared some of the history behind their famous lasagna.
“When feeding family and friends, we recommend a pan of Grandma Bea’s homemade lasagna. Our 97-year-old matriarch has been serving it for special occasions for 75 years, and if you have ever tried our lasagna, then you know you can taste all of the love that goes into it,” she said.
Whether you choose the Texas brisket from Tony’s Butt Shack or Grandma Bea’s lasagna at Verucchi’s, your guests will be impressed by the meal on the table.
SNACKS AND SIDES
Appetizers and side dishes can be difficult during holiday party planning because there are so many to choose from. Most hosts want their appetizers to fit well with the main course. Creating multiple appetizers that please your guest’s palettes is daunting. Instead of stressing out about what to serve, turn to the experts.
Jack’s Tap in Spring Valley, owned by Eric and Bri Verucchi, has a chef on staff that gladly alters Jack’s offerings to best serve their customers. A few choices at Jack’s include a taco bar, sandwich platters, and wings.
“All packages can be catered to your party’s needs. Hosts can add any dish or appetizer to the packages. Our chef can make anything,” the Verucchis said. Jack’s Tap is a one-stop shop for your appetizer and side dish needs. Their friendly staff will ensure you feel comfortable with what will be served at your next gathering.
GET SOME BAKING HELP
What’s a holiday party without a wide assortment of baked goods? If you love having pies, cakes, and cookies for your guests to nibble on but get stressed trying to find the time to do all that baking, you can outsource your wish list to a bakery.
At Myrtle’s Pies in Princeton, customers can choose between a mind-boggling number of hot or cold pies. If you don’t want the fuss of making sure the cold pies stay chilled during an extended get-together, hot pies are always a good option.
For Thanksgiving, Myrtle’s sells a lot of pumpkin pies. But other popular holiday choices, especially in December, include apple, cherry, strawberry rhubarb, French silk, or coconut cream. If you want your pie to be more memorable, Myrtle’s
PHOTOS BY SHANNON SERPETTE Letting someone else take the chore of baking off your plate can be a huge timesaver when you’re hosting a holiday party or attending one. Myrtle’s Pies in Princeton has an assortment of crowd-pleasing pies and other desserts that will let you cross holiday baking off of your list.
sells a lot of unique flavors, including Blue Goose, which consists of blueberries and gooseberries, molasses apple, blueberry mango, and nut pies, like its bourbon pecan.
“We have a lot to choose from,” David Grebner, the owner of Myrtle’s Pies in Princeton, said.
PAIR WITH WINE
Pairing wine with your meal can be a challenge. August Hill Winery has over 35 options to choose from, ensuring your meal is accompanied by the perfect beverage. Mark Wenzel, founder and winemaker at August Hill Winery and Illinois Sparkling Company, offered up some expert advice.
“I recommend having a variety of wines for your holiday meals to suit the different tastes of your guests and the variety of foods you are serving,” Wenzel said.
He gave examples of wine and food pairings that are popular around the holidays.
“Our ISC Brut Ombré Rosé sparkling wine and August Hill Cranberry Infusion are both fantastic pairings with turkey and stuffing. If you are serving ham, you can’t go wrong with ISC Sec sparkling wine or August Hill Vignoles. With Italian dishes, Ginocchio is a good choice,” Wenzel said. “For wines to pair with dessert, our ISC Brut pairs well with pecan pie, ISC Demi Sec Rosé pairs well with fudge and other rich chocolate desserts, and August Hill Almond Infusion or Moscato pair well with most desserts including pumpkin and apple pies.”
Employees at August Hill are glad to help you select the right wine for your party when you visit their location in Downtown Utica.
SPRUCE UP YOUR SPACE
As you start to get the china out of the cupboard and shine the silverware set, a feeling sets in that you are forgetting something – decorations. Every holiday party needs to have some sort of decor to make the space feel cozy. Valley Flowers and Gifts in Spring Valley offers pick-up and delivery options so your holiday planning can be seamless.
“The designers at Valley Flowers and Gifts are here to help alleviate that stress by helping with your decorating needs. Whether it’s fresh flowers or silk, we create unique arrangements sure to wow your guests,” Theresa Taliani, owner of Valley Flowers and Gifts, shared.
The Flower Bar in Peru also designs multiple arrangements centered around fall, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, which makes it easy to swing by and pick something up that will elevate the feel of your space.
“We offer a variety of floral arrangements over the holidays, including real and silk. Typically, we create five different centerpieces that range from $29.99 and up. We also offer smaller arrangements per request,” Nikki Tonioni, owner of The Flower Bar, said.
FINISHING DETAILS
The final touch when planning a holiday party is ensuring your guests arrive safely and comfortably. Because Illinois weather is unpredictable, you may want to call TNT Lawncare in advance. TNT Lawncare offers snow removal services through the winter months. These services include plowing the driveway, shoveling the walkway, and laying salt to ensure your guests get in the door without incident.
When you have guests flying in from out of state, you might not have time to pick them up from the airport. Or maybe with your already busy schedule, you don’t have time to do as much cleaning as you’d like before guests arrive. That’s where Butler Concierge Services, a new business in the Illinois Valley, can help.
“Butler Concierge can offer many solutions to your holiday crunch time. Do you need help cleaning out that guest bedroom? Picking up Mom from the airport? Do you need any gift shopping done? We can do that,” Kate Butler, the owner of the business, said.
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