8 Ways Martha's 1982 Book 'Entertaining' Is Inspiring My Holiday Season

Return to the Heart of Hosting

At its most essential, holiday entertaining is about delighting the people you care about. "Entertaining is as simple as that," Martha wrote. "I think of it as one friend treating other friends."

If there is one tidbit you keep in mind during the swirl of December and its endless to-do lists, let it be this. It’s not about orchestrating a flawless spread; it’s about creating a warm, welcoming experience for the people you love.

Feel yourself slipping into a pre-party panic mode? Repeat Martha's words like a mantra.

Curate Your Own Version of a Holiday Gathering

In Entertaining, Martha advocates for straying away from the cookie cutter and opting for elements that let your personality flourish. “Entertaining is an opportunity to be individualistic, to express your own ideas about what constitutes a good party,” she says. “There are as many good formulas as there are personalities.”

Of course there is generosity in hosting, but Martha lets—nay, encourages—you to be a little selfish. Create a party you’re excited to attend and guests will likely mirror that excitement. "Entertaining, like cooking, is a little selfish,” she says, “because it really involves pleasing yourself, with a guest list that will coalesce into your idea of harmony, with a menu orchestrated to your home and taste and budget, with decorations subject to your own eye."

"Given these considerations, it has to be pleasureful," she says. You would never want hosting (or the holidays) to feel like a slog.

Choose Menus That Let You Be Fully Present

If there’s any season that tests your ability to juggle last-minute cooking and actual hospitality, it’s the holidays. Martha’s rule here is simple and smart: “A menu that demands more than 15 minutes of last-minute preparation is the wrong menu, for presumably you are not a restaurant chef, but a friend whom guests expect to see.”

Let this line be a north star for December menu planning. If a dish requires intensive pre-serve assembly, it’s off the list. I want to be with my guests—not tethered to the kitchen.

Think Creatively About Your Space

Living in a New York City apartment means I don’t exactly have an expansive dining room for large seated dinners. But Martha has been there, done that—often mentioning the smaller city space she used to host out of, as well. “Few people have baronial dining rooms,” she says. “Yet we do have halls, kitchens, family rooms, and porches with potential. Finding an appropriate place for a party … calls for looking at familiar spaces with a fresh eye.”

She suggests: “A wide center hall might be the perfect place to set up a long table for a large dinner party; the linen closet might make a handsome bar.”

This year, I’m vowing not to fight but to embrace my space. If the table doesn’t fit in the dining room, it might fit beautifully in an unexpected place. “Changing the use of rooms is fun for both the host and the guests, for it breaks tired habits,” says Martha. 

Consider a Dessert Party for a Fresh, Festive Twist

A drinks-and-desserts cocktail party? Even Martha would approve. “It is a graceful way to entertain large groups of people,” Martha notes in Entertaining. “Invite your guests for 9:00 p.m., greet them with champagne, and introduce the desserts at ten o'clock, with a touch of ceremony.”

This idea feels especially right for the holidays: festive, dramatic, and prepare-ahead friendly. I’m already imagining a table glowing with cakes, tarts, mousses, and winter fruits.

As for some practical guidance, “Collect plenty of serving pieces, considering how each dessert is best served,” Martha says. “Because guests will want more than one dessert, count on at least two seven- or eight-inch plates per person, with adequate spoons and forks, and cocktail napkins. Make sure to have plenty of soda water and ice water on hand, too, for sweets tend to make guests thirsty.”

Prioritize the Personable Over the Perfect

"With very few exceptions, I find an enormous difference of appeal between a bakery cake and a home creation," says Martha. Well, no surprise there—but it’s our founder’s why I’m finding so personally freeing. "The bakery creation may be quite perfect—glossy, symmetrical, even wonderful tasting—but it is as embalmed and sterile-looking as a store mannequin." Harsh (but with a ring of truth).

"There is no sense of when it was made or who made it,” Martha continues. “In a way, I prefer a lopsided cake, for it says something."

Let Organization Be Your Best Gift to Yourself

What’s behind even the most effortless-looking gatherings? Plenty of preparation. Martha learned this through trial and error: “The most important thing I have learned from my time in the kitchen is the importance of organization,” Martha shares. “Unexpected lessons taught me to plan in advance, to check out equipment, and to commit everything to lists,” she says, “eases that dreadful last-minute harried state of mind.” 

This year, I’ve been taking the advice to heart: I map out lists—for shopping, prep, refrigerator space, tabletop supplies—and things suddenly feel far more manageable.

Celebrate the Joy of Edible Gifting

Finally, Martha’s ode to homemade holiday gifts has me fully inspired: “Making edible presents for friends and neighbors is one of the nicest ways to get in the mood for Christmas,” she says.

Her own favorites—traditional fruitcakes, plum puddings, bourbon cakes, jellies,  jams, herb vinegars, and cranberry liqueur—prove that homemade gifts don’t need to be extravagant; they just need to feel heartfelt. I love the creativity here, and the reminder that gifts from the kitchen are as meaningful to make as they are to give.