Stress-Free Holiday Party Shortcuts from the Pros

Once you've created a to-do list for your party, immediately cross off half of the items, suggests chef and Nigella Christmas author Nigella Lawson. It's normal to get so caught up in brainstorming great dishes—and, admittedly, finding at least a dozen "must-make" recipes on Pinterest—that before you know it, your grocery list is as long as your forearm. "Settle on three or four things you want to give people to eat," she says. When it comes to drinks, keep it just as simple: one cocktail, water and a nonalcoholic drink, like apple cider.