Winter has been hitting full force at my house for the last week or so. Since it has been cold and snowy since October, more snow and cold is starting to get really old and discouraging. All of us are a little stir crazy. And last week was only the halfway point of “winter”, so we aren’t done yet.
One way I’ve discovered to combat these mid-winter blues is to have parties. Inviting guests over and preparing food can seem really overwhelming. But I’ve found it can be fun and gives you something to look forward to as well.
Last year, my husband and I started an annual formal dinner. We send out a formal invitation – usually just altering a template for a wedding invitation on Microsoft word. Everyone dresses up. We make “fancy” food and serve it on the best china. We plate the food and serve it in courses. It is a ton of fun. It can be a bit of work, but in the end, it is worth it. Here are some pictures from this year’s formal. Please don’t mind that the food pictures aren’t the best – I just snapped something quick on my phone rather than make my guests wait while I staged something nice.
But having people over doesn’t have to be fancy. I wanted an excuse to hang out with some friends one day. So I had an early Galentine’s Day lunch this week. I kept it fairly simple – a couple kinds of quiche, salad from Costco, and simple chopped fruit. Brownies for dessert were a hit and easy to make ahead of time. When I’ve done these in the past, I often ask people to bring things – drinks, fruit, bread, etc. So then it is even less work for me. But it feels so luxurious to eat a real meal and sit down with friends during the week. Pro tip: make extra so you already have dinner for your family that night.
While the formal dinner wasn’t the healthiest meal I’ve ever eaten, we tried to make it a good balance. We served salad, vegetable soup, and veggies with the main course. My china dishes are a bit on the small side, which is great for keeping portions under control.
With my Galentine’s lunch, I made all the dishes something I would want to eat while being health conscious. Lots of veggies available in the quiches. Salad and fruit are easy, nutritious sides. You could skip dessert if you really wanted.
Remember, not everything has to be perfect. I was doing my laundry during the Galentine’s lunch. All the snow in the street made parking a bit crazy with 5 vans in my garage and driveway. Kids were running around and needed diapers changed. But we all still had a great time.
How do you combat the winter blues? Do you have fun entertaining ideas or traditions? I’d love if you shared them in the comments!