An open house is such a wonderful way to have everyone to your home during the holidays. It is a time of year when there are so many cocktail parties, and night time events, that it can be refreshing to have an event on a Sunday afternoon. Most open houses have a set time of two to three hours, and guests can feel free to drop in at any time, and stay as long as they like.

One of my favorite things about entertaining this way is that you get to do everything ahead of time. No fussing! It makes it very casual when there is a buffet, and no passed trays. As the hostess, it allows you to greet and see of the ever-revolving line of guests that trickle in and out.

I make the base of the open house a buffet of sweets, as it is not only my favorite thing, but easy to make and set up ahead of time. For people who need something savory with their dessert, I assemble massive cheese platters and crudité displays to curb the sugar.

I also like to do one signature drink for an open house, this year it is peppermint hot chocolate with schnapps! And again, to keep it casual, I will just put a steaming pot of it on the stove, and let people ladle it up themselves.

Remember, the most important thing about this time of year is connecting with friends and family, eat, drink and be merry!