The festive season is a busy one – especially if you have kids – so if you’re the potluck host, don’t bother making your home spotless before guests arrive. Just clear every counter and tabletop of clutter and hide the mess away in a cupboard somewhere to deal with later. Spray the surfaces with all-purpose cleaner so they shine, and that’s enough. No one will notice dust under the sofa, anyway.
Potluck parties are best when they’re informal, so you don’t even need to use tablecloths. If you’re no fan of disposable plastic cloths, be inspired by the chalkboard trend in cafes: Use plain mahjong paper on the table and write instructions or the names of dishes on the paper.
If the party is at someone else’s home, think about how you’ll get your dish there in good shape? An easy trick is to make individual servings of desserts like these cute trifles below (recipe in the gallery) or even agar agar – they’re easy to transport in disposable plastic cups.
So whether you’re attending a festive potluck party, or throwing it yourself, these 20 recipes are sure to be winners!