’Tis the season for holiday entertaining, and we’ve enlisted the help of the most stylish hosts we know to serve up their party tricks for a holiday hosting mini-series. Dress code festive, RSVP requested. À Table!
“The best nights are often the ones that are a little spontaneous,” says Laura Jackson. The TV presenter and founder is so invested in the art of entertaining that she launched an entire brand dedicated to it: Glassette, a digital space where you can find both a recipe for a dark chocolate clementine torte and shop the perfect platter on which to serve it.
Her guiding philosophy—hosting should be fun—shines in every party she puts together, most recently in the form of an intimate holiday dinner at home. “I love gathering my nearest and dearest around the table, chatting for hours over home-cooked food and champagne,” says Jackson of her preferred hosting style. The tablecloth was a vibrant bubblegum pink; the menus, hand-written in loopy calligraphy; the stately centerpiece eschewed for a smattering of slim burgundy taper candles pierced ceremoniously through seasonally appropriate pomegranates. “I always tend to do a single-stem vase and dot these along the table,” she explains. “They look delicate and don’t take up too much space.”
Ahead, go behind the scenes of her holiday party and steal some smart entertaining tips (yes, your martini does deserve a lace ribbon garnish) for your own festive evening in.
“I’ll always start with a color combination in mind and see what I’ve got in my cupboards. I’ll look at my tablecloth collection and use this as the canvas, adding pops of color through the glassware, napkins, ribbons on glasses or candle holders and tie everything together with a place setting, usually hand-painted for a personal touch. This year I’ve gone very colorful; it’s bright, bold and brings me joy.”
“At Christmas I tend to bring out the velvets, some satin, or something embroidered. I have a few dresses I return to every year from Simone Rocha and H&M, and Boden always has great knits. I’m really into the brand Alémais this year; I’m wearing their rust brown polo with fringe wrap skirt.”
“We’ve recently collaborated with Next on a Christmas collection. I love the amber glassware by Made, and the cream plates are timeless. I turn to my Joanna Ling ceramics over and over again—the candle holders are elegant—and tapered candles from Neptune that come in a lovely range of colors.”
“My go-to starter is anchovy on brioche; they’re so quick to throw together but never fail to impress. The rest of the menu is often inspired by something I’ve eaten recently in a restaurant that I’ll try to simplify at home, or I turn to my cookbooks—I have a never-ending collection and I read them from cover to cover like novels.”
“I love margaritas, so I’ll whip up one of those to start us off. A twist on a simple recipe, like a pickle juice or a marmalade margarita, is always popular with guests. Speaking of pickle, I’ve been loving a pickle martini, so they’ll be on my table. If time is on my side, I make a big batch and serve them throughout the night. I love people to feel at home when I’m hosting, so I always get them to help themselves (as well as top up the drinks myself throughout the night). I’m a big fan of champagne, so I’ll usually be serving this too; it always feels celebratory and special.”
“Last year I created ribbon menus, so this time I wanted to do something a little different. Lace felt like a natural evolution, elegant and delicate, softening the bold, statement tablescape I’ve gone for.
With so much already happening on the table, I was conscious not to over-style it. Instead of adding multiple candles or holders, a single candle in a pomegranate from my fruit bowl felt just right.”
“I think it’s on the host to truly show up. Hosting isn’t just about opening your home; it’s about being present. When you’re relaxed as the host and clearly enjoying yourself, your guests will too. That presence can show up in the smallest actions: Noticing when someone’s glass is empty, bridging conversations, or stepping in to keep things flowing.”
“I like to switch playlists as the night unfolds and read the mood of the room. I’ll usually start with something mellow—think Sade and laid-back soul—and then, as the evening warms up, I’ll move to something more upbeat that gently nudges people towards the dance floor… a.k.a., the kitchen.”
“One of my favorite things to do is to introduce and connect people. I’m always thinking, ‘ah you’ll get on really well with my friend, or I know someone who can help you with that,’ so I’ll keep that in mind when I’m coming up with a guest list. I want people to come away having had the best evening and maybe having made a new friend.”
“Don’t make anything too difficult for yourself! Order a takeaway if needed, buy something shop bought, use what you have at home, and get really creative.”
