Visions of sugar plums

Of course, you cannot throw a party without food, and no one would dream of doing that. But Christmas seems to call for a little more than the standard chips-and-dip fare, and that can scare the maiden host.

Again, comfort is the name of the game.

"Serve your favorite dishes," said Cummins. "Serve traditional family recipes. You don't have to do anything too complicated with fancy sauces. Certain foods are festive and it's nice to incorporate them, but you can also work with foods that you feel comfortable preparing."

Using your own ideas, family traditions and ingredients lends a personal touch to the festivities, said Cummins, and helps to make your guests feel all the more welcome.

Kathy Steed suggested easing your food preparation by planning your menu in advance and picking items that can be made ahead and stored in the freezer. Pinwheels, cheese balls and sheet cakes can all be made in advance and stored until the day of the party, said Steed. But wait to frost that cake until the day of the party, of course.

"You can also make Swedish meatballs and freeze them - just make the gravy the last day - and fresh shrimp can be skinned, boiled and frozen until the day of your party," she said.

Cummins added that people tend to underestimate the time, money and energy they will expend on a party, which can cause a lot of unneeded stress if one gets started too late. For a Christmas party, start about a month in advance, and get those invitations out at least three weeks before your party date.