While the holiday season is often seen as a time for exuberance and indulgence in pleasures not usually taken, it can also be a very hectic time. Take a moment to consider these suggestions to help keep your Christmas simple, but a joyful memory to treasure. Easy Edibles Menu planning is one of the most important things you will do. Before you can tackle that aspect of dinner, however, you need an idea of how many will be attending. Call at least two weeks before Christmas to confirm your guest list. When you call, remember to inquire about children away at college and what time to expect out of town guests. After you have established how many people will actually be attending, begin to consider what you will serve. Trying to pick and choose recipes that will please everyone is virtually impossible, although you can inquire about any favorite dishes that some of your guests might have. If possible plan your menu around these suggestions. Pick recipes that will give a variety of colors, tastes and textures in the overall menu. Always make sure the food is simple to serve so guests will feel free to help themselves. Gearing Up With Groceries After you've decided on a menu, make your lists twofold: items that can be bought ahead of time and stored, and perishables that have to be purchased a day or two beforehand. Keep in mind that even though your main course -- whether it be turkey, ham or another selection -- is not prepared until the day of celebration, it is wise to buy it in advance. Waiting until the day before may leave you searching madly at one store and then the next for what you need. This idea can also be applied to other popular cooking items such as sugar, nuts and flour. Don't feel pressure to do everything at home. Picking up breads or even a dessert from the bakery is OK and will lighten the load for you. Checking what you have in the pantry at home will also help when deciding what to buy. Buying in bulk with staple items such as spices, baking goods, or even frozen vegetables is an excellent idea. Any of these items that are not completely used can be kept fresh in the freezer if sealed tightly. Timing Is Everything No matter what type of celebration you have, make two schedules. The first should include things that can be done ahead of time, such as decorations, checking linens and preparing food items. The second organizes everything needing to be done the day of the dinner. Make certain your second schedule allows you plenty of time to shower, dress and possibly greet any early arrivals. Even people that do not consider themselves "organizationally challenged" should consider list making. It guarantees that nothing will be forgotten and keeps your stress level down. A Festive Look for the Table When you plan a seated dinner, remember to give attention to details at the table. They could very well be the only decorations remembered by everyone, if for no other reason than the fact that they were surrounded by food! The centerpiece will often times set the mood you are trying to create as well as reflect your own taste. The same greenery and holly berries that adorn your doors and fireplace can also grace the center of your table. Try adding candles or a gold or silver tasseled rope for a touch of richness intermingled in the pine branches. If you would rather not use foliage on the table, try a festive colored runner with mirrors placed on it holding lit candles. The reflections of the flickering lights are an added bonus. Another simple but pretty look is a glass bowl filled with colorful ornaments. Decorating with fruit is always an elegant accent. Homemade sugared fruit placed on a cake stand is a work of art to behold. This easy and adorning task can be achieved by rolling clean fruit in grape jelly and then fine sugar. Give it a few minutes to dry and then roll it again. You can give any special dinner an extra flair by playing mix-and-match with china patterns. Salad plates and soup bowls that are not in your dinnerware pattern but still have a similar color and feel can give your table a refreshed look. If you do have more than one set of china, try different combinations with each piece. If you can't seem to create the look you desire, consider purchasing a few pieces. Many discount stores offer seasonal patterns that are economical. Should your budget not allow for the purchasing of new china, consider borrowing from a friend or even renting it. Tables set for a formal occasion are usually covered with a damask cloth and napkins of the same fabric. However, linens and lace may be used as well as colors and prints when the setting is informal. Coordinating your linens and china will always present the prettiest picture; remember you can't go wrong with the traditional red and green. Using place cards scripted with each person's name always adds a touch of class. If your family enjoys a more casual atmosphere, try serving a buffet. Have one table designated for food only, or consider one table for meat and vegetables and another for sweets, if room allows. Before everyone arrives, it is a good idea to have the table set with silverware and glasses to avoid confusion. If your dining room table isn't large enough to accommodate all of your guests, try setting up smaller card tables for the children or give the most fanatic of football fans the choice of dining on TV trays -- where else but in front of the tube! Cooking for a Crowd When cooking for more people than you're used to, things may seem more complicated. For example, figuring out how much food you will need to have can be difficult. Look for recipes that give you specifics about how many it will serve. If the recipe needs to be doubled or even tripled as some sauces or appetizers will, you may want to try out your multiplying skills before you actually create the finished product to serve. Our Mousseline Sauce and Stuffed Sweet Potatoes recipes must be doubled to serve a gathering of twelve. The sauce is a variation of Hollandaise sauce, with the addition of whipping cream. While many sauces give you the option of either the stovetop or the blender methods, the stovetop method allows you to have more control over the consistency and overall taste. Blender methods are usually lighter in color and thinner by comparison. Since the sauce is for serving atop steamed broccoli or other vegetable of your choice, you will need to choose at what temperature you will want to serve it. If you choose the timesaving way by preparing it the day before and want to serve it warm, or even at room temperature, then remove it from the fridge first thing in the morning. Holiday Ham Since turkey is the traditional bird of choice for Thanksgiving, try serving our Cranberry-Orange Glazed Ham for your Christmas dinner. You will find hams available in either boneless or bone-in. Boneless hams are easier to slice and have little or no waste, and will be the best buy even though the price is higher. Allow yourself at least an hour preparation time and up to four hours for the actual baking. Using a meat thermometer is always wise and usually the best way to know whether or not the meat has reached the right temperature. Vegetable Variations Most likely there was an abundance of green bean casseroles and maybe a bowl of mashed potatoes or two at your last family get-together. So why not try something a little different? You can still serve a green vegetable -- only this time choose broccoli. For all of the spud lovers, try serving our stuffed sweet potatoes. Since your oven will be busy baking ham, try cooking these potatoes in the microwave. You will have to put them in the oven to achieve the end result -- but only for few minutes. Consider doing this after the ham has been removed and while you are warming the rolls or bread. Seasonal Sweets You can smother your cran-orange basted ham in this Spiced Cranberries recipe or just serve in its own natural juices. For the grand finale of your delightful dinner try one of these two rich desserts guaranteed to get a request for recipes. This would be the ultimate compliment for the cook who not only takes pride in a well-cooked meal, but one that also has been carefully planned.