Entertaining in a small home, apartment, condo or loft may seem like a challenge, but there are many advantages to throwing a party in a home with limited space. Often with a minimum of adjustments, limited space can be made an ideal place for a party.

One advantage of throwing a party in a smaller space is that you don’t have to spend time and money to fill up empty spaces to achieve a cozy atmosphere. A smaller room can often be easily transformed into the perfect place in which to welcome friends, provide something to sip and nosh on, and create an environment for good conversation. You just have to make the most of the space you have.

Seating is always an important consideration. You could simply move the furniture against the walls and add a few chairs, but rearranging to create a couple of different areas is more realistic, as there tends to be a natural split into two groups when there is more than 6 or 8 people in attendance.

Be creative when it comes to putting out food and drink. In addition to the coffee and end tables, use whatever surfaces you have available; television set, desk, plant stands, etc., by covering them with a festive piece of cloth. As long as they are flat, they are ideal for finger food.

Another way of making the most of the space you have is to make use of the bedroom. Move the bed against the wall and add some throw cushions and a chair or two to create an intimate nook for those who want to have a more private conversation. Just be sure to encourage movement so everyone gets a chance to meet each other.

More Tips:

• Adding extra seating can be as simple as putting some large pillows from the sofa on the floor and cover them with a blanket or duvet.
• If using electronic equipment like the TV set as a table for food, remember that drinks will also end up there. Protect equipment from spills by putting a sheet of plastic under your festive cloth covering.
• Keep music soft. Small spaces can be overpowered by tunes that are too loud. Kills conversation, too.

The holiday season can be filled with opportunities to meet family, friends and coworkers and be part of parties where we may not necessarily know many of the other attendees. While it’s nice to catch up on what’s been going on in someone’s life and to hear how their family is doing, parties can also be a scary place for many, one filled with awkward situations and feelings of inadequacy at not knowing what to say.

If this sounds like you, it’s important to realize you are not alone – not by a long shot! The majority of people feel less than comfortable in these situations. It’s also important to realize that being able to overcome your fear and come up with a process that has you feeling more comfortable at parties will not only reduce your stress level, but possibly open up new avenues at work, because being comfortable in groups can also be beneficial to a professional career.

Try these suggestions:

Don’t be silent - Silence isn’t golden at parties. Initiate conversation with some tried and true subject like the weather, news headlines, workplace changes, family happenings or sports.

Hit the refreshment table - There are always people milling around food and drink. Plus having something to hold onto can make you feel more comfortable. Talk about how lovely the table looks, how spicy that salsa dip is, how festive the punch tastes.

Remember names - Concentrate on names when people are being introduced. Then try to use that person’s name soon afterward to help you make it stick, with something like, "So Tom, do you work with Bill or Grace?"

Forget names? - If you do forget, don’t worry. Forgetting names of people you haven't met before or haven't seen in a while isn’t unusual, so don’t hesitate to simply ask if you don’t know – either the person themselves or someone else at the party.

Ask questions and listen to the response - Sounds rather obvious, but paying close attention to people’s answers to questions can provide you with other questions, like asking them to expand on what it is they do for a living.

Come prepared - Reading over some funny stories or anecdotes before the party can help if conversation is particularly difficult. Find out who else will be attending so you can get a heads up on names and possible conversation topics.

Can’t Stay Long - If you simply must attend a party you would rather miss (boss said he expects to see everyone there), come prepared to leave. Have another place to go at a specific time, fictitious or real, and let the host know when you arrive that you regrettably won’t be able to stay long.

If you have a particularly long list of gifts to buy this holiday season, plan to buy them one at a time. No, I’m not crazy. It actually works. Read on …

Going shopping for many gifts at once can be a lot of fun, unless you don’t have the time. That is when buying just one at a time makes sense. But to be clear, this doesn’t mean buying only one gift on each shopping excursion. It’s about focusing on one gift at a time until you can cross that one off your list. Then move on to the next one.

This approach allows you to enjoy the time more, find a more personal gift and feel less stress. Plus, you often find that while you are focusing on that one specific gift, you spot something ideal for someone further down your list.

We may be dreaming of a white Christmas, but the holiday season is also one filled with opportunities to be ‘green’ – as in eco-friendly. Consider the following when buying gifts, decorating, traveling, and entertaining:

• Christmas tree farms absorb greenhouse gases that would otherwise harm the environment and add to global warming. Consider a real tree this year.
• Instead of store-bought ribbons and bows, use natural things like holly berries, pine cones, evergreen bough tips, dried flowers, vines, etc. to add some flare to gifts.
• LED Holiday Lighting uses up to 95 per cent less energy.
• Ceiling fans are designed to push warm air down in the winter. Switch directions is you haven’t already.
• Save the paper and ribbons from the gifts you receive this year for use on presents you give next year.
• When warming up your vehicle, avoid excessive idling - 30 seconds of idling on winter days is all that is needed for today’s engines.
• Buy gifts that do not have unnecessary packaging.
• Instead of wrapping paper, use fabric gift bags that can be used over and over again.
• Try to avoid using disposable dishes for holiday meals but if you must, choose paper over plastic.
• Recycle all recyclable materials you possibly can.

Make-Ahead Seasonal Cookies
My hectic holiday schedule is starting already and I know it’s only going to get busier. Like most of you, our time is at a premium. So I try to get as much done ahead of time as possible, like making holiday goodies. Thankfully, most of our favourites can be made ahead of time. This site has lots of different recipes.

Road Conditions in Canada
Travel and the Holiday season go hand-in-hand for many of us. And I hate to be late. So I always check the road conditions and adjust expected travel time accordingly, especially for longer trips. Weather can change drastically over a relatively short distance. Check out this Government of Canada site - it provides updated conditions and lets me decide when we have to leave to arrive on time and safely.

Alone for the Holidays?
The holiday season can be rather lonely for people without someone to share the joys of the season. I found this site and sent it over to a girlfriend who is recently separated and is already feeling down about Christmas. I know she isn’t looking forward to some of the traditions that brought her so much joy in past years. But this site has some common sense ways to reduce the stress of being alone at this time of year.

Holiday Crafts for the Kids
I find the times I spend around the table with the kids doing crafts for the holidays very memorable – sometimes more than the holidays themselves. We put on some festive music and warm some cider to sip on while we craft. It’s a tradition in our home. The crafts may get more intricate as the kids get older, but it’s the time together that matters. This site has some neat ideas for all ages.

"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

~ John Lennon

Sneaker Builder
Eddie, age 7, says, “You just pick from different things to make your sneaker. It’s really easy. Eric built some Reeboks. I like Adidas better. His are green, but I chose purple for the Lakers – my favourite team.”

Yucky Poems
Marnie, age 11, says, “There are all kinds of funny poems on this site that will make you giggle. They are all about yucky things. I like the one called ‘I’d Rather’, because we have a cat, too.”

TG Motocross 3
Rob, age 11, says, “This motocross guy falls off a lot until you get the hang of it, but when you do, it is so much fun! I really like the way he bounces when he lands. Remember to use the other buttons, not just the accelerator."

Spiders
Nicolina, age 9, says, “We had to choose an animal to do a project on and I chose spiders because I like them. People think it’s weird for a girl to like spiders, but I don’t think they’re creepy. I think they are neat. And there are so many kinds. This site has lots of information about spiders.”

Late fall is an excellent time for a garden tool tune-up. Start by cleaning them well, scrubbing off ALL the dirt and grime. Once cleaned, inspect your tools closely for anything that needs attention.

Tuning them up consists of sharpening blades, sanding off nicks, scratches, splinters and rust, tightening loose handles, screws and bolts, and oiling or greasing moving parts.

Once your tools are tuned up, protect them from the elements - give all metal surfaces a coat of light oil and rub some floor wax or similar into wooden handles.

Good as new.

There is a simple approach to safe driving that is especially applicable at this time of year. When roads turn slippery from rain or snow, avoid sudden movements. Sudden braking, accelerating or turning is a sure fire way to start a skid.

The first step is making sure you know your route or have someone focused on navigating for you. On the road, keep well back of other vehicles, enter turns slowly and accelerate only as quickly as conditions allow.

Like the old bumper stickers used to say, "Drive to arrive alive!"

"If the English language made any sense, a catastrophe would be an apostrophe with fur." ~ Doug Larson

"Don't be so humble - you are not that great." ~ Golda Meir 

"I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book." ~ Groucho Marx

"The only thing standing between me and total happiness is reality." ~ Douglas Porter