Plan Ahead - This is key!  Take advantage of items you can cross off of your to do list well in advance of your guests arrival.  Some chores such as ironing the table linens, deciding on the center pieces, and setting the menu, can be done days before the gathering.  This will reduce your work load the day of the party and allow you to focus on important, last minute preparations with out being stressed.

Keep it simple - When planning the menu, don’t get ahead of yourself.  This is probably not the best time to prepare that new dish you’ve wanted to try for a while.  Instead, it’s best to go with a meal that you are comfortable with and have cooked many times.   Also, don’t try to serve too many different things.  Choose a good base menu and stick to it.  If you want to branch out and experiment, the safest place to do that is with the appetizers.  Remember, if there are food items you can prepare ahead of time, even if it just means chopping up the veggies and mixing a few ingredients, go ahead and get that out of the way!  You won’t regret it.

Make your guests feel comfortable - Even if it means simply remembering to bump the air conditioner down a few degrees before everyone arrives, one of the most important jobs of a hostess is to make her guests feel comfortable and at ease.  Show them that you are excited they’ve come and don’t let on to how much work you have done to prepare for their visit.  As hostess, it’s also very important to make good introductions between your guests.  Offering names and things the other guests have in common will lead to good conversation, leaving you the opportunity to float around the room instead of getting stuck with one group of guests.  Another tip for encouraging your guests to mix and mingle is to use place cards around the table.  With a gathering of ten or more guests, it’s nice to place people next to each other who you know will get along, but not necessarily by their best friend or husband.  After all, the better your friends get to know each other, the easier the next gathering will be when they meet again.

Déjà vu? -  Now, some may think this is silly, but if you entertain often, it’s smart to keep track of what meals you have served your guests.  Even though you make a mean meat loaf, you don’t want the Johnson’s to think that’s the only thing you know how to cook!  If you have a reoccurring “date” with a specific group of guests, try to change the menu around from visit to visit.

Enjoy yourself! -  As the hostess, it’s easy to get caught up in the preparations, the work and the need to “entertain,” but it’s important to allow yourself the opportunity to sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor.  I always try to have everything ready, including myself, one hour before start time.  This allows me to mentally unwind and prepare myself to enjoy my guests and the event.  After all, as the hostess, you set the tone for the gathering and if you are comfortable and relaxed, your guests should find it easy to follow suit.