Hosting a Holiday Gathering With Vacasa
Thank you Vacasa for sponsoring this post. Find your Vacasa home for the Holidays today!
It’s the busiest time of year.
So, why plan a trip away you ask? Because I’m a firm believer that it helps you slow down and savor the season. Whether you’re going near or far, somewhere warm and sunny or snowy and festive, it provides an opportunity to step away from your to-do list and routine and actually embrace what this time of year is all about. It’s also a great way spend quality time with friends and family. And maybe even make some new traditions {like a family vacation away} while you’re at it.
If you’re a long time reader than I’m sure you know I’m a firm believer in staying in a vacation home no matter what time of year it is. However, I find it especially helpful during the holiday season. Renting a home allows you to travel with more people {i.e. friends and family} more comfortably, not to mention the ability to cook and do laundry. It’s also a fun way switch up the scenery when entertaining, especially around the holidays. And don’t worry, hosting a gathering in a vacation home isn’t nearly as hard as it sounds.
While we were recently in Maui, we decided to host a little dinner at our Vacasa home rental. It came together so easily, and it was such a fun way to embrace local flavors in the comfort of our home all while taking in one of the best table side views you can get on the island {aka the view of the water and Molokai right from our lanai}.
Below, I’m sharing more about our Maui dinner + a few tips on how to make hosting a gathering in a vacation home easy peezy breezy-
Embrace local flavors + elements //
When putting together your menu, think about the food and culture of where you’re staying. Not only will it add a unique, local aspect to your gathering, it will also help make it easier to find certain things. For example, in Maui, we decided to do a DIY poke bar for our dinner. Poke is plentiful and easy to find, even at the local grocery stores, so I knew I wouldn’t have to worry about finding what I was serving for dinner. Additionally, I relied on the many fruit stands and tropical flowers for an easy, and very Hawaiian, centerpiece for our table.
Enlist help //
Get friends and family involved! Cooking, hosting and entertaining doesn’t have to all fall on one person {aka you the host}. Not only does it help get food prepared faster, it’s also a fun activity for everyone to be involved in and bond over. Maybe you all make a fresh pasta and tomato sauce dinner, maybe everyone is involved in assembling a casserole or a big pot of soup and salad on the side, or, in our case in Maui, I enlisted Dave’s help with cocktail duty {after all that his is specialty} as well as chopping the some of the toppings for our DIY Poke Bar.
Lean on neighborhood favorites //
Whenever you throw a gathering, you want to keep it as easy as possible so that YOU can actually enjoy it and hang out with your guests/family/friends. One way to ensure this happens is to lean on local spots for a little assistance with pre-made items, like appetizers or desserts. Not only does this mean less time cooking, but it also allows everyone to try some local cuisine right from the comfort of your own vacation home. In Maui, we went to the infamous Leoda’s Kitchen & Pie Shop to pick up the pie portion of our meal. The shop is well-known for their pies, so I knew it would be a great way to try a local favorite while also saving me from making dessert.
Select the right home base //
We rented our Maui home through Vacasa, North America’s largest vacation rental management platform {they manage over 23,000 vacation rentals across 31 U.S. states and 17 international countries}, and our experience was superior to any home rental experience we’ve ever had in the past. Vacasa really goes above and beyond to give you more than just a vacation rental.
While I was sharing stories from our trip over on my Instagram, I received a few questions about Vacasa, what it is, how exactly it works and how it differs from other vacation rental services, so I wanted to shed some light on the topic from my personal experience. One of the things I really appreciated was how communicative the team was. From e-mails to notifications to the online trip manager, the care team is available 24/7 to assist you with anything you need. It’s also incredibly nice knowing you have a local property manager to assist you where you are should the need arise. I also appreciate how easy and streamlined the whole home rental process is, from viewing listings and booking a property to getting early check-in and late check-out to accessing the homes {there’s either a smart lock or lock box, so you can get straight into your home when your arrive…no waiting to check-in or meeting someone to get keys}. Another great feature is the 3D virtual tours, so you know exactly what each place looks like and what a home looks like before you even arrive. Lastly, it ‘s so nice knowing that each proper ty is professionally cleaned and stocked with towels, paper goods and cleaning supplies, so all that you have to do is show up with your luggage. It’s all these details and touches that make you know you can count on Vacasa to make your vacation home rental, holiday getaways and holiday season less stressful and more fun.
Pick a theme //
Sticking to a theme keeps things streamlined and helps you entertain with ease, especially if you’re traveling. For this particular dinner our theme was all local things that started with the letter ‘P’, so that meant our menu consisted of poke, pies and POG {pineapple, orange and guava} juice cocktails.
KEEP THE MENU SIMPLE //
Just because it’s the holidays or you’re entertaining doesn’t mean the menu needs to be complicated. Turn to simple recipes, one-pot meals, pre-made elements or dishes that become an activity and get everyone involved, like a taco or poke bowl bar. I love a good crudite situation or a giant cheeseboard because they require little cooking or prep and are always crowd pleasers. Another option is buying pre-made pizza dough, setting up a bunch of toppings and getting everyone involved in pizza making, or skip the pizza making altogether, order it in and let the homemade element be a delicious salad.
Our poke bar in Hawaii is another example of a simple menu. We picked up the poke already made, then simply had to cook the rice and chop up some of the toppings, like the macadamia nuts, green onions, pineapple and avocado.
TAKE TIME TO RELAX //
After all, that’s why you went away right? Don’t get too caught up in the entertaining to forget to unwind and relax. Many vacation homes come with amenities such as fireplaces, pools, hot tubs or beach access to help you do just that. Our Vacasa in Maui not only had a great lanai to sit on and enjoy the views, we also had pool to enjoy and beach access right out front for morning and evening walks or a quick dip in the ocean.
