TL;DR
Get pool and patio gear delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
In an interview with Veranda, Martha Stewart outlined five habits she returns to when hosting holiday gatherings: cleaning and polishing her home, keeping fireplace wood ready, making eggnog, bringing in houseplants and giving guests homemade food to take home. The advice is her personal routine, not a set of requirements for hosts, and the report does not specify when the interview was conducted.
Martha Stewart has shared five holiday-hosting rituals she says she returns to for her own parties, including preparing a clean home, keeping fireplace wood ready, serving eggnog, adding houseplants and sending guests home with a homemade treat. The tips appeared in a Veranda report on her approach to entertaining, offering readers a practical look at the preparations she considers part of a welcoming gathering.
Stewart told Veranda that her preparation starts with getting the house in order. She said she makes sure it is “in very nice shape and sparkling clean,” and described polishing silver and brass as part of the work. Her list goes beyond basic cleaning: those details are also a way to have household items ready when guests arrive.
Her second ritual is preparing a fireplace, where one is available. Stewart said she stocks dry firewood so she can light a fire when friends or out-of-town guests arrive. For the food and drink, she named her Christmas eggnog as a party staple, describing it as a recipe that makes a large batch and is popular with guests. The version she described uses a dozen eggs, baking spices and whipped cream, with bourbon, dark rum and cognac as optional additions.
Stewart also recommends bringing greenery indoors during winter. She said houseplants help make a home feel happy; possible holiday decorations include paperwhites, amaryllis and poinsettias. Her final ritual is offering guests a homemade edible favor, such as cookies, candy or cake to take home. These are Stewart’s personal hosting habits as recounted to Veranda, rather than rules she says every host must follow.
Five Rituals Behind Stewart’s Hosting
The list translates a celebrity host’s familiar entertaining style into specific preparations readers can adapt to their own gatherings. It ranges from advance housework to a small gesture at the end of a party, rather than focusing only on menus or decorations. That makes the report useful as a practical checklist, while leaving room for hosts to choose which ideas suit their homes, budgets and guests.
Stewart’s account also emphasizes preparation for unexpected company: dry wood and a clean, ready home make it easier for her to welcome visitors. Her eggnog and take-home treats show how a signature recipe or favor can give a gathering a personal touch. The recommendations remain subjective; the article does not claim that these practices are necessary for a successful holiday event.
Products Worth Considering
Husqvarna 130L Gas String Trimmer, 18-Inch
Greenworks 40V 12-Inch Cordless Chainsaw with 2.0Ah Battery and Charger
Husqvarna Automower 550 Commercial Robotic Lawn Mower
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
What Stewart Told Veranda
The report, published by Veranda ahead of the holiday season, framed Stewart’s comments as advice drawn from the routines and recipes she uses year after year. It covered more than the five rituals, including her eggnog recipe and suggestions for making guests feel welcome at gatherings ranging from intimate dinners to larger parties. The supplied report does not give a date for the interview.
Veranda also noted that Stewart had recently partnered with Miracle-Gro as the company’s chief gardening officer. That detail provides context for her comments about houseplants and winter displays, but the five hosting suggestions are presented as her own advice. No independent evidence or broader survey is offered to establish how widely other hosts use the same practices.
“There’s a lot going on, so I just make sure that my house is in very nice shape and sparkling clean.”
— Martha Stewart, speaking to Veranda
Details the Report Leaves Open
The Veranda report does not state when the interview took place or provide a date for publication in the supplied material. It also does not include the full eggnog recipe, exact preparation instructions or serving-size details, so readers should not treat the description as a complete recipe. Stewart’s comments represent her personal preferences; the report does not test the tips or establish that they are required for hosting.
The article mentions alcohol in the eggnog and says Stewart suggests limiting guests to one glass or reducing the liquor when guests are especially thirsty. It does not provide additional guidance about alcohol service or identify a specific recipe variation as the one she serves at every event. The houseplant examples are seasonal suggestions, not a list of plants suitable for every household.
How Hosts Can Use the Ideas
Veranda’s piece offers the five practices as inspiration for the coming holiday season; it does not announce a later event, product launch or follow-up from Stewart. Readers interested in making the eggnog will need the full recipe and its instructions rather than relying only on the summary of ingredients. Hosts can also adapt the broader ideas—tidying ahead, preparing a welcoming room and sending guests home with a small treat—to their own plans.
For gatherings where alcohol is served, hosts should make their own decisions about portions and offer nonalcoholic options. The source’s specific suggestion is to limit the eggnog to one glass per guest or cut back the liquor. No further schedule or next development is given in the report.
Key Questions
What are Martha Stewart’s five holiday-hosting nonnegotiables?
As she told Veranda, they are cleaning and preparing her home, keeping dry fireplace wood ready, making eggnog, bringing houseplants or seasonal greenery indoors, and giving guests a homemade food favor to take home.
What does Stewart put in her holiday eggnog?
The report describes a large-batch recipe with a dozen eggs, baking spices and fresh whipped cream. Bourbon, dark rum and cognac are optional additions; the supplied article does not give the full recipe or quantities for each ingredient.
What homemade favors does Stewart recommend?
She mentioned a special cookie or candy, as well as a loaf cake or a large slice of something delicious, for guests to take home.
Does Stewart say every host needs to follow these practices?
No. The report presents them as Stewart’s personal routines for her own holiday parties, not as requirements for all hosts.
Source: veranda.com
