Hosting Christmas Dinner on a Budget

Hosting family for the holidays is both fun and stressful. Many people underestimate how much time, effort and money it takes to prepare for guests. That’s why we’re here to help with some budget-friendly ways you can host a Christmas dinner that is sure to impress your guests. 

Cooking 

If you’ll be doing most of the cooking, you’ll need to have your cookware ready to go. If you don’t have things like pie or casserole dishes, Goodwill has a wide selection of gently used cookware. Here are some of the cooking things you might find: 

• Pie dish
• Casserole dish
• Cooking utensils
• Pots
• Specialty appliances like air fryers and crock pots

Setting the Table 

Creating a beautiful tablescape will set the mood for dinner. Remember how lovely your mom’s table looked every year when she hosted Christmas dinner? Now it’s your turn, but if you don’t have a collection of tableware, you may need to purchase some new items. If you’ll be hosting a formal dinner, placemats and cloth napkins are a nice touch. Holidays are also an opportunity to create centerpieces. Look for some of these things at Goodwill when shopping for everything you need to set the table: 

• Placemats
• Plates
• Utensils
• Glasses
• Napkins
• Table Runner
• Candlesticks
• Flower Vase
• Extra Dining Chairs

Hosting Overnight Guests

For those who have family members driving or flying into town, you may need to open up a room in your house for them to stay the night. If your guest room is in need of a makeover, you may need some linens and other items to make sure your room is fit for guests. A new duvet cover or bed skirt can make a big difference! If you need small pieces of furniture, like bedside tables or a chest of drawers, Goodwill is a great place to look. Here are some things you may find at Goodwill for a guest room makeover: 

• Duvet Cover
• Bed Skirt
• Small Dresser
• Side Table
• Flower Vase
• Wall Art

Goodwill has everything you need for hosting Christmas dinner on a budget. From cooking dinner to setting the table and getting the house ready for guests, you don’t need to spend a lot of money to host a family Christmas at your home. Find Goodwill near you and start shopping today!