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In an interview with Veranda, Martha Stewart shared five practices she says she returns to when hosting holiday parties: cleaning and polishing her home, preparing fireplace wood, making eggnog, adding houseplants, and giving guests homemade food to take home. The account describes her personal hosting routine; it does not establish that these steps are required for every gathering.
Martha Stewart has shared five holiday hosting habits she says she returns to before and during her parties, including cleaning and polishing her home, preparing firewood, making eggnog, bringing in houseplants, and offering guests a homemade treat to take home. The advice appeared in an interview with Veranda about the rituals and recipes she uses for seasonal gatherings.
Stewart’s preparations begin with the house itself. She told Veranda she wants it in “very nice shape and sparkling clean,” and said that includes polishing silver and brass, not just cleaning bathrooms and baseboards. She also prepares the fireplaces by keeping fresh wood stacked and dry, so she can light a fire when guests arrive.
For Christmas parties, Stewart said she makes her big-batch eggnog, which she described as popular with guests and able to serve many people. The recipe referenced in the report uses a dozen eggs, baking spices, and fresh whipped cream; bourbon, dark rum, and cognac are optional additions. Because the drink can contain several spirits, Stewart advises limiting guests to one glass or using half the liquor when serving people who might want more.
The other two practices focus on atmosphere and a parting gift. Stewart recommends having houseplants to bring life into the home during winter, with options ranging from small plants to large ficus trees. She also likes to send guests home with a homemade cookie, candy, loaf cake, or slice of cake. These are her stated preferences, rather than a checklist she says every host must follow.
Five Habits Behind Stewart’s Hosting
The list gives readers a practical look at how Stewart approaches holiday entertaining beyond choosing a menu or decorating a tree. Her examples span advance preparation—cleaning, polishing, and stocking dry firewood—and small gestures intended to make guests feel welcome, such as greenery and edible favors.
The advice is also specific enough to adapt: a host without a fireplace can focus on the other preparations, while a homemade take-home treat can be simple. The eggnog guidance carries a more direct serving consideration because the recipe can include three types of liquor. Stewart’s own recommendation to limit servings or reduce the alcohol underscores that the drink is not simply a nonalcoholic seasonal punch.
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The Interview’s Holiday Advice
Veranda framed its interview around the approaching holiday season and asked Stewart about hosting rituals and recipes she returns to year after year. Its report presents five nonnegotiables, alongside her eggnog advice, for gatherings ranging from intimate dinners to larger parties with friends and family.
The article also notes Stewart’s recent partnership with Miracle-Gro as the company’s chief gardening officer. That connection is relevant to her comments about houseplants, but the supplied report does not say the five-part list is a formal partnership campaign or provide an independent assessment of the recommendations.
“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
What the Report Does Not Specify
The supplied Veranda report does not give a publication date, the full eggnog recipe, or details such as preparation quantities beyond the dozen eggs and optional spirits it mentions. It also does not say whether Stewart follows the same routine at every event or whether the list is exhaustive. The five practices are attributed to Stewart as personal habits, not presented as independently tested rules for successful hosting.
How Hosts Can Use the List
For readers planning a gathering, the immediate next step is to choose which of Stewart’s habits fit their home and event: prepare rooms and any fireplace in advance, decide whether to serve eggnog, add plants, or make a take-home treat. Anyone using the full recipe should account for its optional alcohol and follow Stewart’s one-glass suggestion or reduce the liquor as she recommends. The supplied report does not identify a follow-up announcement or scheduled next development.
Key Questions
What are Martha Stewart’s five holiday hosting habits?
She says she cleans and polishes her home, keeps firewood ready when she has a fireplace, makes eggnog for Christmas parties, brings houseplants indoors, and gives guests homemade food to take home.
What does Stewart say goes into her holiday eggnog?
The Veranda report describes a recipe with a dozen eggs, baking spices, and fresh whipped cream. It says bourbon, dark rum, and cognac are optional; it does not provide the complete recipe in the supplied material.
What does Stewart recommend about serving the eggnog?
Because the recipe can include several liquors, Stewart suggests limiting guests to one glass or cutting the liquor in half if guests are likely to want more.
What does Stewart like to give guests as a party favor?
She prefers something edible and homemade, such as a special cookie or candy, a loaf cake, or a slice of cake.
Source: veranda.com
