The Neil Patrick Harris Guide to Becoming the Ultimate Holiday Host

Your Fit

When it comes to a cocktail party ensemble — particularly an ensemble for a cocktail party you are hosting — don’t be afraid to church it up a little bit. Again, this year in particular has an especially elevated air of festivity, and you shouldn’t be afraid to let that be reflected in an elevated, elegant fit. So bust out that showstopping dinner jacket you’ve been saving for a special occasion, throw a turtleneck underneath to keep ‘em guessing, then round it out with a left-of-center footwear choice (like a velvet mule) to really keep ‘em guessing.

Your Drink

It is a cocktail party, after all, so cocktails should ideally be (at least part of) what you serve. But no host wants to spend the night mixing drinks up individually. Your solution: a large-format craft cocktail that can be batched ahead of time and then set out in the appropriate vessel for guests to pour at their leisure. Place the garnishes nearby, and bear in mind that a printed recipe card to let revelers know exactly what they are imbibing is always a nice touch. 

Your Tunes

Another thing a savvy host wants to avoid doing all night: futzing with the stereo. Thus it behooves you to craft a quality playlist that’ll keep things festive but not overpower the conversation and conviviality — ideally a playlist that can run uninterrupted the entire evening. Or you can just, you know, use this jazzy one right here.

And in the event you need something for that jazzy playlist to come out of…

Your Bites

If you’re one of those folks who likes to have a properly catered affair, more power to you. If you’re one of those folks who doesn’t mind spending your whole day in the kitchen prepping food for a party, same deal. However, if you’re neither and you still want to have delectable bites on hand, it bears noting that Neiman Marcus has all sorts of gourmet snackable treats that can be delivered straight to your door, and then strategically placed around the party for your guests with zero hassle.

Your Fit

For a dinner party, you’re looking to hit that sweet spot right in the center of the style/comfort Venn diagram. No one wants to feel overly stuffy when the whole goal of the evening is to stuff oneself, but you also want to set the tone for an elevated affair. A luxe sweater with some pattern and/or texture paired with a solid pair of trousers does the trick nicely, especially when you complete the look with some dashing footwear like a leather Chelsea boot.

Your Decor

In terms of setting a holiday table, the hack comes down to one word: gold. It’s elegant, festive, picks up the lighting well, and, most of all, it’s versatile — i.e., it works for just about any type of holiday celebration and also plays well with whatever pops of color you choose to throw into the mix. Now, we’re not saying that your flatware needs to be filigreed, but … can’t hurt?

Your Food

When you’re hosting the holiday dinner, an inventive twist on traditional favorites goes a long way toward making your affair the one everybody will rave about later on. Thus we tapped Neil’s husband — chef, cookbook author and host extraordinaire David Burtka — for his triple-threat stuffed baked potato recipe. Filled with the holiday trifecta of mashed potatoes, savory stuffing and mashed sweet potatoes, these are sure to have your guests calling for the recipe the next day (whether or not you want to share it is up to you).

Twice-Baked Spuds With Three Different Holiday Fillings

Your Trick

Once the meal is finished, it’s time to delight your assembled guests with a bit of the old razzle dazzle — in other words, a dinner party trick. Below you’ll find one that requires naught but a tea light, a plate, a bit of wine and the everpresent laws of physics.

Your Fit

The goal here is cozy comfort, but some whimsy can absolutely be inserted into the mix — subbing out your typical sweats for a colorful pajama/robe combo keeps the proceedings fun and festive, and costs you nothing in terms of lounge-ability.

Your Space

Again, cozy comfort is the name of the game. In terms of dialing up your space on that front, you can do no better than a cashmere blanket or two. And if you’re going to ensconce yourself in the world’s most luxurious fabric, might we suggest that you do so with a cup of gourmet hot cocoa made from a melted chocolate snowman in your hand?

Your Brunch

The family snow day is about togetherness, so no need to spend all morning in the kitchen. Instead, opt for something both delectable and easy — Neiman Marcus’s Classic Popovers with strawberry butter are known the world over, and can be ordered fresh right to your door. You’ll like them so much you may want to grab a popover pan of your own to fold the recipe into your regular breakfast routine.

Your Activities

The natural temptation after a family breakfast is for everyone to go back to staring at their respective screens of choice. Instead, use this as an opportunity to break out a game or activity that you can all do together — whether it’s a card game, backgammon, puzzle or a good old-fashioned marshmallow-pop-painting session, this is the kind of stuff that everyone will remember fondly for years to come. Certainly more than they will a game of Candy Crush or an episode of Squid Game.