I hope that all of you had a terrific Thanksgiving!

I had a really wonderful time. Stephen, my parents, Baloo and I went to my Wanda’s house for dinner. It was a nice mix of different ages and differing political opinions. Discussions were serious – we were all thankful my cousin Christian, Wanda’s younger brother, had recently returned safely from serving in Iraq – but the atmosphere was so comfortable and familial. We sat around the table and talked for 3 or 4 hours after dinner. Then we watched a few movies – Wanda recently converted her attic into a cozy and den-like home theater – and took the compulsory after dinner nap.

As a result of spending this unexpectedly high-quality time with my family, I started thinking about ways to make every holiday party more meaningful and memorable. Here are some of the things that made my Thanksgiving a fun, stress-free hit, converted to holiday party tips. Enjoy! And let me know if you have anything to add, as always.

Get some holiday music, make some holiday smells, incorporate traditional décor- Supposedly smell is the sense most closely connected with memory. Use evergreens, peppermint, mulled cider, cinnamon – bake a couple of cookies, even if it’s just for the fragrance. Use your guests’ noses to invoke the parties of holidays-past, and put everyone in a festive mood. Ask guests to bring their favorite holiday music, and deck your halls with at least a few boughs of holly.

Bring photos- You know what they say about a thousand words – pictures give you a ton of good material for stories. They are a great way to break the ice, catch-up, spark unexpected but meaningful conversation, and create new memories.

BYOF. Bring Your Own Food- Whenever possible bring something that you’ve made yourself to your next gathering, and encourage your guests to do the same. Regardless of how it may bug us at times, family, in all of its endless incarnations, is by far the most important thing in the world to most us. There is a naturally uplifting, satisfaction that comes from sharing with our family. Whether your experiment with holiday food ends-up a mess or a success, either way it makes for colorful memories. And holiday traditions can become overwhelming to organize and prepare; dividing food duty keeps the holiday magic going, without causing any nervous break-downs in the kitchen.

Throw a Tasting Party- Not going for a sit-down meal at your next seasonal event? Tasting parties are a great idea for holiday shindigs. Get a few varieties of the same tasty kind-of thing, and allow your guests to snack and sample, ideally providing a bit of information about your selections on the way. Don’t limit yourself to wine and cheese – if you love chocolate, you’ll love a chocolate tasting. Or for a real holiday feel, sample cocoas, cookies, or even eggnogs. But even if you don’t opt for the popular wine or cheese, all this tasting can get pricey, so get all the above benefits by organizing a bring-your-own tasting party. If you ask each guest to prepare a little information on their selection, or recipe, you’ll also be providing a convenient holiday ice-breaker. For great tasting party tips, check out this comprehensive resource: Tasting Club by Dina Cheney.

Bring Pets- If you’ve got ‘em, and they are at least moderately well behaved, flaunt ‘em. Pets can bring out the best in everyone, and provide an easy conversation topic for all ages. Sneaking Baloo some tasty scraps has proved a surprising popular pastime for my entire family.

Learn how to use the self timer on your camera- Everybody loves to use the self timer. It’s exciting. Especially after a couple of cocktails.

Bring a Story- Think of one good joke or funny story for each party you attend. Bringing a thoughtful gift, or the right bottle of wine can be wonderful, but everyone will remember the smiles you bring longer. Having a couple of fun anecdotes in mind will help you and those around you relax and enjoy. If your bringing kids to the party encourage them to do the same, help them find their own jokes and stories. Holidays should be a time when everyone gets a chance to speak, after all.

Be A Little Cheesy- A little cheesiness can go a long way during the holidays. Dance, sing, play games, hang mistle toe, frost cookies, light candles. Feel free ask your guests or other partiers those time-honored holiday questions. Leave knowing what makes them thankful, what their New Years Resolutions are, what special goodies their grandparents cooked for the holidays, and what carols everyone likes best. Adults love the opportunity to share about themselves in this way, and children love the opportunity to participate in “adult” conversations. And though you may feel cheesy addressing things like this in a social setting, many of our holiday traditions were based on thinking of others. Talking about holiday traditions gets us thinking about those who aren’t as fortunate, and encourages us all to give back to our communities.

Help- Often, holiday parties are before the actual holidays. Why not ask guests to bring cans for local food drives, or toys for local children’s charities? Even you only have a few guests, you’ll make a big difference to at least one family or child on a special day.