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Family, friends, good vibes and great food make for the perfect holiday celebrations. The latter is likely the component you have the most control over, so if you are hosting a get together where a large holiday meal is on tap, here are 10 items that will help you tackle it with ease. Head into your cooking and hosting duties prepared with everything from serving utensils and tablecloths to deep fryers and crock pots.

Hot chocolate

Here’s a sure-fire hit to get your holiday party started. If you live in a cool region it is bound to warm up your guests, and even in the toasty Southwest, hot chocolate around the holidays is a welcome refreshment. Plus, ground chocolate powder can also be used for baking and giving beverages like coffee an added sweet zing.

Cookie cutters

Give your party a little seasonal charm some homemade cookies in the shapes of snowflakes, reindeer, angels and candy canes amongst others. Target cutters with a 1-inch-deep cut for superior cookies and rounded edges for an easy grip.

Serving utensils

Once your meals are prepared, the last place you want is to find yourself needing to use your regular dinner spoons and forks to serve your buffet-style offerings. Stay prepared with large serving utensils including serving spoons and forks, a soup ladle and the secret weapon – the cake server.

Holiday tablecloths

Ramp up your holiday vibes with some tablecloths specific to the seasons and holidays. Spring for something made of polyester or another washable fabric to ensure that it can make annual appearances.

• Christmas – Snowman and snow-flake themed tablecloth that fits 36x60-inch to 48x72-inch table.

• Thanksgiving – Fall-themed, yarn-dyed 60x144-inch cotton/polyester tablecloth.

Serving platters

Serve your food in seasonal style with serving platters that pay tribute to the holidays.

• Christmas – 14x10-inch serving platter.

• Thanksgiving – 19-inch ceramic serving platter with a turkey and harvest theme.

Electric knife

When it comes to carving a turkey during a holiday party, you can look like a pro or you can look like a joe. Long story short, the pros use electric knives to carve their turkeys with speed and grace. Join their ranks with this corded electric carving knife that features 7-inch stainless steel blades, an ergonomic handle and a safety lock button to prevent the knife from turning on while it’s plugged in.

Crock pot

As the holiday season settles in, so do cooler temps. A delicious homemade chili or stew may win your guests over by warming them up as well. Target a crock pot with at least an 8-quart capacity that also features a digital timer which can be set for up to 20 hours.

Turkey deep fryer

If you really want to dazzle your guests, pull off one of the greatest cooking tricks of modern times – the delicious, deep-fried turkey. The first step here is to invest in a deep fryer that has the capacity to hold a turkey. A 30-quart unit should do the trick. Also, spring for a fryer that has a temperature gauge, a perforated turkey rack, and a lifting hook designed to move the turkey in and out of the fryer.