The No. 1 Holiday Hosting Trick Giada De Laurentiis Wants Every Host to Use

The holidays come with all the warmth of shared plates, good laughs, and inevitable chaos. Before you know it, you’re juggling platters, timing desserts, and missing the conversations you worked so hard to set up. Enter Giada De Laurentiis, chef, author, and longtime culinary personality, who has a deceptively simple trick to make holiday entertaining both easier and more joyful. You might expect a complicated schedule, a mise en place that rivals a restaurant kitchen, or a tall stack of themed menu cards. Instead, it’s a piece of hosting wisdom that’s as practical as it is effective, the kind that actually works in real life.

Ask Guests to Contribute, But Be Specific

Here it is, straight from Giada’s holiday playbook: invite guests to bring a dish, and tell them exactly what to make. On the surface, that doesn’t sound revolutionary. Potlucks are as old as holiday feasting itself. But most hosts have been there: someone shows up with something unexpected, someone else brings a duplicate side, and suddenly you’re swimming in five versions of cranberry sauce and no green vegetable. Instead of that, Giada suggests being intentional with the ask.

That means reaching out with a clear request, for example: “Can you bring your amazing roasted Brussels sprouts?”, or assigning a category (“appetizer,” “bread,” “dessert”) and offering a couple of suggestions. When people know what’s expected, they’re more likely to come through with something helpful to you and delicious for the table.

Why It Works (Way Better Than a Generic Potluck)

This one tweak is a game-changer because it solves two classic holiday hosting pain points:

1. It lightens your kitchen load.

You get to spread out prep without sacrificing quality or variety. Instead of shouldering every dish yourself, you’ve thoughtfully recruited help that enhances your menu, not complicates it.

2. It avoids duplication and confusion.

Clear instructions steer guests toward contributions that actually fill gaps. You end up with a balanced spread — not four identical appetizers and no stuffing.

How to Ask Without Being Pushy (Giada-Style)

If you’re not used to assigning dishes, this might feel slightly awkward. But think of it as hosting orchestration rather than delegation. Here’s how to do it in a friendly, graceful way:

1. Name the category: “Would you mind bringing a salad?”
2. Offer two clear options: “Maybe your kale Caesar or that spinach-pear one?”
3. Match dishes to skills: If someone bakes often, a pie or brioche feels natural. If another swears by sides, ask for their best green beans.
4. Reassure them it’s casual: A gentle line like “whatever works best for you” keeps it relaxed.

With this approach, people don’t feel burdened — they feel invited into the meal. And here’s the best part: you actually get to relax. Instead of disappearing into the kitchen while your guests laugh in the living room, you’re present. You’re part of the moment you worked so hard to create.