Sustenance is fine, sure, but really, what is the point of food if not to bring people together?

In their new cookbook, Gatherings, celebrated food writers Jan Scott and Julie Van Rosendaal share great recipes and tips for all kinds of events big and small for which friends and family gather around a table—weekend brunches, kids' birthdays, cocktail parties, book clubs, beer tastings and more. Including the December holidays, of course, the month kicking off today and beginning the mad dash through it all.

But don't just be dashing—remember also to savour and enjoy. And to help you out with that, we're pleased to feature great advice from Scott and Van Rosendaal on hosting a successful open house, and a recipe for their "Cheesy Christmas Tree," an idea so brilliant and simple that you'll wonder why you didn't think of it first. 

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Hosting a Successful Open House 

• Avoid cooking during an open house; with guests coming and going at different times you want to be free from the kitchen so you can greet them appropriately.

• This should be the easiest type of gathering you host; keep self-serve in mind when it comes to planning the menu.

• If serving hot foods, prepare them so they can be heated in batches, with a constant rotation of warm foods at the ready.

• Mostly offer foods that do well at room temperature and require nothing more than a quick refresh and replenish.

• Avoid the need for utensils whenever possible. Fingers and cocktail napkins are all that should be required.

• Keep decorating to a minimum and focus on one key area, like the buffet table and bar.

• Embrace the use of disposable plates, cutlery and napkins.

• If you’re hosting an evening event, don’t forget to offer decaf coffee to your guests in addition to a regular variety.

• Empty your coat closet, leaving it free for your friends to hang their jackets themselves. If you don’t have the space, store the jackets in another room and direct guests to where they can find their coats themselves.

• Make sure the second wave of visitors doesn’t arrive to empty platters and warm punch; do a quick glance around the room every hour or so, bulking up the food, tidying the buffet, refilling the punch bowl and tossing crumbled cocktail napkins away.

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Cheesy Christmas Tree

Pass on the customary cheese tray and build your own cheesy Christmas tree instead. The tree can be assembled at least one day in advance of serving. To store, cover loosely with paper towel and wrap in plastic wrap. Feel free to use any variety of cheeses you like, alternating the flavours in each row.

3 or 4 different cheeses, cut into assorted 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes

green grapes on vine

red grapes on vine

3 or 4 sprigs of rosemary

1 pretzel rod

1 slice cheddar cheese (for topper)

snowflake or star cookie cutter

Arrange your cheese cubes into a triangular tree shape, breaking up the different varieties of cheese with a bunch of grapes and a sprig (or two) of rosemary.

Snap the pretzel rod in half and make a tree trunk using the pieces. Using a star or snowflake-shaped cookie cutter, cut a cheese tree topper from the single piece of cheddar cheese and place at the top of the tree.

Serve with assorted shaped and flavoured crackers.

Serves as many as needed.

Images and Text from Gatherings: Bringing People Together With Food by Jan Scott and Julie Van Rosendaal, 2014 Whitecap Books. Excerpted with permission of the publisher.