This time of year is the time for lists and reflection, so it seems only fitting to look back at some of the most popular Rex & Regina posts over the last year. These popular posts reflect the three main categories regularly featured on the blog: weddings, social events, and at-home entertaining.

1. First on the list is the series dedicated to Julia Child and the release of the movie, Julie & Julia. The series included my humble review of the movie, information about Julia Child’s kitchen at the Smithsonian, Julia-themed party ideas, and other Julia resources.

photo via www.foodandwine.com

2. Serving trays are entertaining essential. This next top post featured  fabulous trays for everyday entertaining.

lucite tray from Dabney Lee At Home

3. It’s always helpful to know the Do’s and Don’ts when bringing wine to a party.

"Cheers" wine gift bag, available from The Craft Pantry on Etsy

4. Napkins are a perennial topic for entertainers. This two-part series looked at eco-chic entertaining with napkins. The first post talks about the beauty and practicality of napkin rings and the second looks at just how cool cloth cocktail napkins can be.

Leontine Linens RIley Cocktail Napkins

5. Cupcakes were all the rage in 2009, but artisan chocolates were the new dark horse in sweet treats.

Fleur de Sel Chocolates from Recchiuti

6. A good host is always prepared for overnight guests and the tips in this next post provide a good checklist.

Silver Bamboo Clock from Williams-Sonoma Home

The final four popular posts on the list are all wedding-related.

7. I get a lot of questions about children at weddings — whether to invite them, how to entertain them… This post provides some helpful tips on the subject.

Photo courtesy of Karine Aigner Photography

8. Another question I regularly answer is the difference between escort and place cards — an important distinction.

Escort cards, photo courtesy of Baltazar Photography

9. Weddings are a great time to  collect wishes and advice from friends and family. This post provided some creative ways to do just that.

Wish guest book; photo courtesy of CB Photography

10. A great way to extend hospitality to your wedding guests is to offer them a gift bag upon arrival at the hotel. This post outlined the elements of the ultimate gift bag.

City Out-of-Town Totes available at Blissweddingsmarket.com

Should you opt for bringing wine (a perfectly lovely hostess gift) to one or more of the holiday parties you attend this year, there are a few things you should keep in mind:

1) Don’t expect them to serve it.

A host is not required to open a bottle that a guest brings as a gift to a party — especially if they have already gone to great lengths to pair wine to their menu. A guest should never be upset if the wine is not served right away.

I did get a chuckle out of  Lettie Teague’s column in the December issue of Food & Wine (her columns are always so fun to read), in which she says she is generally disappointed when hosts don’t open the bottles she brings. (Note: If Lettie Teague ever brought a bottle of wine to my house, you can be darn sure I’d open it on the spot!)

Ms. Teague came up a with a few clever wine-giving strategies, some of which she specifically designed to help ensure the hosts opens the bottle:

• Bring champagne — it’s such a celebratory beverage and its easy for a host to re-gift (not a horrible thing!)
• Select a wine with broad appeal — like Pinot Noir from California, Oregon, France or Argentina
• Tell them in advance – let your guests know if you plan to bring a very special bottle and always ask what they are serving to make sure the wine will complement the menu
• Present the wine ready to serve — chill the champagne or a white in advance if that is what you are bringing
• Bring a magnum — a large bottle “demands to be shared,” says Lettie. And what host would be so greedy as to not open such a generous bottle!

2) Transport it carefully

Keep the wine at the proper temperature and protect it from breaking when you transport it by carrying it in an insulated wine tote. I like this one:

Built NY Double Wine Bottle Carrier, available from WineStuff.com

3) Presentation is key

It’s a gift right? So why not make it pretty?!

There are so many fabulous wine gift bags out there these days, you may just want to stock up on a few and keep them on hand for gift giving.

"Cheers" wine gift bag, available from The Craft Pantry on Etsy

Solo Felt Wine Bag, available at www.bambeco.com

organza wine bags from Gumps

Built NY Fishnet One-Bottle Wine Tote available from Ecobags

Modern Red Dot Wine Bag from Etsy's Space Moderne

1.) Plan the menu.

Do you want to stick with the tried-and-true favorites this year or be adventurous and try something new? Or maybe a little of both? Check out some of these great online resources to help you narrow in on a five-star Thanksgiving menu:

Finecooking.com has a fantastic menu, complete with shopping list, created by seven top chefs featuring new spins on traditional Thanksgiving dishes.

A step-by-step guide and menu for cooking for a crowd is featured on Epicurious, complete with wine pairing tips.

Speaking of wine, check out Food & Wine’s list of top 10 great Thanksgiving wines.

Cranberries are a must-have when it comes to a great Thanksgiving menu. I love these ideas from Let’s Entertain on how to incorporate cranberries from beverages to dessert.

2.) Make sure you have the right equipment.

Williams-Sonoma has a wonderful checklist of essential Thanksgiving kitchen accoutrements. Scan the list to be sure you have all the tools you need to cook the bird, make the gravy, mash the potatoes, serve the pie…

3.) Check the weather.

Will it be sunny and beautiful, allowing guests to enjoy a drink on the patio? Or cold and rainy in which case you’ll need to practice some rainy day hospitality?

4.) School yourself.

What’s the best technique for making great pie crust? For carving a turkey? No need to fake it. There are great resources online like  Saveur’s step-by-step instruction photo guide for carving a turkey or Martha Stewart’s Pie Crust 101.

5.) Set it up.

Doing a buffet? Check out this short, helpful Epicurious video with Clinton Kelly on tips for setting up a great buffet.

Need centerpiece ideas? This previous post offers some simple, stylish, organic-inspired ideas. Country Living also offers easy-to-execute ideas for dressing up your holiday table.

6.) Prepare for leftovers.

Plan ahead for how you will use all of that yummy leftover turkey. Epicurious has dozens of ideas to help you out.

Want to send home some leftovers with guests? Why not dress up the take home containers?

7.) Give thanks!

Above all, remember to pause and reflect on the many things in your life that you are thankful for.  Invite your guests to do the same. For while food and drink and beautiful table settings are all important parts of the day, gratitude is the guest of honor.

These whimsical fall treats are great not only for Halloween but would be perfect for wedding favors, at a children’s party, or served at a fall engagement party… you name it!

A bride I worked with a couple of years ago gave a candied apple to each of her guests as a favor. It made for a beautiful presentation on the place setting.

Candied apples accent a beautiful place setting, photo courtesy of Kate Triano

Making candied apples is fairly easy and there are many recipes out there to help guide you through the process. To make apples with a little more interest than the standard caramel apples, consider these two recipes.

The first, from Gourmet magazine (don’t get me started… I WILL start crying.) is a true grown-up version of candied apples. Don’t these  red wine caramel apples look amazing?

red wine caramel apple recipe, Gourmet, October 2009

I also love these mini candied apples from Martha Stewart — even easier to eat than the larger versions.

Mini candied apples, Martha Stewart Living

Or, if you don’t feel like making candied apples from scratch, check out this fabulous option from Dean & Deluca:

chocolate covered caramel apples, available from Dean & Deluca

Enjoy!

Cheers!

Williams-Sonoma Wine Pairing Serveware

Smartsco’s Wine Smarts Game is sure to add levity and a spirit of friendly competition — not to mention an opportunity to hone one’s wine knowledge — to your next tasting party.

Wine Smarts Game

Consider playing even an abbreviated version of the game to kick off of cap off the evening’s festivities. A great bottle of wine or fun wine gadget (like the corkscrew below) would make a great gift for the winner(s).

Laguiole Tortoise Corkscrew, available at International WIne Accessories