The Lull Between Festivals

I'm back. Oktoberfest is over for this year and we have a few weeks before the holiday festivals begin (Christkindlmarkt, and 3 weekends of Christmas Lightings).
It seems that around this time of year I start thinking about our open house holiday parties of years past.
I have a love/hate relationship with entertaining. I love having people over and I love cooking/baking all sorts of things for those people to eat. I also get very anxious that everything won't turn out perfectly (I only feel this way until the party begins) and I always feel pressure to ensure that everyone is having a good time. Yes, believe it or not, I am somewhat of a perfectionist but only for myself, not as much for others.
Every year, the Big Cheese and I would throw a big holiday party for our friends and family. People could come and go as they pleased. People would start asking us in October when the party would be. We would cook and bake for a week before the party and try to make it look effortless the day of the party. Typically we would have 100+ people through the house. I don't even think I know 100 people here. It is things like this that I really miss about my old life but I love our lifestyle here.
Over the next few days, I will post some of my favorite recipes of things that we would make for the party.