2 Things You MUST Do Before A Holiday Party

There's such an excitement in the air during the holidays, making it a no-brainer why it's a favorite time of year for many. There's some stress too, let's be honest. The most stressful part for me used to be the holiday parties!

I'm serious. But really, I used to dread them for two reasons:

• my smile
• small talk

And today I'm sharing the 2 things you MUST do before a holiday party. These are tried and true, y'all:

Small talk used to freak me out. I'm an introvert in unfamiliar situations, and walking into a party shouting, "I'm HEREEEEE" with my arms wide open isn't really my style. The anxiety of talking would leave me often alone or clinging to the one person I knew. No longer.

Instead, I make a plan. I think of anecdotes, from something I've either read or about my life. You know how on game shows, they always get a small fact from the contestants? Have your "game show" anecdote prepared ahead of time.

"Did you know" facts work too. Being a beauty fanatic, I lean towards beauty tips (Did you know you can use lip balm in over a dozen ways?) or I talk about new beauty products (Love your lipstick. Have you heard about the new one from ___?)

If you don't feel comfortable talking about yourself at all, then think of three things to ask whomever you're talking to: How do you know the host(ess)? What's the last book read/show/movie watched? Favorite restaurant in this city?

Compliments work too (Love your lipstick/scarf/dress/shoes. Where did you get it/them?)

Leave weather, traffic and line of work as a last resort. And it never hurts to practice what you're going to say.

Next, the smile--I used to be so self-conscious of mine. Your teeth are one of the first things people notice. I'm a coffee drinker and the occasional dark soda drinker, so my teeth aren't as white as I'd like.

I've had it happen: getting ready for a party and then catching a glimpse of my teeth. Instead of spending a the party with a cup or hand over my mouth, I found an easy solution that takes an hour:

Crest 3D White Whitestrips 1 Hour Express Teeth Whitening Kit--yes, in one hour, years of teeth stains are removed. Here's a before and after of mine after 1 hour:

click to enlarge

The strips whiten teeth faster than ever and the Advanced Seal Technology's no-slip grip stays put, so you can talk and drink water while whitening teeth. I use them when I'm getting ready for a party.

How white are my teeth? I love it. So y'all know these really work.

And luckily Walmart is having a BOGO deal, so buy one kit and get another for FREE! This is a limited time offer, so click here to purchase your own. There are eight teeth whitening strip treatments, each with one upper and lower strip.

And y'all know me, a little red lipstick (or red everything) for a party never hurt either!

What are your Must Dos before a holiday party?