Hosting a Christmas Party

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! There are more than enough things to accomplish at Christmas time, especially if you have decided to host a holiday party. I will help you take on the challenge by giving you a guide that will set you on track for throwing a very Merry Christmas party. 

Starting with the invitations, you will want to send those out at least 3-4 weeks in advance as you will most likely be competing with other holiday events. Be sure to include any theme that you have chosen such as “Ugly Sweater” or “formal attire”, as well as mentioning if it is a potluck. 

Next you will plan what foods to serve. If you have a potluck dinner be sure to send out a signup sheet to plan which guests will bring what items. You can always cater in or prepare all the food yourself if you are up for it! Some thoughts for food would be heavy finger foods like a charcuterie board or if you are having a formal event, you could do glazed ham and roasted vegetables. Now for the drinks. It is a good idea to have a festive varietal of drinks from mulled wine, a sparkling red zinfandel, a Christmas cocktail or Christmas craft beer. Some choose to have a beverage station to allow guests to serve themselves.  

Setting a cozy atmosphere is a good goal to have. You can accomplish this by having Christmas scented candles or a diffuser, string lights, mistletoe, wreaths and garland. Honestly, most people already have their Christmas decorations up by Thanksgiving so you should not have to do much decorating. Do keep the festive vibe going with a holiday themed table runner or tablecloth as well as holiday-colored napkins, plates, etc. Be sure to provide ample comfortable seating for all your guests and consider turning on the fireplace if the weather is right.

Planning to have a game and/or activity? Some popular ideas are White Elephant, Secret Santa, or Saran Wrap gift ball that you can put cash, gift cards and Christmas candy in. Do have a curated playlist of low-key Christmas music playing for entertainment. Also consider karaoke if you have a high energy group. If you really want to amp it up, you could get a photo booth with Christmas props or even hire Santa to come do a photo shoot with your guests!

Consider giving a small party favor to send home with your guests. Mini hot cocoa kits, cocktail kits, ornaments, soy candles, or Christmas treats are a few suggestions. 

One more helpful tip is to try and prep as much of the food as possible the night before so the day of will be less stressful. 

Hopefully this guide has been helpful in planning for your party. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, enjoy yourself!!

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