Holiday parties are a great way to celebrate the festivities. That said, planning a holiday party can be quite overwhelming. However, it is possible to pull off an amazing party with just a little pre-planning and minimal stress. There’s time to worry about the post part clean up after you’re done having a great time with friends and family.
With our tips, not only will you host the most stylish affair of the year but also find yourself enjoying the party every bit as much as your guests. This post will give tips on planning an amazing holiday party unless because of covid 19 restrictions you need to spend the holidays alone.
Have a budget
This is the most important part of planning your holiday party. You must start with the budget. You cannot plan the holiday party without knowing how much you are going to spend. Other aspects of the party such as the venue, number of guests, decorations, and the food choices all depend on the budget. If you cannot afford something, then you shouldn’t include it in the party plans. You should make sure that you can afford the party you are planning.
A larger budget will obviously give you more options. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t have a holiday party on a limited budget. You can get creative with what you have, or you can ask for contributions from family and friends
Choose a suitable venue for your holiday party
The next step is to choose a venue for your holiday party. The venue of the party depends on your holiday party budget and the type of guests you’ll have at the party. The venue of the party could be in your home, outdoors in a backyard, at a restaurant banquet room, at a complex clubhouse, or even in a warehouse. Choose a cool place that will impress the people coming to the party. If you can, you could even rent a place during their off-hours.
Send out the holiday party invitations
Once you have decided on the venue, it is time to send out party invitations. If your event is formal, you could choose to be fancy and send out your party invitations via mail. Alternatively, you could send the invitation by email. You should also prepare a guest list to ensure that everyone gets their party invitation on time. Send out the invitations as early as one month in advance, to give the guests enough time to find time to make it to your party. Make sure that all the information is available such as the location, date, time, what to wear, contact information, and any other special information.
A good start time for a weeknight party is around 6 or 6.30 in the evening, allowing guests to come straight from work and still be able to get home at a proper time. If the party is on a weekend, a later start is fine.
Have decorations
Once you have secured the venue, you need to prepare it for the holiday party with festive decorations. If you are hosting the holiday party at home, your usual decorations will likely do just fine. However, you may want to adjust the decorations according to the theme of the party. Be sure to pay close attention to detail and that everything matches.
For a Christmas party, have a Christmas theme. Add a Christmas wreath as a focal point to a plain wall. Have stockings on the mantle or staircase and ribbons and bows on each of the chairs.
Entertain your guests
Most of the time, the right combination of drinks and music is enough entertainment for guests. However, it never hurts to have a few tricks up your sleeve, especially if they suit the night’s theme. Some of the activities that will keep your guests include:
Playing holiday games
Board games and activities such as charades and pictionary are a sure way of keeping your guests energized and entertained. To make the games even more fun and competitive, plan prizes for winners.
Exchanging holiday gifts
You could also organize a Secret Santa or White Elephant gift exchange. This is a fun activity and everyone will leave with a treasured gift or a laugh at least.
Watching holiday movies
If your party is for a small group of people, you could organise a film viewing. You could make a real-life theater complete with popcorn and drinks. You could also have a trivia or drinking game to make the movie experience even more memorable.
Decorating the Christmas tree
You could cross decorating the Christmas tree of your party preparations list and add it to the party theme list. Having your guests decorate the Christmas tree is the perfect way of getting everyone into the holiday spirit.
What if there are kids at the party? There are a lot of fun activities that will keep kids entertained and prevent chaos. You can provide crafts, coloring sheets, or a puppet show to keep them entertained.
Have a holiday party menu
Food is one of the most important things when planning for a holiday party. The party wouldn’t be the same without food and drinks. Whether you’ll be serving a full meal or light bites, you should make a note on the party invites to let the guests know whether or not to eat beforehand. You should also gauge the guest count to know how much food you’ll need. You should also provide a variety of selections, taking your guests’ preferences into account.
It is also important to note the time which your party is being held. If the party is being held in the afternoon, it may be good to serve various drinks and appetizers. If your party is closer to dinner time, a little more food will be necessary. The food should also be super festive for the holiday season.
Set some time for yourself
As the host, you’ll also be busy during the party ensuring that everything goes smoothly. Therefore, it is important to set some time aside for yourself to relax before the guests arrive. This will help you have a better experience at the party.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, when it comes to pulling off a stylish party, preparation is everything. With the tips outlined above, you should be able to plan an amazing party that your guests will be talking about for a long time.
Planning a fun overseas party? Check out our wild party destinations guide.
