Throwing Your First Holiday Party Buying Guide

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Contents

1 Theme
2 The Guest List
3 Food and Drink
4 Decorations
5 Activities
6 Budgeting
7 Quick Picks
8 Related Guides

Throwing Your First Holiday Party

If you've been to a holiday party, which I assume you probably have, you know that they can get a little bit out of control. People tend to drink a little too much eggnog , eat a little too much food , and make a little too big of a mess. That said, they are also a ton of fun and if you've decided to throw one yourself this year, it's entirely up to you to make sure it stays under control (or gets out of control, if that's what you're looking for). Regardless of the type of party you're looking to throw, the most important component of a successful holiday celebration is the planning. Start your planning at the end of November or early in December with the following considerations in mind, and you'll be sure to have a party that's stress-free and just as fun for you as it is for your guests. You're party should be about enjoying the season and taking your friends along for the ride.

Theme

Many people like choosing a theme for their holiday celebration so that everything is nicely tied together. Themes tend to give a more cohesive feel to a party and can be a good way to keep yourself organized and from going over the top. If you go this route, think about whether or not you want to pursue a Christmas, Hanukkah, Yule, Winter, Snowman theme or something else entirely. Once you develop your concept, you can start looking for decorations, invitations , and food that will fit into it. For instance, you won't necessarily need the Frosty the Snowman figurine if you're working within a traditional Christmas motif.

Possible Holiday Themes

Winter Wonderland

Decorate your home with white, silver and icy blues to evoke a glistening winter experience, minus all the cold. Think snow flakes and glass sculpture. Some light holiday music and a peppermint scent through out the home can add the final touches to this theme.

Traditional

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, friends and family gathered, the house decked out in holly and pine, Victorian Christmas cards on display, some amount of Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole playing on the stereo; it all sets such a pleasant scene. A traditional Christmas dinner may not be all that traditional in a historical sense--"White Christmas" was hardly a Victorian standard--but it blends a lot of traditional ideas that can be great fun to play out.

Candy Land

A great kids party theme, with lots of over-sized candy cane decorations, nutcrackers, peppermints and gum drops , and some ginger bread decorations. This theme can also work for adults, with more toned down colors and sophisticated sweets .

Western

An actual Christmas in the old West probably wouldn't have been much to write home about, but some cheesy cowboy hats and a Christmas cacti can be a fun way to celebrate the holiday.

Yule

Beyond wassailing and putting out a yule log , a Nordic inspired Yule celebration can include a meal of roast duck. Not to be confused with the more spiritual Neopagan Yule or solstice activities.

Tropical

Even if your Christmases won't be green and bright, everyone can enjoy a holiday luau. Give your traditional holiday party gear a little twist: Santa hats with leis , eggnog in coconut cups, and lights on a palm tree instead of a pine. And, of course, don't forget some island-inspired holiday music.

The Guest List

Knowing how many people will be attending should determine how much you should spend on supplies. Develop a list with your desired number of guests and send out invitations to each one; indicate a date by which they should RSVP , but leave them ample time. If you're of the "the more the merrier" persuasion, make sure you clarify that on your invitations and ask everyone to let you know how many guests he or she will be bringing. Once you have developed a list of attendees, you'll be ready to move on to the next stage of your party planning.

Keep an organized list of those you invite and how they RSVP so you don't forget or leave anyone out!

Food and Drink

Now that you know how many people will be attending, you can start figuring out what you want to do with them. Are you planning on having a full dinner, appetizers, and dessert, or just drinks? Do you want to serve classic holiday food, like snowflake shaped cookies and eggnog, or go with something a little bit more simple?

Food can be expensive, so think about how much you can afford to spend before you create a menu. One way to save money on food is to have a potluck. Each guest will bring something to share with the rest of the party. If you choose to go this road, however, make sure you have a few little treats, like chips, cookies , and soda waiting before people arrive. You should also be prepared in case someone needs to reheat a dish before it is served.

The next thing you'll need to think about is alcohol . Typically, holiday parties will include wine , champagne, rum and/or eggnog , but including all these beverages at once could make your party a little crazy. Think about how many beverages each person can responsibly consume and determine how much alcohol to buy from there.

Decorations

Now you need to decide how you want it to look. If you're set on a theme, try to find decorations that will fit into it. Theme or no, adding some pizzaz is a great way to prepare your home for a successful holiday party. Look for festive tablecloths , napkins, table settings, and centerpieces . If you're having a dinner party, this might be all you need, but if people will be milling about, wall hangings, small statues , themed cups, and coordinated colors will emphasize the atmosphere.

If you chose a Christmas or Hanukkah theme, placing matching greens and reds or blues and whites throughout your home will give the party a cohesive feel, but you shouldn't necessarily feel restricted by traditional colors.

Activities

It's always fun to have an activity at your party that everyone can participate in. I'm not talking about face painting or piñatas (although if that's your style, go right ahead), but you'll want to choose things that will ease conversation and get everyone into the holiday spirit.

A gift exchange, like a Secret Santa for example, is an easy and fun example of an icebreaker that will unify your guests. All you do is instruct everyone to bring a gift for one other person, and it's helpful if you assign people as to avoid confusion. At the beginning of the celebration, everyone will put the presents he or she has brought into a pile and then find his or her own. If you want to add a little mystery, keep it anonymous and have your guests try and figure out who their present was from. You can even insist the gifts play into your party theme: like a tiny cactus gift at a Western party. To prevent any awkward money issues, it's not a bad idea to set a limit on spending.

Another fun activity that is more suitable for smaller parties is to decorate a Christmas tree. Get out all of your ornaments and share the experience of tree decorating with your closest friends. You can round out family gatherings with a little story telling, sharing a holiday story aloud, or watching a holiday movie.

Budgeting

Now it's time for the hard part. You've figured out how many people are coming, what your party will look like, what activities you want to do, and how you plan to feed guests and quench their thirst, but how much can you spend? The holidays are an expensive time for everyone, especially those planning on throwing a big party. As a rule, it's better to have more cups, plates and utensils than you need (three sets of each per guest) while you can skimp on decor by repurposing your usual household items or relying more heavily on music to set the atmosphere.

Make a list of everything you want to buy and estimate how much you think it will cost (always estimate high so you don't show up at the supermarket without enough cash). Once you've mapped everything out, look at the total cost and check to see if it's an amount you're comfortable with. If it's not, cut back on supplies until you're down to a more reasonable figure. Make sure to do this before you go shopping and only buy the things on your list. Impulse purchases are an easy way to spend too much money. Hopefully, you'll have successfully overestimated and will actually end up spending less than you planned.

Quick Picks

Christmas Wreath Party Invitations

Send out these festive and simple invitations to start building your guest list.

LED Beaded Garland

To add some brightness to your party, use these lights around your living room or outside.

Tabletop Snowman Figurine

This small figurine helps give your home a holiday feel and fits in nicely with many party themes.

Wilton Holiday Grippy Cookie Cutters

Make your own themed snacks with these cheap, holiday cookie cutters!

Lenox Holiday Holly Napkin Rings

If you're having a dinner party, the small touches count. These beautiful napkin rings complete every table setting.