Are you ready to start getting into the Christmas spirit this year by planning the best Christmas party for your friends and family? Holiday celebrations are a cheerful way to bring everyone together and share your Christmas wishes with your favourite people. However, the fuss and frustration of planning can hinder your party. All the details, including the kind of party you should have and what you should serve, can make even the most experienced of hosts stressed.
If you add the numerous demands and complications of the festive season, you really do have a lot to deal with. If the planning and execution are usually too much of a burden for you, we have listed a few different party themes, ideas, and even menus that make it easier for you to pull off a spectacular Christmas Day. Here are all the tips and steps you need on how to plan a Christmas party.
How To Start Planning A Christmas Party
Here are the steps to start planning your party for the most enjoyable experience:
- Pick a date – You’ll want to find a date in December to host your Christmas party. You can plan to have it either early in December, to prevent conflicting schedules, or plan a smaller size party for Christmas Eve.
- Pick the location – You must decide if you want to hold the party at home or rent a space. Celebrations at home are a bit more cost-effective and ideal for 20-30 guests or less. Renting a space works better for a larger group, if you and your extended family members are planning to get together this Christmas.
- Choose the theme – Save yourself a bit of time by choosing a party theme to set the mood that will help inspire decisions around decorations, food and invites.
- Christmas party decorations – Create your guest list and choose the Christmas party invitations that match your theme. Include all the necessary information on the invitation, like the dress code or Christmas game details, so that your guests can be prepared.
- Set a budget for food and decorations – Once you’ve decided how many people you would like to invite, set a budget for food that is in accordance with how many people are expected to come. Don’t forget to take note of the dietary requirements, and try to choose appetisers, desserts and cocktails that are easy to prepare so you enjoy the party with your guests.
- Prepare in advance – Start preparing for your party as soon as you set a date, especially if you are awaiting decorations or materials online. You must also confirm in advance with a family member if they can help you get things ready if you do need a hand.
1. Start Planning Your Christmas Party
Planning is key to having a successful party. Last-minute planning is stressful, so don’t delay. You will want to spend some time envisioning the party and walking yourself through it as if you were a guest. As the holidays are busy, sending invitations out at least 3 weeks in advance is better. Your invitations must include the start and end times of your party, because it’s likely that your guests will have other events to attend. The invitations should state the food you will be serving too, as well as directions to your home.
2. Decorating
If you know you will be hosting a rather large party, you will want to create an environment for your guests to enjoy and relax in. Some simple decorations can transform your home with things that are reminders of the festive season. Decorating is one of the easiest ways to achieve the sense of festivities your home needs. Christmas decorations are a must for your guests to feel the holiday spirit. You can even try making your own Christmas crackers for a memorable festive season.
As Christmas is full of colour, you can start your decorations off with glowing string lights, festive stockings, and a few nicely wrapped small gifts to place around your living room, dining room, and even the kitchen. The colours can help emphasise your Christmas decorations and impact the feelings they evoke. Consider the theme you would prefer, such as traditional, winter wonderland, or candy cane. Decide on the theme before putting up any decorations or deciding on a colour scheme.
3. Christmas Party Themes
Choosing a Christmas party theme is important if you want all the elements of your decorations to match. You can minimise the amount of work needed to throw a Christmas party by sticking to one theme throughout. Whether you’re thinking of hosting a classic-style Christmas, or a ‘white Christmas’, your theme can tie together your food, décor, and even the invites.
For a traditional Christmas, you could host a festive party with a traditional Christmas theme to get your family and friends into the festive spirit. Look for red and green decorations, Christmas treats, and designs for your party that add to the festive cheer. You can gather stockings, wreaths, ornaments and lights to give your party a traditional feel.
A winter wonderland theme in summer can be something different and exciting, with lots of white decorations, snowmen and snowflakes. This elegant theme can be characterised by plenty of white and silver elements and decorations throughout your party, set up along with the dessert.
A peppermint or candy cane party is all about the food and treats. You can serve your guest’s peppermint hot chocolate, peppermint cocktails and fudge. For decorations, you can go with classic red and white striped themes, or base your party decor on multi-coloured candy canes.
If you don’t have the time to deep clean your home before the party, tackle the high-traffic areas like your living room, dining room and bathrooms, and the rest can be left for later.
Set the mood by playing Christmas carols or holiday music in the background.
4. Christmas Food
You’ll want to choose a menu of items that can be made on time. Some starters and desserts can be made and frozen days in advance. Then on the day of your Christmas party, you can simply bake and finish cooking the food to save some time. It’s best to either test out a new menu item before the party, or stick with the recipes you know.
Try sticking to finger foods that can be eaten without a knife or fork, so that you keep spills to a minimum and minimise the washing up left for later. If you are planning on having a sit-down meal where tableware will be required, you’ll want to make sure you have enough table seating for all of your guests to sit down and eat. But if you know you don’t want to spend the rest of that day washing up a big pile of dishes, it may be a smart idea to get plastic paper plates, utensils and cups, as these can simply be thrown into the rubbish after use.
However, there are many Christmas dinner ideas that you can try like roast vegetables and meats, fruit mince pies, and puddings. This Christmas, you could even go for a healthy Christmas dinner like roasted garlic mashed potatoes and cauliflower, or a sweet potato lasagna.
5. Games And Entertainment
To make your Christmas event the most fun and interactive for your guests, you may want to align your games and entertainment with your party’s theme. Here are some ideas to consider:
Party games and activities:
- Musical chairs
- Musical statues
- Charades
- Christmas treasure hunt
- Stuff a Christmas stocking
Christmas entertainment:
- Karaoke
- Christmas gift cards
- Gingerbread house decorating
- Decorating the Christmas tree
6. Gift Exchange
Gifts are a huge part of the Christmas season, but aren’t necessarily expected for a Christmas Party. It’s still nice to have a gift exchange, though, to show goodwill and add a surprise element for your guests.
One Week Or A Few Days Before
When it gets to the last week before the party, you shouldn’t forget to:
- Send out a reminder email getting them excited, and provide your guests with any last-minute info they need.
- Start setting up the day before or early on the morning of your party.
- Purchase all of your food and drink supplies that are required, and be sure that you get enough for all of your guests.
- Lay out your essentials. Set up those items like rubbish bins, plates, glasses and cups, as well as cutlery before the party to save the most time.
On the day of the festive party, you’ll want to be up early and ready to prepare so that you’re ready by the time your guests arrive. Remember to be prepared enough in advance to ensure that your party plans run according to plan. All that should be left are the finishing touches needed to make your party as memorable as possible.
Conclusion
Before your guests arrive, set up appetisers in your living room and other areas, for your friends and family to snack on. Add some music and candles for ambience. As guests arrive, you may need to take their belongings to be stored somewhere safe. Accept any gifts graciously and store them away in a safe place. Try not to spend too much time in the kitchen or away from your guests. Plan your Christmas dinner party so that it is just as much fun for you as it is for your friends and family.
If you need a helping hand when it comes to cleaning, to get organised for the holiday season, book a home clean with SweepSouth. We’ll make sure that your home is in perfect condition ahead of your Christmas party.
