The holidays are so much merrier when you are surrounded by the holiday cheer of others. That’s why I love to get together with a small group of friends each year. Here are some party planning tips to add a little extra bliss when hosting your very own Christmas party at home.
Pick a dress code
Before your guests come over, make sure to inform them of the dress code. Are you having a casual party? Do you want everyone to wear a Christmas sweater? Do you want a more elegant party? When everyone is on the same page about the attire, no one will feel left out.
Decorate your house
One way to show your guests that you are in the holiday spirit is by adding holiday decor. You want them to feel like they walked into a hallmark movie right when they enter. No matter the size of your house, there is always a way to transform your space. You might want to swap out your normal home decor and put it in a storage box and replace it with something festive to avoid it from looking cluttered.
Start with a wreath to put on your front door. If you are feeling really motivated to make your own, check out my blog post on how to create your own wreath.
Next, decorate your dining room table. A simple festive table runner and a centerpiece can go a long way.
If you have a fireplace, try stringing some garland or decorating the mantle with mini trees.
Is your Christmas tree the star of the room? Having a Christmas tree in the room where you will spend the most time entertaining your guests will add that extra holiday magic.
If you want more ideas on how to decorate your house, check out my post: 10 Home Decorating Ideas for the Holidays.
Welcome your guests
Welcoming your guests with a favor starts off the party with a fun twist. Whether it’s welcoming them with a glass of champagne or gifting them something for coming is sure to start your party off with a bang. For my holiday party this year, I bought a bunch of Christmas headbands for my guests to wear during the party. It’s a way to get them involved and feel welcomed into the party.
Plan your platters
Food is everyone’s love language. You want to be sure to have extra food so no one leaves your party hungry. Ask your guests if they have any food allergies, so you can try to include their dietary needs into planning an epic party food spread.
For my holiday party this year, I arranged a charcuterie platter in the shape of a Christmas tree. Why not have fun with your food, too?
Maybe you can get your guests involved and have a tray of sugar cookies or gingerbread cookies laying out for them to decorate (and munch on) too!
Create a drink menu
Having a dedicated drinks bar is an easy way to organize the layout of the party and your guests will always know where to go to fill their glass back up. Make sure to provide a variety of beverages for everyone, including non-alcoholic drinks. It is easiest to have a large beverage dispenser with spigot so people can serve themselves.
*Don’t forget to label the drinks so people know what is inside!
For easy cleanup, use plastic holiday cups. Hobby Lobby always has a wide assortment of discounted party decorations.
Non-alcoholic Drinks
Hot cocoa bar
Fruit punch
Ginger ale with mint or cucumber garnish
For the adults, try to have both a cold and hot beverage option to choose from.
Christmas Cocktails
Sangria
White christmas russian (eggnog, kahlua, vodka)
Spiked hot cocoa
Irish coffee (coffee, whisky, cream)
Eggnog rumchata
For suggestions on a holiday cocktail, try my Apple Cider Moscow Mule!
Host an activity
I always have twice the fun at a party when there is a game to play or activity to do. It breaks up the party and gives your guests something to do.
Host a white elephant exchange
I LOVE white elephant exchanges. A white elephant exchange is when every guest brings a wrapped gift to the party. When it’s time to play, have the guests choose a number out of a hat. The person who chooses #1 gets to choose which wrapped gift from the pile they want. The next person #2 gets a choice of either stealing that gift or choosing a new gift from the pile. You can either unwrap gifts as you go or choose to unwrap them at the very end. A gift can only be stolen twice. The game is repeated until everyone has a chance to pick a gift.
Host a seated dinner or wine tasting
If you have a smaller group of friends, I think it is relaxing to all sit around and have a served dinner or even a home wine tasting! In my recent holiday party, I hired a wine consultant to come over and introduce us to 8 new wines. It was such a fun way to wine taste in the comfort of our home and to do it with our friends!
Play games
Games are so much better when you have a big group to do with them! How about a board game or even making your own game to play? Here are some ideas of home-made games to play with your guests!
Gift wrapping bonanza: see who can wrap a gift box the quickest!
Oven mitts game: let’s see who can be the first to unwrap their gift using oven mitts!
Ring the reindeer: buy a headband that are reindeer antlers and make a ring out of a pipe cleaner. Try to toss the ring on the antlers!
Guess the Christmas scents: place a few items in separate jars that give off a noticeable scent and have blindfolded guests guess what is inside each one. Peppermint, cinnamon, nutmeg, pine, oh my!
Gingerbread house competition: how can you not love decorating a gingerbread house? It reminds me of being a kid every time.
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Do you have any fun traditions that you incorporate into your holiday parties at home?
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3 Comments
This blog was very informative. I loved all the photos! So many great ideas; I think I will have a party next year! Merry Christmas!
I love that the dress code was the first thing to be talked about! So important, yet underrated. I’d love if you did a post about how to prep for hosting parties?? I typically get frazzled beforehand and the only thing I’ve managed to do is schedule my professional carpet cleaners a week before the party lol.
I am so happy to hear that you can appreciate the importance of dress code 🙂 I definitely will keep that wonderful blog post in mind for my upcoming posts- thank you for the suggestion, Olivia! And thanks for reading!