The weekend is usually the best time to hold the party, because your guests won’t have to go to work in the morning. Also decide if you want your party to be during the afternoon or a night. Most parties are held in the evening, but try to choose what is best for you and your guests. Get some input from your guests if you aren’t sure when people would be able to make it.
Renting out a space can be expensive, so if you feel comfortable holding the party at your house, this may be the most convenient and cost-effective solution.
To do a Secret Santa, give your guests the name of another guest, preferably a person that they already know, to buy a gift for. For White Elephant, all guests bring a small or funny gift that anyone could enjoy. Then each guest picks whichever present he or she wants during the party.
Make sure that the invitations include the date, time and address of the party. Also make sure that the invitations tell your guests to RSVP, so you will have a sense of how many people will be at the party. If you decide to do a gift exchange, give your guests the information on what they need to bring.
Decide if you are going to have catered food, or if you are going to prepare food. If you are doing catering, call up the caterers and ask for an estimate for the amount of people you are inviting. If you are preparing food yourself, estimate the approximate cost of ingredients for dishes you plan to make. You can consider holding a potluck-style party where each guest brings a dish if you trying to cut down the cost. Consider if you need to rent anything like chairs, tables or coat racks to accommodate guests. Consider the Christmas-specific decorations you will have at your party, such as the Christmas tree, as well as garlands, stockings, or other small pieces of décor.
Catering companies will do all the hard work of preparing and delivering the food, so that all you will need to do is pay.
You don’t have to offer your guests a full meal. Finger foods are ideal for Christmas parties because they are easy to eat and are often easy to prepare as well. Make sure to provide desserts as well as savory items. Some good examples of tasty and easy to make foods are: deviled eggs, veggies and dip, bruschetta, pigs in blankets, and gingerbread and Christmas cookies.
Be sure to pick up enough drinks for everyone that’s attending the party.
While you are at the supermarket, remember to buy any plates, napkins, cups or utensils your guests will need to eat.
Start by cleaning all surfaces and putting everything in its place. Then take a step back and assess if there is enough room for your guests. If the room feels too cluttered or crowded to hold a large amount of people, start to move things into other rooms to make sure there is enough space for everyone.
Remember to plug the lights into an outlet and turn them on before the start of the party.
Don’t skimp on the decorations—a good Christmas party needs plenty of Christmas décor.
Set the kids area slightly apart from the hustle and bustle of the party. Consider the ages of the kids coming to the party when picking out games. For instance, Monopoly would be too complex for three year olds, while older children would be bored by toys designed for younger children.
Also consider putting out toothpicks if you are serving food like fruit or shrimp cocktail, which are easier to spear than to eat with you fingers or with forks. If you are serving hot food, heat it up 30 minutes before guests are scheduled to arrive.
When making your playlist, think about your audience. Consider that your coworkers and your older relatives may be at the party, and play music that is not too aggressive or too inappropriate. If you don’t know what kind of music to play, consider having a site like Pandora make a playlist for you. If you are planning a large party at a venue, consider hiring a professional DJ.
You also can put candles on tables and shelves; just make sure that the candles are held in jars, or other safe containers. Also make sure to monitor the candles after you light them, and keep them out of reach of children. [14] X Research source
Say something like, “Hi Jasmine, so glad you were able to make it! Come in, everyone is in the living room. Help yourself to food!” You can also give your greetings a personal touch by asking or saying something pertaining to each individual. For instance say, “How’s your new job going?” or “Is Chris going to be able to make it?”
Even if you feel like drinking could help you feel less nervous, try not to have more than one or two drinks.
You can say something like, “I just wanted to say, thank you all for coming! It’s so nice to see all of you together. Here’s to a great holiday season!”
An easy way of introducing people is to say something like, “Hey Alyssa, have you met Sally? She was in my class at UMass. ”
Make an announcement like, “Alright, is everyone ready to do Secret Santa?” Give your guests instructions about how to exchange gifts. Say something like, “Everyone gather over to this side of the room, and bring your gifts. I’m going to read out who everyone’s Secret Santa is, and when I call your name, go ahead and exchange your gift!”
