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Hosting A Christmas Party At Home

Hosting a Christmas party at home this year? Here are 43 amazing tips that will make you wonder why you never heard of these before.

Hosting A Christmas Party At Home: Everything You Need To Know

Christmas is a time for family, friends, and fun. What better way to celebrate the holidays than by throwing a Christmas party at home? There’s nothing like getting together with loved ones and making memories that will last a lifetime.

This is not your usual Christmas how to party planning blog post. I figure you have a pretty good handle on the basics. And if you don’t these party planning tips are a great place to start.

Today, I want to share with you the tips to throwing a Christmas party that you’ve likely never heard before. These are tips that I’ve learned after hosting many holiday gathering. So, just follow these simple tips and you’ll be throwing the best Christmas party ever.

Hosting A Christmas Party?

You’re planning a Christmas party and you want to make sure it’s perfect. After all, it is the most wonderful time of the year! But where do you even start? If you’re considering hosting a Christmas party at home, here’s everything you need to know. From planning and invitations, to food and drink, decorations, games and activities, and cleanup – we’ve got you covered. So sit back, relax, and let us help you plan the perfect Christmas party.

Hosting a Christmas party at home is a great way to save money and avoid the crowds. Plus, it’s more intimate and you can really make it your own. But Christmas parties are a lot of work, so it’s important to be prepared. So, let’s make your life a little easier. Here’s everything you need to know about hosting a Christmas party at home.

Ya Basic Planning Steps

From invitations and food, to decorations and entertainment, there’s a lot to think about. And let’s not forget about cleanup! But don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. Just follow these pro tips and you’ll be throwing the perfect Christmas party in no time.

Here are some tips to make sure your Christmas party is a hit:

Christmas Prep Tips & Tricks

One of the biggest challenges people face when hosting a Christmas party at home is not knowing where to start. Christmas parties are a lot of work, so it’s important to be prepared.

The perfect Christmas party doesn’t just happen. It’s all in the planning. And if you follow even a few of these tips you’ll be glad that you did.

Start by:
  • Make a list and check it twice. I like to use the notes app on my phone. From guest list to decor, every aspect of the party is divided into sections. Then I add all the details and put a check boxes beside each item. That way I can refer to it whenever I need.
  • Invitations don’t have to be fancy. Just calling, texting, or sending an e-Vite works well and in these modern times is considered acceptable.
  • Rentals are the way to go when it comes to table linens, dishes, silverware, glasses, mugs, wine glasses, and low balls. You can also rent serving platters, coffee urns, and so much more. The best part? You don’t have to clean them! Simply pop them back in the box and return it for them to take care of. Sweet!
  • Clean house way ahead of time. Do the deep cleaning at least a week in advance. On the actual party day the only cleaning you should be doing is a quick vacuum and give the bathroom a quick wipe.
  • Music play list needs to be ready to go. Have both an upbeat Christmas play list and and a lighter more classic one so that you can change the music to fit the mood at the time.
  • Clean out your fridge ahead of time so that you don’t have to worry if someone goes in it. You want it neat and smelling good. You also want there to be enough room to store the foods that needs refrigerating.

The nice thing about throwing a Christmas party is that your home is likely already decked out for the holidays. This means you won’t need to do or buy extra decorations. That being said, there are a few decor ideas that will help put your party over the top.

Why not try:
  • Front porch decor is the first thing that guests will see so don’t overlook it. Christmas lights, a front door wreath, and an urn bursting with winter greenery is all it takes to set the mood right from the start.
  • Extra touches in the bathroom are always a nice touch. Add a bit of decor on the vanity, some holiday hand towels, or Christmas hand soap is all that you need.
  • Coordinating napkins with the colours of your holiday decor. Personally, I try to avoid boring, solid coloured napkins and instead look for ones with a beautiful print.
  • Offering festive wine charms, this not only adds a bit of holiday flare but it also helps ensure that your guests don’t accidentally mix up their drinks.
  • Candles helps create a cozy atmosphere and provides a bit of ambient light. Battery operated candles are the safest and easiest option. Right before the guests arrive have hubby or one of the kids run around turning them all on.

I say it all the time, details matter. They really matter and there are a few little extras that can make a big impact.

You may want to include:
  • Basket of slippers is a thoughtful detail for smaller, more personal Christmas parties.
  • Bathroom extras are another nice touch. Leave out extra hand towels, toilet paper, and Kleenex. You can also put out a basket of mints, Tide spot remover, spray deodorant, and hair spray. Guests will love this!
  • Photo booth is super fun, no matter the size of the party. Set up a festive backdrop, add a basket of props, and let your guests do the rest. Later, you can all post the fun times to be shared.
  • Signature cocktail is just plain fun and it saves you money in the long run. Some fun ways to do this is to match the colour of the drink to your decor, have festive edible ingredients in it, or serve it in a festive vessel.

Not everyone thinks that favours are needed. And if that’s you please feel free to skip this section. But if you’re like me and you love to come up with and give away a good favour you’re going to want to read on.

Favours to try:
  • In a small plastic gift bag place a homemade cranberry muffin, a pat of flavoured butter, and a red plastic knife. Tie the bag with ribbon and two paper covered tea bags. If you want to go that little extra, add a personalized mug.
  • If you went with a photo booth, hand out small picture frames so that they have a way to display the memory.
  • Ornaments make fantastic favours and you can really easily make your own.
  • Filling dollar store fuzzy socks with a candy cane, chocolates, and a mandarin orange makes for both a practical and yummy favour.

There are a few food and drink options that are always a hit at a Christmas party.

Try serving:
  • Anything charcuterie always goes over really well. Whether it’s cheese, meats, chocolate, fruit, or cookies charcuterie boards are easy to set up, taste delicious, and when done right always look stunning.
  • Save money with serving a limited bar. Instead offer beer, wine, and a signature cocktail. Add punch, sparkling cider, pop, water, and tea. If you have little kids maybe have a juice available as well.
  • Skip the big dessert and serve Christmas goodies instead. Ask a few friends and family members to bring some too so that you have a nice assortment.
  • Foods that can be prepared in advance and needs a simple warm up or can be served cold allows you more time with your guests. Which they will appreciate.
  • Have lots of ice on hand for drinks. There is nothing worse then warm party drinks.
  • Buy your booze ahead of time or on the week days. This way you can avoid the crowds and you can avoid the dreaded “Sold Out” sign.

If you follow only a handle of of these preparation tips you will be well on your way to throwing a party that people will be talking about for days. However, if you want a to take this party even further these next tips will do just that.

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It’s Party Time… Now What?

We know that hosting a Christmas party at home can be a daunting task. There’s so much to think about and prepare for. But don’t worry, we’re here to help. Just follow our simple guide and you’ll be throwing the perfect Christmas party in no time.

The best way to enjoy your party is to ensure that everything runs smoothly. Here are some tips to help with that.

Consider having:
  • Someone assigned to each party task. Such as: being in charge of coats, collecting garbage, asking guests if they need a drink, collecting hostess gifts, or playing DJ.
  • A free standing coat rack so that no one needs to dig around for their coat.
  • Furniture set up in advance. I would do this a night or two before. This way you can vacuum and you won’t have to worry about this step the day of.
  • Dishes assigned by knowing which foods will go into which dishes and labeling them. Add any extra silverware that will be used with the dish.
  • An emergency kit ready with band aids, safety pins, Tums, feminine hygiene products, Tylenol and pens. Yes, pens. Trust me, it comes up more often then you’d think.

There are a few extras that when you include them in your celebrations it elevates the whole experience.

Make sure to include:
  • Places to sit. You don’t need a chair per person, unless it’s a dinner party but make sure that there are places for at least 75% of the party guests to sit. The rest will be mingling , dancing, and standing around the buffet tables.
  • Escape rooms for those guests who need a break from all the festivities or a quite place to have personal chat.
  • Ways that the guests can help because trust me they will want to. So if you have a metal list prepared of tasks that you can delegate you can just quickly suggest them when someone asks, “How can I help?”
  • Hostess time with the guests. Trust me this makes your guests feel special. They came to your party so they would love a little one on one time with you. So do your best to fit this in.

If there are going to be little kids at the Christmas party you’re going to want to keep them entertained. There’s nothing worse then a pack of bored, rangy kids running wild around your home.

Keep the kids entertained with:
  • Setting up a room nearby with a reading nook. building blocks, puzzles, colouring books, and fun but quite toys.
  • For those kids who may find this all a bit overwhelming consider setting up an auditory stories and ear phones for those that need a little quite time. If possible also add a few canceling ear phones.
  • A room with a TV playing children’s holiday movies are always a hit.
  • Another option is to set up a cookies decorating station. Have a generous selection of sugar cookies, icing, and sprinkles then let the kids go to town.
  • Lastly, think about the benefits of hiring a couple of trusted teenagers to “babysit” the kids. They can help over see the activities and keep the children safe and entertained, allowing the parents to have some adult time.

When it comes to cleaning up make it easy on yourself. The following tips will make sure that clean up is a breeze.

Maybe:
  • Delegate clean up duties to other family members to be done during the party. That way you’ll have less to do afterwards.
  • Rent dishes, glasses, table clothes, silverware and more. When you rent you don’t have to clean and it doesn’t get easier than that.
  • If your not up to washing dishes that aren’t rentals then make sure you rinse them. In the morning they will be easier to clean.
  • Have take out containers ready so that you can give the leftovers away. This will make cleaning up the food much quicker.

Jenny’s Finishing Thoughts On Hosting A Christmas Party At Home

Christmas is a time for family, friends, and festivities. Hosting a Christmas party at home is the perfect way to combine them all. During this busy time of year though, it helps to have a good plan in place. We want to be present and enjoy ourselves. And all of the tips shared in this blog post is sure to get you started off on the right foot.

So what are you waiting for? Let’s get party ready today! And let me know, what are some of your favourite party tips? Please share them in the comments below.

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