Have you ever wanted to host your own Christmas party?
If you would like to host your own Christmas party and invite your friends and loved ones to spend some time in your home, you are braver than I! Christmas season is a perfect time to have a gathering and celebrate. Here are some tips to having a Christmas party to remember!
Click here to make YOUR OWN Squidoo Lens!How to Plan for Your Christmas Party
(Lists are your friend!)
If you decide to host a Christmas party for your friends and family, there are a couple of main things that you need to think about. The basics are: Who to invite (and how many), how to decorate, and what food to serve.The "who" and "how many" are aspects of planning that you can handle on your own. You will need to consider how many people can comfortably fit in your home, and also consider that single guests may bring a date.
When you think about decorating for the party, you are going to need to consider what type of mood you want to convey to your guests. Your decor can be festive, elegant, formal, or fun and youthful. Don't forget about the outside of your home. There is nothing more "christmasy" than a house lit up by strings of icicle lights.
When you consider the food you would like to serve, you can serve a hearty meal that will leave your guests loosening their belts. Another option is to serve several types of appetizers - some light, some hearty - to appeal to all types of appetites. Regardless of the type of meal you serve, you can save a lot of time if you hire a caterer or personal chef to take care of the food. Another benefit to hiring someone to take care of the food is that they can custom make a menu to fit your party.
For all phases of your party planning, remember that lists can be your friends. Carry a small notepad with you to jot down ideas as they come. The more you think and plan, the more finely tuned your list will become - and the smoother your party planning will go!
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Christmas Entertaining Books
For a REALLY Fun time...
Have an Ugly Sweater Party!
Unless you insist that a Christmas party must be formal and a lot of work, I think you might find this book a fun read. Even if you never ever plan to host a party, who can resist looking at all those photos of ugly Christmas sweaters?
Ugly Christmas Sweater Party Book: The Definitive Guide to Getting Your Ugly On
Amazon Price: $4.98 (as of 05/31/2012)
Definitive in every way, Ugly Christmas Sweater Party Book includes the history of the event, how to throw the perfect party, what to wear, and how to judge the all-important ugly Christmas sweater contest.
Helpful Tips for Planning Your Christmas Party
- If you are short on time and your family members don't help out around the house, don't hesitate to hire a cleaning service to wash your floors, dust, clean your bathrooms and vacuum your rugs and draperies. The clean house and extra time can be your gift to yourself!
- For the safety of your guests, make sure walkways and driveways are cleared of snow and ice. Also, make sure they are well-lit and that your house number is easily visible from the street.
- Plan your music play list. Make sure your CD player is full of appropriate music for the type of party you are having so you can just set it to shuffle randomly and forget it.
- If you are planning on having a large party, don't be afraid to hire help. You can have the food catered by a personal chef (book well in advance) and hire local students to serve food and clean the kitchen.
- Don't wait until the last minute to start thinking about the logistics of the party. Think about how you may want to rearrange your furniture to accomodate your guests, and then you can plan on any table or seating rentals that may be necessary. Don't forget that if you need to rent tables, you will also need tablecloths.
- Don't forget the centerpieces! Talk to your florist well in advance to plan your flower arrangements. Also, consider working in seasonal fruits for an unexpected twist.
- Make sure your home smells like the holidays, as well! Use essential oils to infuse pinecones with the scents of Christmas (ginger, pine, cinnamon, etc.) and scatter them in little arrangments around the house. Pleasant scents can really set the mood.
- Do you have room to put guests' coats during the party - besides on a bed somewhere? If not, consider purchasing or renting a rolling coat rack.
Important!
The Best Gifts
The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.
~Burton Hillis
~Burton Hillis
Popular Christmas Cookbooks
Don't Do All the Work Yourself!
Have a potluck party, instead!
If the prospect of hosting a Christmas (or other holiday) party is daunting to you, or if you simply do not enjoy - or have time - to cook for a crew of your friends and family, consider a potluck-style holiday party and lighten you "to do" list! Your guests will not only understand your time constraints, but they will be all to happy to help out with the food.
Christmas Dishes and Place Settings
The Best Christmas Cookies
(in no particular order)
- Gingerbread Cookies
- Coconut Macaroons
- Sugar Cookies with icing
- Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Oatmeal Cookies
- Peanut butter kisses
- Ladyfingers
- Rosettes
Glassware for Christmas
Collectible Christmas Cookie Jars
(note: The Grinch cookie jar is a limited edition - limited to 1200).
Let me know what you think of this lens so I can improve it!
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Thanks bunches!
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The_Party_Animal
Oct 15, 2008 @ 10:43 am | delete
- Great info - post your lens on my Squidoo Home for the Holidays under: Holiday Parties - http://www.squidoo.com/squidoo-home-for-the-holidays
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gurneywagon
May 22, 2008 @ 7:45 pm | delete
- Hi! I found your lens on the SquidYule group. I like it! I recently got this lens www.Christmas ~ Anytime up and running. I've rolled you, & 5*'s!
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JJNW
Mar 30, 2008 @ 10:42 pm | delete
- Hi from a fellow newbie to the Party Hosting Group. You have a very nice site! I gave you 5 stars, favorited, and lensrolled you (and boy are my fingers tired)(giggle)
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groovy
Feb 11, 2008 @ 2:43 pm | delete
- Hi, just joined your group, and happy to meet other Squidooers! http://www.squidoo.com/polkadotparty
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CoolestCelebration
Dec 30, 2007 @ 4:54 am | delete
- I give your lens a 5 star ranking. Way cool!
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