Throwing a Christmas Party

Christmas is just around the corner, and theres no better way to celebrate the season than by throwing a Christmas party for family and friends! Rather than running around trying to squeeze in brief visits, why not host a holiday bash thatll get everyone you care about together in one spot After all, a perfect party thrown in honor of the Christmas season will put you at the top of all your guests nice lists!

Focus On Your Guests
The key to throwing a great Christmas party is to focus on your guests. Angela MacArthur, of Christmas Lights and Decorations.com, reminds us that whether youre hosting a formal dinner or a raucous come-as-you-are bash, the point behind the party is to connect with people you might not see enough throughout the year.

Start Early
The first step to getting your party off the ground is to start planning early. Christmas is a busy time of for year everyone, so youll want to send out invitations at least one month in advance, to give everyone enough time to plan ahead, MacArthur notes. Be sure to request your guests send an RSVP at least two weeks before the party, so that youll know how many people will be attending.

Give Details
Your invitations should clearly indicate what type of celebration youre hosting, be it dinner, drinks or potluck. Be sure to let guests know whats expected of them - that means indicating formal or casual attire, the theme if there is one and filling people in on specific details, like dishes to bring for potluck or gifts for an exchange.

Manage Your Time
To make hosting your party easier on yourself, make a list of small tasks that can be completed each week leading up to the party date. By managing tasks as you go, youll have your party planned without having to break a sweat! Make your guest list and send invitations in week one, plan the menu and choose decorations in week two, then shop for everything you need in week three. In the final days leading up to your party, make up any storable foods and freeze anything that wont stay fresh.

Stress-Free Celebration
To save yourself a ton of last minute stress on the day before your Christmas party, be sure to give your house a final once-over for tidiness, and decorate where you can. You might even want to have a pre-party decorating get-together, and invite some guests to help you spruce up your home for the big event. If youre cooking a meal, you can prepare all of the ingredients the night before, and simply pop everything into the oven as your guests arrive.

To help you get your party going with ease, just remember this simple pointer from MacArthur: If youre well organized in advance, youll be better able to enjoy time with your guests, instead of playing the role of the busy host or hostess.

Angela MacArthur is a well-practiced hostess and the assistant editor of Christmas Lights and Decorations.com, a wonderful online resource for all things Christmas, with information on decorations for Christmas, pre lit Christmas trees and more.