Christmas is an exciting time of year for everybody. For children, it is a magical period filled with anticipation and excitement, for teenagers, it is a time to unwrap the latest gadgets, and for adults, it is a special occasion filled with family, unity and happiness.
While most will agree that Christmas is a time for relaxation and feasting, this can be a terrifying experience for parents and hosts of dinners and parties for family and close friends over the season of goodwill. As a host, you have a Christmas duty of creating a thrilling and warm environment for your guests, be it for, distant family members, children or close friends.
This guide provides tips on planning a successful Christmas party with minimal stress, so that you can enjoy the festivities
- Create a List!
Creating a list can initially be daunting as it will look like a huge script full of dreadful tasks, but once you begin to cross the tasks off, the feeling will be of accomplishment and tranquillity.
It is important to write lists when planning Christmas parties as they are a huge affair, and tend to come with many smaller chores which would otherwise be easily forgotten.
When planning for a number of people, especially people who you do not see often, it is vital to execute the perfect party and keep everybody happy. A list also offloads a lot of stress from the back of your mind as everything that needs to be completed will be on the list, and there will be no panic at the thought of missing something crucial.
- Keep Your Guests Glasses Full.
One of the most important jobs of a host is to make sure that their guest’s drinks are topped up while reminiscing with family members or making new friends. This will not only win you points as a host, but also buy you more time in your preparation.
Perhaps asking your guests beforehand which wines, beers or soft drinks they prefer will help in preparation for the long-awaited Christmas break.
Buying in preparation and in bulk may also reduce costs. Winter drinks such as hot chocolate, tea, and coffee are always a winning choice. Ordering alcoholic drinks online – and in advance – may save money.
3.Cut corners wherever you can!
Just because you are the host, does not mean you are bound only to chores for the duration of the night; sometimes cutting corners is necessary in order to save yourself time to enjoy the party with your guests and children.
Things such as buying ready-made party packs for the children are a good way to get ahead. Companies will send out all of the supplies in one go and leave you with the easy work!
Buying certain foods which are ready-made may also be a good idea, things like quiches and tarts which you will not need to make from scratch, and also freeze well.
Cutting corners is necessary as it is just as important to have fun and mingle with your guests as it is to host a great party, so why not do both?
- Involve Your Guests in Preparation.
Involving your party guests, children, and family members to help you with preparing food and drinks for your party is a great way to bond over the festive season. This not only slashes your work load as a host, but creates an intimate group activity for everybody to be a part of.
Turning stress into fun is a good way to enjoy yourself in preparation without procrastinating, and also test out the skills or your guests as you leave them in charge of certain tasks of preparation. This will also create a more delicious dinner for your visitors who will feel proud tasting the Christmas dinner which they contributed to cooking.
- Set the Mood with Festive Music.
Christmas would not be the same without the famous and timeless songs which we all know and love. Creating a playlist filled with warming and festive songs will be a sure-fire way to create a relaxed and welcoming environment for all of your guests.
This is a great way to set the mood, and perhaps even instigating a singalong with your guests, earning you points with your peers.
karaoke would perhaps be fitting for your house on Christmas day, which would be a sure hit and create a vibrant environment fit for a festive party!
- Wrap small and unexpected gifts in advance.
With Christmas, comes a lot of distant family who you may not have seen for a while, and this usually tends to bring unexpected gifts. A good way to prepare for this is to buy small and thoughtful gifts and have them wrapped and ready in advance, to avoid being caught off-guard by the gesture. Small gifts can range from pairs of socks or other items of clothing, to Christmas themed gifts such as tea or coffee mugs.
Knowing that you have a secret stash of gifts for anybody who surprises you, can certainly take the pressure off and allow you to continue with other preparations around the house in order to make it a festive season to remember.
