Festive magic: you too can host a Christmas party to remember!Christmas parties can be whatever you want them to be! From low-key gatherings with your immediate family to full-blown all night bashes with everyone you know, there really are so many ways you can take your party, so don't be afraid to really think on it before you decide who you'd like to invite.
In fact, just follow our handy guide and you'll be on your way to the best Christmas party this side of Lapland!
DECIDE WHAT TYPE OF PARTY YOU WANT
You could hire a hall, but that will be more expensive, and you'll probably need a bartender and a DJ. If you have it at home you can actually have the party on Christmas Day! You can also cater yourself, saving money. You might just want to have a few friends round for some cake and mulled wine. Whatever you're looking for, make sure you have it clear in your mind. You can't change direction mid-way.
HINT: Read some party planning books. Check out your local library.
DECIDE ON A MENU
Getting your menu sorted early will save you a great deal of hassle in the long run. The same goes for drinks (making sure you provide nonalcoholic as well as alcoholic drinks). Supermarkets can get extremely busy around the festive period, so buy your non-perishables as early as possible, and make sure you offer a vegetarian option.
HINT: Prepare as many dishes as possible in advance, then pop them in the freezer. Then you can just defrost and serve them in an instant!
MAKE A GUEST LIST AND SEND OUT INVITATIONS
The secret to a successful party is sending out your invitations early. Christmas is inevitably a busy time and unless you get your party in peoples' calendars then they will fill the date up with other activities. Don't delay - send out your invitations, letting people know start and end times, the type of party it'll be, whether they need to dress up, whether they need to bring gifts, and whether they should bring food.
HINT: Ask around to see what date suits the most people.
DECORATE YOUR PARTY IN PLENTY OF TIME
Decorating always takes longer than you think it will. If you haven't specified a particular theme, you have an easier job. Tinsel, mistletoe, fairy lights -- these all make good generic decorations, and will certainly get your guests in a Christmassy mood in no time at all. If you've gone for a more complicated theme - such as Le Reveillon - perform your research early so your party can become a truly authentic masterpiece.
HINT: Ask a friend to help you! Many hands make light work
BUY PRESENTS EARLY!
The earlier you buy gifts, the less stressed you'll be, particularly if you have a party to organise. If you'll be exchanging gifts on the day of the party, you'll definitely need to prepare in advance as the stress of cooking and decorating may make you forget the gifts. If your party is happening before December 25th, you may have a little more leeway but you'll still want to buy early to avoid the horrible queues that often build up around that time.
HINT: Use the Internet! You can get gifts delivered to your house, and they're often cheaper than high streets.
THE BIG DAY!
Don't do too much; after all, you're there to have fun. Take peoples' coats, light the fire if you've got one, put some relaxing Christmas music on, crack out the mulled wine, and just enjoy yourself.
If you've got any questions about organising a Christmas party, let us know in the comments below. We'll do our best to help you out. Over the next month we'll be discussing other ways you can get the most out of a Christmas party, such as the best Christmas recipes and the best Christmas costume ideas, so keep checking back! If you need help with a theme, check out our great post on Christmas party themes.