Hosting an apartment holiday party is one of the best ways to get in the spirit during the holidays… it’s also one of the easiest ways to stress yourself out. Instead of stressing out about planning the perfect holiday gathering, keep your party simple and fun with these holiday party tips.
Balance the guest list
When you create your guest list, mix things up: invite both old and new friends as well as single and married couples. Variety in the guest list will ensure that no one feels like an oddball. And when it comes to the number of folks you invite to your apartment, keep both your floor space and your head space in mind. You may find it more relaxing to spend time with a few guests rather than trying to entertain too many people.
Send invitations early
Schedules fill up quickly during the holidays, so send out invitations at least three weeks in advance of the party. When you choose a day of the week for your holiday gathering, consider a day that may not already be booked. Thursdays, Fridays or Sundays may have less competition for most people than Saturdays.
Set rules for gift-giving
Gift giving goes along naturally with the holidays, but the etiquette involved in selecting the right present can be tricky. Take some pressure off of your guests by setting rules for gift giving. Gift-giving options could include inexpensive white elephant exchanges, holiday cookie exchanges, or alternative charity-giving. Whatever you decide, give guests a spending limit.
Pick a theme
Choose a theme for your holiday party that guests can get into. Would they get a kick out of a Charlie Brown Christmas? How about a Winter Wonderland? Maybe they’d like a tacky holiday sweater party. Whatever you choose, get creative and try to organize party entertainment, food, and decorations around your theme.
Set the mood
Transform your apartment for the holidays with music and some simple decorations: wreaths, lights, and holly are all traditional favorites that can make your place seem warmer. You can use winter-themed decorations like paper snowflakes, garlands, or snowmen. You might even make the holiday decorations yourself, saving money and placing your own personal touch on the decor.
Host the party; don’t work the party
You should be able to enjoy your own holiday party, and not feel like a slave. Take the work out of hosting by making most preparations ahead of time: do all your shopping, cleaning, cooking and decorating then so you can concentrate on being a jovial host.
Serve small, easy food
Your holiday party doesn’t have to be a ten-course sit-down meal. Keep it simple by serving finger foods; they’re less fussy and require less prep and clean up time. If you’d still like to offer guests a big meal, consider making your apartment party a potluck style affair.
Enlist your guests
You might be hosting the holiday party, but you don’t have to go it alone. Feel free to delegate. Ask your guests to bring something: one person can bring desert, another can bring paper plates, others can bring wine. You might even get a guest or two to volunteer for clean-up duty. Remember: you don’t have to do and buy everything yourself.
Have your guests DO something
Plan activities for your party that will engage your guests. Ice-breaking games are always a good idea when party guests aren’t familiar with each other. Sing-alongs and holiday-themed games will all put guests at ease and liven up the party.
Drink responsibly
If you’re serving booze at your apartment party, encourage guests to decide who will serve as designated driver. And even though you won’t have to leave when the party’s over, it’s best not to drink too much: as host, you should stay coherent so you can see that everyone gets home safely, even if that means calling a cab or setting up a make-shift bed on your couch.
When it comes to holiday parties, simple is best. Keeping things relaxed will let you concentrate on enjoying the company of family and friends.
Source: http://moving.apartmentguide.com/apartment-living/hosting-an-apartment-holiday-party/
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