Festive and Fun Ideas for an Unforgettable Holiday Party
Who doesn’t love holiday parties? I know I do. It’s fun to mix and mingle with friends alongside the coziness of a crackling fire, festive music, warm lights, great food, cocktails and all of the sights, sounds and smells of the season.
I love throwing holiday parties. I’ve come up with these tried and true tips that will help make your party memorable, easy and fun this holiday season.
Open House: Throw an open house style party. Everyone has so many parties to attend this time of year. If you have an open house from 2 – 6 p.m. on Saturday, for example, people can stop by and spread some holiday cheer before heading to their next party. Plus, you can invite more people since not everyone will show up at once.
Signature Drink: Since people are stopping by at your open house party, don’t over complicate things when it comes to beverages. Just serve one drink and have it at the ready when guests arrive. Try my Hot Buttered Brandy— it’s a great option.
Stay out of the Kitchen: Serve food that will hold up for the duration of the open house. You’ll want to spend time with your guests — it’s not a good idea to serve things that have to be eaten immediately or nibbles that will keep you in the kitchen all afternoon. Try my Roasted Cauliflower Soup. You can keep it warm on the stove all afternoon. Or, keep it simple and serve an assortment of baked holiday goods like cookies and fruitcakes.
Takeaway Gift: I think it’s important to have a gift for to give your guests when they leave. This is the extra-special touch that will remind your friends that you care about them, plus they’ll remember the good time they had at your party. Some ideas include a Christmas ornament (go to a discount store such as Marshall’s to find affordable ornaments) and decoratively bottled homemade liquors.
Festive Environment: Make your party environment festive, not only with decorations, but with music and videos. I always have a playlist of holiday music playing (this way you don’t have to think about the music while the party is ongoing). For kids and kids at heart, I always have a Christmas movie playing in the den like A Charlie Brown Christmas or The Muppets Christmas Carol. Of course, you can never go wrong with White Christmas.
Don’t Forget: It’s cold outside. Don’t forget about your guests’ jackets! Make sure you’ve cleaned out a closet so that you have a place to hang them. Another idea is to buy an affordable handing rack. This way, you won’t be throwing guests’ jackets on the bed because we all know that the jacket pile is just the perfect comfy place where the Pug and the cat will nap.
It’s often the little things that make a party memorable. Try these ideas. Your next holiday party will be festive and fun for your guests — and for you.
