Everyone wants to have the perfect Christmas party full of excellent food, good cheer and great conversation. The ideal party should be about what you want, not what your family did when you were a child, not what the neighbors have done or are doing and definitely not about pleasing everyone but you. It’s not about impressing anyone nor is it about trying to be someone that you aren’t. The latter three reasons will only make a miserable time for you. Below are some ideas to make for a great Christmas party all the while reducing your stress level.
Try to give yourself ample time to prepare. Begin three to four weeks in advance. This will give you enough time to plan the guest list, plan a menu, make a grocery shopping list, plan what kind of decorations you will want and/or a color scheme and of course, what you’re going to wear.
Remember when planning the menu that you are the host or hostess not the caterer. Plan for foods that are simple yet delicious. Try crock pot dishes or finger foods. This way you will not spend all your time in the kitchen and you can mingle with your much loved guests.
Steer clear of all messy foods and make sure that your choices are easy to handle. Most of your guests and yourself included will be dressed very elegantly. This is not a barbeque. You will not want hot wings down the front of a nice cocktail dress and neither will your guests.
Try to give yourself ample time to prepare. Begin three to four weeks in advance. This will give you enough time to plan the guest list, plan a menu, make a grocery shopping list, plan what kind of decorations you will want and/or a color scheme and of course, what you’re going to wear.
Remember when planning the menu that you are the host or hostess not the caterer. Plan for foods that are simple yet delicious. Try crock pot dishes or finger foods. This way you will not spend all your time in the kitchen and you can mingle with your much loved guests.
Steer clear of all messy foods and make sure that your choices are easy to handle. Most of your guests and yourself included will be dressed very elegantly. This is not a barbeque. You will not want hot wings down the front of a nice cocktail dress and neither will your guests.
Distribute your food selections throughout the house. Have different samples in different rooms to keep the people (and the conversation) flowing. Everyone knows there are some parties where all people do not get to mix because they’ve stayed in one area the entire evening. You might even want to leave a place card by each set of delicacies to let the guests know what’s in other rooms.
Small touches such as a festive table cloth, pretty wreaths with candles, holiday decorated cookies and cakes make all the difference in the world. Your guests will appreciate the extra effort and this can be accomplished relatively inexpensively.
Remember, this is a holiday even for all to enjoy and share. One thing to keep in mind is that you might want to take a lot of photos of you with your guests. This not only will serve as a great memory for you but you can make copies for your guests and include them with thank you cards. You might even want to make personalized Christmas tree decorations using these photos. Many craft stores these days have excellent (and easy) kits for making personalized decorations.
The last thing you need to remember is that this is a time of joy and celebration. Don’t let your self become too stressed out while planning your party. If you do, in the end it might not have seemed worth it. Planning will take away most of the stress. This is your party for you and your guests to enjoy. Good food, good friends and family and a well-planned party will make for lasting memories year-round.
Small touches such as a festive table cloth, pretty wreaths with candles, holiday decorated cookies and cakes make all the difference in the world. Your guests will appreciate the extra effort and this can be accomplished relatively inexpensively.
Remember, this is a holiday even for all to enjoy and share. One thing to keep in mind is that you might want to take a lot of photos of you with your guests. This not only will serve as a great memory for you but you can make copies for your guests and include them with thank you cards. You might even want to make personalized Christmas tree decorations using these photos. Many craft stores these days have excellent (and easy) kits for making personalized decorations.
The last thing you need to remember is that this is a time of joy and celebration. Don’t let your self become too stressed out while planning your party. If you do, in the end it might not have seemed worth it. Planning will take away most of the stress. This is your party for you and your guests to enjoy. Good food, good friends and family and a well-planned party will make for lasting memories year-round.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment