Tips for Hosting a Xmas Party

1. What elegant Christmas party would be complete without a favor for your guests to take home to remember the magnificent evening? Your best bet for any party favor is to think of something that your guests will actually use. For that reason, food is always a great party favor.If you serve a special kind of cookie or candy that everyone always raves about, wrap up a little to-go portion for your guests to take home and enjoy later. Or, choose somet .....

Valet Parking

2. You certainly dont want your nicely dressed guests parking down the street and then surfing back to your house on the ice and snow, so if you want to leave no stone unturned, consider hiring a valet company. Sure, you could have your nephew and his friends do it for a little pocket cash, but remember, they wont be insured if something happens to one of the cars in their care. If you want to keep your guests from feeling obliged to tip, offer to p .....

Dress Code

3. If youre going to spend the time and money to plan an upscale affair, then you probably dont want your guests showing up in sweaters and jeans. If you run with a crowd that has evening wear readily available in their closest, then go ahead and make it a black tie affair. But if a tux rental could be a deal breaker for some of your nearest and dearest, just ask them to wear their Sunday best. Whatever you decide, be sure to state dress requests on .....

Drinks

4. The ideal scenario for an elegant Christmas party is a full bar stocked with top shelf liquors and plenty of mixers, especially because it will finally give you a chance to use all of your specialty bar ware from your wedding registry thats been gathering dust in your cupboards.Even if you just offer one type each of scotch, rum and vodka, most of your guests should be happy. Also, be sure to have a selection of beer and wine and some non-alcohol .....

Food

5. A typical upscale affair usually includes a sit down dinner, but depending on the size of your party, you may not have enough seating for all of your guests. If thats the case, heavy hors doeuvres served buffet style is perfectly acceptable.As far as types of foods, if you want to pull out all the stops, you can impress your guests with the likes of caviar and all the trimmings. If thats a little over the top for even your most elegant friends, a .....

Lighting

6. As far as the impact on the ambience of a room, lighting is right up there next to music. If you have a fireplace, then a roaring fire is a must. With the exception of the dining room chandelier, overhead lighting should stay off, or at least be dimmed.To create a warm environment, your lighting scheme should include multiple sources. Table and floor lamps illuminate conversation areas, while candles provide mood lighting throughout. If you want .....

Music

7. Very little has the impact on a scene like the music selection, and mellow is the epitome of elegance. You want to create a setting for guests so that they spend their evening relaxed and comfortable, and the tempo of the music you choose will play a large part in that. But mind you, you dont want them to get so comfortable that they fall asleep. A tasteful playlist for an elegant Christmas party could include a mix of traditionalChristmas songs .....

Indoor Decorations

8. The same rule of less is more applies to indoor decorating for your party, as well. The first place to start is to give your Christmas tree a makeover -- no tinsel or colored lights this year.Start by choosing your color palette. Limiting it to one or two colors is best to achieve the elegant look youre going for. Get the largest tree you can fit into your space and start wrapping it with white lights. Then, choose one or two of the same ornament .....

Outdoor Decorations

9. You know the large plastic Santa that usually lives on your roof during the holiday season? He certainly conjures up feelings of nostalgia, but elegance? Not so much. If youre going to have an upscale Christmas party, then you should have elegant outdoor decorations greeting your guests, and this usually means less is more.Start with a modest amount of white lights framing your roofline go ahead and skip the icicle variety. Add tasteful greenery .....

Invitations

10. The invitation and the way you choose to deliver it is the first impression your guests will have of your party, so an e-vite is out. If you want to make a good impression but dont want to break the bank on invites, there are tons of tasteful, pre-packaged options that you can run through your printer to add the party details. But if youre ready to spare no expense for your fancy f .....

Start the Countdown

11. Who doesnt love a party where Aunt Agnes drinks too much Budweiser and starts burping the alphabet? But sometimes the holiday season calls for a more sophisticated affair where guests arrive dressed for dinner and American lager isnt on the drink menu.Elegant and upscale pretty much go hand in hand, and although the craftiest of hostesses can do elegant on a budget, you should probably plan to drop a little dough on your sophisticated soiree. Her .....

Give yourself plenty of time

12. You should start planning about 4 weeks prior to your big event .....

Enlist help

13. Trying to get everything done by yourself can be stressful. Delegate duties to some of your friends...they are usually happy to help out, and its a lot more fun than doing it alone! .....

Choose a theme

14. A theme makes planning your party much easier, and it sparks your guests enthusiasm. .....

Pick a place

15. If you have a friend who s house is pretty large, use it. If your house is pretty big, use it. But do not choose some public place like a park. People filter in and out, and try to join the party, random little kids walk around, its just a bad idea all around. .....

Plan more games and activities than you anticipate playing

16. Things do not always go exactly how you expect them to, so with a few extra games in your pocket you will be ready. .....

Spread the word

17. As soon as you have the core parts of the party down then start to invite your friends. But keep this in mind, balance is everything. You do not want to be able to have to shout to talk to people, but you do not want an empty house either. Make sure you are vigilant about this, if you have a pretty big house then 20 or more people is appropriate. .....

Keep the valuables away

18. Guys, no matter how smooth you may be, you always end up bumping into stuff, may it be paintings, vases, girls, so keep everything your parents do not want broken, in a safe, no admittance zone. .....

Set the mood

19. This is one of the party planning tips that some people tend to overlook. Greeting guests at the door with a smile will help them feel comfortable right away. Decorating your party location to match your theme will spark your guests' enthusiasm, and dressing in the style of your theme will get everyone talking. .....

To encourage mingling

20. put out less chairs than there are people. People can not mingle if they are sitting. .....

During the party be sure you get a chance to talk to everyone there

21. You invite people to your house to talk to them, not to make them wait. .....

Always remember to add non alcoholic drinks to your menu

22. Not everyone will want alcohol, and the designated drivers are going to need something to drink .....

Play background music to liven up the atmosphere

23. Make sure its played loud enough to hear, but not so loud that its a distraction. .....

Warnings

24. Keep the music volume at a reasonable level. If neighbors call the police to file a complaint, then its not so fun anymore.Call a cab for anyone who appears drunk and insists on driving their car. Look out for alcohol poisoning as well. If someone is sleeping and drunk stay with them or call someone to take care of them. .....

Do Your Homework

25. If you are not completely prepared and guests start pouring in, neither do you get time to finish the chores nor are you able to devote yourself completely to your guests. So, it is advisable to be prepared well before the party time. Keep at least two hours in store, after preparing your party, to get ready and for any unforeseen emergencies. Keep music ready and keep four, five random CDs in the music system, to let the music flow without your .....

Divide Labor

26. You may be very good party planner, but its still not advisable to keep all the work for yourself. You can get tired and be zapped of all the energy by the time your guests come. So, either hire outside help or engage your family members. Divide the labor, but keep on inspecting the work. Be gracious if any problem occurs. A party is meant for having fun, so do not let anything ruin that for you. .....