Hosting your family for the holidays doesn’t have to be stressful emotionally or financially. I have compiled a list of ways to host a stress-free holiday party. But that’s not it; there’s a free printable also! Let the planning begin.
When it comes to holiday parties, two things can really make or break the party: food and decorations. While I can definitely help you out with decorations and table settings, I am not so much help when it comes to food recipes. This season to help us all out in the food department, I teamed up with the amazingly talented Krista from Joyful Healthy Eats. She has given us some quick and easy recipes that are sure to wow your guests and that you will actually enjoy making!
Create A Plan
To start, you need to develop a plan that encompasses the basics: when, where, the number of guests invited, and the theme. Once you have these key points settled, it is important to move on to bookings immediately.
3-4 Weeks Ahead of Time
Call and schedule any help you may need during the party if you can call 4-6 weeks ahead of time, that’s even better. Bartenders, chef, DJ, catering, cleaners, and invitations all need to be settled during this time frame. If you are purchasing decor, I highly recommend starting your order as soon as your theme is determined. When DIY’ing decor, leave yourself plenty of time to troubleshoot for when projects don’t turn out as planned. Don’t forget cake and cookies, I mean that is why we have parties, right?
Decorations
Briefly mentioned above, but this step is my favorite of them all! If you read my football party blog post, you’ve already learned a few of my tips to throw an epic party. Keep the decor theme focused but be sure to integrate elements that are not theme-specific. Example: Say you’re hosting a Rudolph party, not all decor or paper goods should have a Rudolph on them. Instead, incorporate a few sleigh bells, reindeer themed food, maybe a little fur, and antlers. These items all elaborate on the Rudolph theme but will keep the party unique and classy, instead of cheesy.
Easy & Simple Holiday Decor
Food & Drinks
It’s always better to have more than not enough. Typically, I plan for food based on RSVP when possible. Honestly, I don’t usually ask for an RSVP, though. If you send out 50 invitations, most likely half of the people invited will join. So I would plan for food and drinks for approximately 25 people. If hosting a family party and you know most family members will be there, add up your guests and plan for food and drinks based on that number, or a little less.
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One Week Before
During this week you can begin to prepare for your guests to arrive. You’ll want to deep clean the house, create your grocery list, go grocery shopping for pantry type items, create a music playlist, and take inventory of decor and serve wear. For missing items, run to target or head on over to my Amazon page to get them as quick as two days!
Prepping Food
I like to have food that goes with the party theme and the season. Winter months allow you to make food ahead of time. Gumbo and soups are easy to make ahead of time and freeze. This saves you a lot of stress the week of your party. I tend to set out food labels so that everyone knows what they are about to get a spoonful of, but also get creative with the names. Create something theme related. Rudolph theme: fill your ramekin with M&Ms with a label saying “reindeer food.” Or you can serve up powdered sugar cookies and call them “snowball treats.” Let the creative juices flow!
Beverages
I love having a bartender at our parties. We fire up the margarita machine and hire the best bartenders to come in and serve us. If this isn’t an option, that is okay! Serve up non-alcoholic beverages and then one signature drink. For the signature drink, I always keep the theme in mind and name it something related, as mentioned above. This coconut margarita will not disappoint. It is perfect for any winter party, is simple to make, and is so delicious. Head over to Joyful Healthy Eats for the recipe!
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One Day Before
The day before the event should be spent doing as much prep work in the kitchen and around the house as you can, making the day of the party less chaotic. Make a prep list, detailing what needs to be completed, making sure nothing is forgotten. I rummage through all my serving platters and displays, deciding which food fits best in each. Next, I set them on the table as I would for the party so I can ensure it is visually pleasing and a plan is laid out. Having food sit at varying heights will give a more polished look and make it easier for guests to see what all is available to eat. To make sure I don’t forget what was supposed to go in each dish, I put a sticky note in each as a reminder. If you have any foods that are bagged (chips, crackers, etc.), go ahead and set them in their appropriate bowls. Then you just have to unpackage them on the day of.
Day Of
The day has finally arrived; let’s party! This day all about putting the finishing touches on the food, drinks, and decor. If you are cooking a lot of food in the oven, I find it helpful to make a list of items and their cook time and oven temperatures to make sure you don’t have too many overlapping. Lastly, you want to set the mood. Lower the air conditioner, turn on the music and light a few candles. Leave yourself time to get yourself party-ready and make sure you pour yourself a glass of wine while you do so! I like to have all food and beverages ready 20 minutes before the start time, giving yourself a little extra time if you are running behind, and you can have a moment to breathe before your guests arrive.
Keep Extra Gifts On Hand
I always keep a couple of extra gifts around the house during the holidays. They don’t have to be expensive or extravagant. These come in handy when someone comes to the door with an unexpected present! Typically, I prepare a couple of extra hostess gifts; they are easy to pass out to anyone. Next week I will be sharing all my hostess gifts ideas for the 2019 season!
This year, throw a party everyone will remember. More importantly, throw a party that is both enjoyable to attend but also fun to plan. Planning should be half the fun, right? I hope this post gives you helpful information on how to host a stress-free holiday party. Share your party pics and how you used your printable by using the hashtag #MRIPartyPlanning on Instagram. I will share these all season long!
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