The holiday season is officially upon us, and with that comes parties, soirees and shindigs. If it is your turn to host, here are some tips and tricks to make the season just a wee bit brighter.
1. Delegate
Traditionally, if a teacher hosts a class party, they will ask you to sign up to provide something. Use the same strategy for your own event. If you are hosting a party, ask people to provide an appetizer, dessert or beverage. Don’t want to wind up with too much food? Ask if anyone is willing to bring ice, plastic zip bags for guests to take leftovers home in, etc.
If the event is a formal dinner, I recommend assigning guests something specific so that you do not wind up with too many duplicates.
2. Prepare Early
A month prior to your event, prepare a list of all of the tasks that you know need to get done. Go through the list and break down which of these tasks can be handled two weeks, one week and a few days before.
3. Don’t Forgo Ambiance
As an event planner, I preach to my clients the importance of ambiance. People often get hung up on the wrong details, so this year focus on easy details that make a big impact. Light the fireplace. Put a holiday Pandora station on. Light a candle with a festive scent. The idea is to overload the senses of your guests with details that they’ll relate to the holiday season.
4. Kid-Friendly Activities
If you are hosting a family-friendly affair, make sure to offer activities to keep the little ones occupied. Cookie baking, caroling (even if it’s just in the living room!) and ornament making are all fun ideas that will let everyone get creative and spend time with one another.
5. Flow
People dodge lines and crowds in the stores all season long, don’t make them do the same at your party. Spread out your appetizers, drinks and desserts. Beverages should always be placed towards the back of the party space so that your guests don’t get too comfortable right by the door. The food should also get split up around the space, and not placed on one central table. Get people moving around and mingling!
Click here for a full Party Planning Checklist!
Happy entertaining!
Alexandria Catherine Events
