7 Tips on How to Plan an Unforgettable Christmas Party in Your Home

Having your friends come over at your home is fun, but it can also get expensive. Before going all out with your upcoming party, set a budget first so that you won’t be left crying after the bash. But remember that when you set your budget, you’re also setting a guide of what you can or can’t do.

Once you have your total budget, make sure to list down all the items you need to buy for the party. Having a list saves you from impulse buying items you don’t really need.

Tip: You can use mobile apps like Google Keep or Wunderlist where you can create a list of your to-do or to buy for the party. You can also set an alarm so you’ll be reminded of things that you need to do before the event.

Read: 8 Money-Saving Tips for Christmas Season

One way to liven up your party is by having a theme. A theme doesn’t simply mean a motif to follow for dressing up, it also refers to the concept that the party can follow. It gives you a better strategy on what to organize and it’ll also give your guests something to prepare for and look forward to.

For some unexpected holiday party theme ideas, you can have a simple Marvel or DC hero’s party and have your guests wear masks and shirts. You can also go all out and have a K-drama-themed party where guests can dress up as their favorite K-drama star and serve bibimbap (Korean mixed rice) and soju during the event. But if you’re keen on getting the Christmas spirit going, you can dress up as items related to Christmas! Have guests come as a reindeer, Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus, elves—the list goes on!

Tip: Make sure the theme is easy to follow, or think of something that all of your guests are familiar with. To make the party exciting, and to make sure all of your guests will dress up, give a prize to the best-dressed guests. You and the other guests can vote as to which the best one is (but make sure no one votes for themselves!).

Once you’re able to finalize the date and time of the party, make it official by sending out invitations. Some people might skip this part, but invitations give the party exclusivity and importance, and it also makes the invited guests anticipate the event. You can print downloadable invitation templates on the internet or create an events page on Facebook as your e-invite.

Make sure to put the usual details of the party like the time, date, and place. Also indicate in your invitation any specifications such as the dress code, if pets are not allowed, or a request to confirm before a certain date. Send the invitation at least three weeks in advance. Anything earlier than that will make the guests forget about the party, anything later is not enough for your guests to prepare for a gift or a costume.

Tip: if you don’t want to work too much on the invitation but still want to make it personal, you can buy embossed blank notes with envelopes from National Bookstore and have the details printed or hand-written on it. Prices start at PhP680.00.

A crucial part of any party is the food. Planning your menu ahead of time will help you fit it into your budget and give you more time to come up with creative ways to make it fun and interesting. If you plan to do all the cooking, list down all the ingredients you’ll be needing and the preparation time for each food. Keep in mind your guests’ allergies, if any, and the theme of the party too.

If you’re not into cooking, you can also ask your guests to bring food instead and do a potluck! Ask your friends what food they can bring or assign them a dish or a drink that they can provide.

Tip: Always have refreshments and snacks ready so your guests have something to munch on during the party. For drinks, prepare bowls of juice or pitchers of water with slices of lemon and cucumber. For snacks you can buy various junk food or finger foods so guests have something to eat while waiting for dinner.

Check out our list of stores where you can buy refreshments and snacks or browse the ShoppersGuide Directory for more options.

Another important factor in any party is the program. There is no need for it to be rigid or specifically timed; you can keep it fun and casual. But you need even a loose program so you’ll have a guide on how the night will go.

For starters, you can first have an ice breaker game to make guests comfortable and at ease, especially if they don’t know each other yet. Then create a series of activities to keep your guests busy. You can write wishes for each other this Christmas, have some silly games like charades, and then proceed to dinner. Before the night ends, make sure to bring out your gifts!

Tip: Always keep your guests busy! Prepare activities that they can do during the party so you also have time to sneak out in case you need to prepare last-minute items. Have a karaoke on standby or set up a mini photo booth to keep them active.

During the party, most of your time would probably be spent sitting down with your friends at the dining table. With this in mind, make sure that your table setting is on point as well. If it’s a sit-down dinner party, bring out your best dinnerware, cutleries, and glasses.

If it’s more of a laidback, relaxed party, you can opt for paper plates and plastic cups. This way, your precious dinnerware will be safe from possible breakage. It also saves you plenty of time cleaning up after the party.

Tip: If you’re a newbie at table setting, Youtube is always a great place to start. Watch tutorials on how to set up a dinner table so you’ll be guided along the way. For a more relaxed vibe, do it buffet style so your guests have the freedom to choose whatever they want to eat and whenever they want to do it.

Do not forget to consider setting the atmosphere of the Christmas party. Take into consideration the design, music, and even lighting and scents as they will serve as the background.

Decorating your home isn’t necessary but make sure that it is clean. For the music, select something that is appropriate for your type of party and create a playlist that will play all throughout the night.

For the lighting, opt for a soft, dim lighting for a formal party or disco lights for a rowdy one. Lastly, to treat the senses you can also light up some scented candles or incense to give your home a nice aroma—but only if it fits the vibe you’re going for.

Tip: Before the party, create a separate playlist that you can play all night on Spotify. For a squeaky clean home, if you’re pressed for time you can hire cleaning services like Checkers Cleaning Services or Kasakoo to tidy your abode before the party.

After all is said and done, all that is left to do is to have fun and enjoy the party. Play a couple of games for you and your friends, reminisce the good old days, and exchange some gifts. Being the host might be a bit stressful, but you’re there to have some fun too!