Every year we host holiday get-togethers inviting friends over to celebrate Christmas and the New Year. Since we travel during the holidays, we usually get together with friends for a small gathering in early January. It's one of my favorite parts of the holiday season.
I love entertaining, and over the years have found some key ways to make party planning fun and easy. Whether an impromptu gathering or a planned party with some of your favorite people, here are some tips for pulling together the perfect party for merry-making.
#1 Find the perfect invitation.
Of course you can call, text, or even tweet friends these days to let them know about your party, but it’s still nice to send a personal invitation. If your friends are high-tech you can use services like
Pingg or even Facebook to invite them for a gathering. However, a paper invitation is always a nice touch. I love these
cocktail invitations from Kate Spade. Fun and casual, they’re the perfect invite for light holiday fun.
#2 Decorate and trim the tree.
I wait all year to put up the Christmas decorations. It is absolutely my favorite thing to do. At home we go out of our way to stay away from traditional red and green. Since we use a lot of pink and plum as an accent color at home, our Christmas decor reflects that same palette. Our Christmas tree is trimmed in pink, purple and black baubles, and we place Christmas decorations in every room of the house. Find holiday decorations that complement your interior for a simple way to bring the holidays home.
#3 Set your table a part.
You're having a party, so of course you need plenty of tableware for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. These
number dinner plates from Christopher Jagmin will make for a unique way to serve up appetizers. Get a set of even and odd numbers so that you have enough for guests.
Add a little holiday bling with sparkly items like these
gold champagne flutes. Whether saying Merry Christmas or toasting in the New Year, these flutes will make any party feel extra special.
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4 Serve it up.
Find a unique way to serve your guests all the delightful goodies you've prepared for them. Think about what works best for your space. At home we like to host sit-down dinners in the dining room. For a small space, a buffet might be the perfect way to host a group of friends. Something classic, like this
West Elm Butler Tray + Stand, is a great place to set glassware and dishes for a buffet.
#5 Give something special.
Whenever you host guests for a special gathering be sure to give them a little something to show how much you enjoyed their company. At holiday time, an ornament that they can put on their tree at home will make the perfect gift. I personally love these
Nutcracker Ornaments. They will make a treasured keepsake that your friends will put on their tree every year.
#6 Make merriment.
And of course, don't forget that the most important thing of all is to have fun and enjoy this special time with friends and family. My husband is a playlist master, and each year he programs the I-Pod with a mix of old and new Christmas music. My personal favorite is still
Mariah Carey's Christmas album. I know it's old-school, but I just can't help myself.
Have fun as you get ready for holiday celebrations over the next few weeks! And please share any tips you have in the comment section for how you throw the perfect holiday gathering.
{Image 1: Kate Spade; Image 3: West Elm}
