How to Throw a Successful Holiday Party

Ten Things That Are Sure To Make Party Planning Fun and Simple.

The holidays are a fun and festive season with tons of parties. Why not throw one of your own this year? It doesn’t have to be stressful if you just follow our top ten lists to success!

Get organized. Do an inventory of your serving dishes, candles, napkins, flatware, etc. If you have the space, do a party closet. Take a closet in your house and use it as party central. Put all of the must haves in one place, that way you’re not searching for items up to the last minute.

Make a plan and stick to it. Once you are organized, make a game plan for the party and stick to the plan. Once you veer off the plan it is easy to loose track of things. Type a list for what you need to be doing the 10 days leading up to the party. For example, five days before the party you order flowers; day 3 you purchase groceries.

Set the menu and plan the grocery list. Setting the menu is one of the most important things to do. Don’t try to make recipes that you have never made before. Stick to what you know. Try Smithfield’s Bacon Crisps; they are great for when guests first arrive and couldn’t be easier to prepare. Sit down and write up a detailed grocery list to ensure you don’t get sidetracked at the grocery store.

You also don’t have to make everything yourself. Order some things from a caterer or your local gourmet market. No one will ever know once you display the food on your serving trays. Be sure to serve things that can be eaten both hot and at room temperature. This makes things run smoother. Paula Deen’s Crunchy Honey Glazed Spiral Sliced Ham is quick and easy. Just heat and glaze, then serve with warm yeast rolls. Garnishing your trays with touches of the season is a great way to bring the holidays to your table.

Set the tone or theme for your party. A theme helps to make a party fun and lets your guest know you put thought into the party. This can be as easy as choosing a color for the party. Maybe everything is red; red candles, red poinsettias, plates, napkins even red cocktails.

Use things you already own. If you own a collection of candle sticks, pull them out and use them. Maybe you have a great collection of bowls? Fill them with water and float candles and flowers. Filling a vase full of Christmas balls is a quick and easy fix for a last minute centerpiece. It is also nice to place fresh cut evergreen boughs around the house. They will fill your home with the scent of the season.

No one is expecting you to do everything. If you can’t manage on your own, hire help or ask a friend. It is nice to have someone picking up plates and glasses during the party and helping with clean up after it is over.

Don’t forget, music can make your party. Most people think of music at the last minute. Music will also set the tone for the party, so make sure you choose music that goes with your theme. For instance, if your theme is winter wonderland, blues could be a great choice for that theme. Also make sure the music is not too loud. Guests need to be able to have conservation. After all, parties are all about great conversations.

Don’t sweat the small stuff. If everything is not perfect, are the guests really going to notice? Don’t worry if all the napkins didn’t get folded or all the candles didn’t get lit. At the end of the night, all that matters is that everyone had fun.

Most of all have fun.This is your party! Reserve the 30 minutes before the guests arrive to sit down, have a cocktail, and survey the glory of all your hard work. Throwing a party is fun and makes memories, cherish them all.