Who’s ready? The first chimes of Christmas tunes have seeped out of the speakers. A prospective space has been cleared for the tree. A few decorations have been ordered online. Yep, tentative preparations for the festive season have most certainly begun. Soon, all systems will be go and you won’t be able to catch a breath, let alone a sip of mulled wine. So, should you be doing any of the hosting this party season, it’s best to get prepared. Get the ideas phase well and truly complete, with these; our 5 IDEAL elements to a cracking Christmas party.
THEME
Before you decide on anything else for your Christmas party, you should first consider what you want the theme of the night to be. ‘But isn’t Christmas a theme enough?’ we hear you ask. Well, not really; whacking on a Christmas jumper and playing Last Christmas isn’t exactly going to get the party rocking, now is it?
Dig a little deeper and get creative. There are plenty of different aspects of the festive season that you could focus on, from classic inspiration such as the Nativity to more contemporary concepts like the Nightmare Before Christmas or Winter Wonderland themes. Check out our tips on 4 IDEAL themed Christmas party ideas over here for more inspiration!
VENUE
Once you know what your theme is, it’s time to choose a venue that’s suitable for your chosen aesthetic, and that will easily accommodate the number of guests you plan on inviting. If you’re having a large party, then a hall or hotel function room might be the only options available to you. For something smaller, then hosting the party at home or the office might be the cheapest and most welcoming option. Allow the number of attendees to define the size.
DECORATIONS
Once you have the space sorted, then you can work out how you want to decorate so that it’s fitting for your chosen theme, as well as for Christmas as a whole. Though it may seem counterintuitive, try to avoid big, space-taking items like a Christmas tree, as real estate will most likely be at a premium and it’s a large investment for a one-night-only event.
Instead, finesse the finer details – such as wreaths, twinkling Christmas lights, playful advent calendar placements and adding a touch of holiday spirit with a beautiful Christmas ribbon – to achieve a complete, all-encompassing end.
MUSIC
Music is the key ingredient to any good party, not only for the all important dancing which seems to define an event, but also for setting the right tone and atmosphere. After all, who remembers any party fondly where silence was a soundtrack. It’s imperative, then, that you give the tunes the proper attention they deserve.
While playing music off of a phone or computer might work if you’re on a tight budget, ideally you should find a DJ on dedicated websites like Anything For Hire who can play a more diverse range of songs (you can’t just play All I Want For Christmas on repeat, however much you want to) and expertly mix them together.
FOOD & DRINKS
One of the most important aspects of any event is keeping your guests well fed and watered. You can provide all of the raucous entertainment you could dream of, but without refreshments (solid and liquid) things just aren’t going to kick off. Always remember that finger food and snacks are significantly easier to coordinate than a full-blown, sit down, three-course meal. Fortunately, when it comes to food and drink synonymous with Christmas, the menu writes itself; mulled wine, a classic Snowball cocktail, an espresso martini with an extra dusting of snowlike icing sugar…easy peasy. And the grub? Check out these Christmas canape recipe ideas from the BBC for some inspiration.