It’s that time of year again! The season for good food, good cheer, and good times. Regardless of which specific holidays you choose to celebrate, chances are you’ll be attending one or more parties in the coming weeks. You may even be hosting a holiday party soon.
If you’re planning on hosting a party this holiday season, odds are you want it to be a swinging shindig of epic proportions. At the very least, you want your guests to have a good time. If that’s the case, then you’ve come to the right place! When it comes to how to host a fantastic get-together, we’ve got you covered. The following are six essentials for hosting an unforgettable holiday shindig:
Music
What’s a party without music? It’s a meeting. With this in mind, you’ll want the air filled with fun and festive songs throughout the night. We suggest starting out with holiday-themed music for the first few hours. Once the party atmosphere goes up a notch in terms of fun and excitement, it’s time to switch to party-appropriate music that’s popular year-round. When it’s time for guests to head home, switch back to slow holiday favourites. Unsure which songs to play? No worries – have Pandora or Spotify determine the playlist!
Lights
When it comes to the stage and screen, lighting dictates the atmosphere and mood. Those hosting a holiday party should take the hint and incorporate lighting into their shindig. The good news is you don’t need a director of photography to do an appropriate lighting setup. A few packages of holiday-themed lights strung up on the walls and lit candles positioned safely throughout the space are all you really need to achieve the desired look and feel of a perfect holiday shindig.
Aromas
Many party planners make the mistake of overlooking scents and smell as factors to consider. The truth is our memories are strongly tied to aromas. So if you want your guests to look back fondly on an evening of festivities, you’ll want to make sure the aromas are pleasant and appropriate. Classic options include cinnamon, vanilla, and pine. The key is to avoid overdoing it; choose one or two signature scents and generate them with a limited amount of candles or plug-ins. Anything more could prove to be potent to the point of being nauseating to your guests.
Drinks
Not every holiday party includes alcoholic beverages. But those that do will benefit from a well-stocked bar featuring classic favourites as well as interesting novelties. With this in mind, we recommended stocking up on bourbon, gin, vodka, and whiskey. Something fun – like vodka popsicles or jelly shots – should be made available to guests as well. A case or two of beer wouldn’t hurt, either. Just remember to keep your eye on guests to ensure nobody is too drunk to drive themselves home. If you spot someone who appears to be highly intoxicated, arrange for them to use a ridesharing service in order to get home safely.
Treats
Your guests are going to want to eat something. While ordering pizza is the go-to option, it’s a bit uninspired. If you’re able and willing, consider baking and making a series of holiday-themed treats. There should be sweet options alongside savoury ones. Alternatively, you could ask one or more guests to bring their own dishes to serve. If you know your best friend makes the best antipasto skewers, why not make it a centrepiece of your holiday party spread?
Games
No party is complete without one or more games for guests to play. From Christmas movie trivia to the Santa Hat Game, there are many fun and seasonally appropriate options to choose from as well as classic party games suitable for any occasion.
The holiday season is upon us, which means gifts, plays, concerts, and parties. If you’re gearing up to host a holiday party in the coming weeks, you undoubtedly want it to be the best shindig possible. If you incorporate one or more of the suggestions above, it’s sure to be a success!
Good luck and happy holidays!
