December is finally here! I love this time of the year, especially now more than ever. Being around family and close friends is much needed during these troubled times. To finish this year off with a celebration and to brighten our spirits, how about a holiday party?! I have some top tips on how to plan an intimate christmas party that won’t break the bank!

Pick a theme. Obviously the theme is Christmas but there are so many ways you can go about this and add your own flavor to it. You can go with the classic winter wonderland theme with white elements everywhere. Or you can go with non-traditional like a warmer Christmas theme using gold metals and champagne colored accents.

Guest list. It’s important to know what the guidelines are when it comes to having gatherings at the moment due to the COVID restrictions. Depending on your area make sure to take precautions when creating your guest list. It’s best to keep your guest list small and intimate just to be on the safe side. Another option is to set up a virtual gathering for those who can’t attend.

Invitations. You can’t have a party without invitations right?! You don’t have to spend money on this, you can use Evite to create your invitations. The best thing I love about using Evites is not only is it free but they have some great themed invitations you can customize to make it your own. Also, it’ll send you alerts once you get RSVP’s and will send reminders to your guest as the event approaches.

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Now the menu. If you don’t want to be stuck with all of the cooking, you can ask your guest to bring a special dish to the party. Potluck style is the best way to go. You can also purchase pre-made appetizers and christmas theme treats from your local grocery store just to save you some time.

Next, the items you’ll need. Since you are having the party at your home, i’m pretty sure you already have a lot of the items you need. Start with walking around your home and figure out where your guest will hang out – the living room, dining room or the backyard.

From there think about tables, do you have enough chairs for your guest to sit on? How much supplies do you need – plates, glassware, utensils, platters for the food. If you want to go with plasticware, Target, Party City or the Dollar Store is perfect when shopping on a budget.

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On to the best part, the decorations. When i’m shopping for a party, my go to stores are Target, Ross, Hobby Lobby and the Dollar Store. You can find some really great items at an affordable price.

The decorations you’ll need – Ornaments (of course), flowers (the Dollar store has decorative faux flower options), candles (Target has the best Glade scented candles), vases (Ross and Home Goods has nice vases at a good price). Table runner/ table cloth (Hobby Lobby is having a huge sales on christmas decor)!

Also, be sure to check around your home first before purchasing items, just so you can see if you have any items from last year you can use. Just so it’ll save you time and money of course.

Dress Code. What’s a holiday party without dressing up right? Well, that’s if require your guest to dress up. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy considering it is at your home and you want your guest to be comfortable. But depending on the theme you can always play around with the attire.

Plan for some Games. This is a great way for your guest to interact with one another. I know often times when we come together with family and friends the main topic of discussion is COVID. Having some games will definitely lighten the mood and will bring more fun to your party!

Now, it’s time to Party!

Styled Shoot Vendor: Planner & Designer @lovelysoiree

Need help designing your next event, I offer an Event Design and Management service, where I assist with creating the aesthetics elements for your wedding or event. I can help with creating a theme, design and execution of your vision the day of. Make sure to CLICK HERE for more details and book your complimentary consultation with me. I can’t wait to hear from you soon!

XO, Jalyssa