12 Holiday Party Hosting Tips

12 HOSTING TIPS

 It's the most wonderful time of the year as they say.  Studies say that decorating your home for the holidays makes you happier.  I started in October.  I have been hosting a Hallmark Movie Bingo Party at home for the past few years in November.  It's a time for my friends to get together before the holidays and chill and watch movies all day.  I don't get to chill because it takes me weeks to prep for these parties.  I am told I am pretty good at hosting so I will give you some of my tips from this year's party.

First, pick a Theme. it will guide you through all of your choices.  I saw a really cool movie theatre display at Michaels inspired me this year.  This year's colors are Black, white and red.  It's classic, elegant and dark but still festive.

I have bingo sheets for everyone and picked up little prizes for anyone who gets a line or fills a page.  I got highlighters instead of the bingo dabbers so that everyone has a different color so they can tell which one is theirs if they walk away.

1.  Get your snacks organized.  This year I got a great divided section carrier to organize my snacks.  I used a lot of Halloween chocolates and each kind of snack has a little container that can be removed. There is also a lid that snaps on top.  Once everyone grabs their snacks the container can be covered and put away.  I used to have huge trays that I would have to bag up what was left at the end of the night. This eliminated that for me.

2. Personalize whatever you can.  This year because of Taylor Swift fever in Toronto this week I made Friendship bracelets for my friends.  Something they can keep as a reminder of the party.

Their glasses will be personalized and they can personalize their caddies and soup mugs if they choose to.  

3.  The selfie and the self-serve.  I found little caddies on Amazon that I will give to my guests for them to load up their snacks and a drink, like a kid's tray at the movies.  

4.  I also found some Holiday t-shirts at the dollar store so that we can take a great group photo that is themed.

5.  Think decor and self-serve.  I like to have candy canes for anyone to grab because it's minty and also it acts as festive decor.

I try and set up as much self-serve stations as I can so that I am not bouncing around and not actually participating in the party.  I am more directing by the time the guests arrive.  I will probably make Cranberry and mint water this year.  I have mixed it up over the years.  And Hot Cider and some mini cans of soda. 

6.  Gift bags,  this year I recycled some Sephora bags because they fit my theme colors, black, white and red.  I found cute mini Santa hat headbands also going toward making a festive selfie.  In the bag is a mini card and some other little gifts.  Sometimes I make these bags as things to use during the party like hats.  

I make these bags and do this party instead of getting my friends Christmas presents.  I create an experience with little take-home gifts.

I went a bit mad this year because I had a bit more money to spend but you can do it as big or small as you like.  I started small with more snacks than anything else.  It was too many snacks so I kind of scaled back this year.

7.  Food.  We have been doing a cookie swap for the past few years.  My place gets filled with cookies and snacks.  I try and make as much room for everything as I can.   I asked that everyone bring 2 dozen cookies for each batch they bring.  I got a headstart by making the dough for these peppermint chocolate chip cookies and rolling them and freezing them so I only need to bake them the day before.

I try and get as much food prep done in advance as I can.  This year I am making chili and I froze ground turkey and added the chili spice before I froze it so I just need to dump into a crock pot with the rest of the ingredients.  Speaking of a crock pot.  I have been using it for the past couple of years so that I can make something and leave it to warm so that the food stays at the proper temperature whether people are late or want seconds later on.  I leave it in the kitchen so people can serve themselves.  

I also put a pot on the stove with Apple Cider and spices and let that simmer on low.  It makes the whole place smell fantastic and it's such a warm hug in the winter.  Also left simmering for anyone to refill their cups at anytime.

8.  Containers and serving utensils.  Sometimes I like to give my friends mugs to take home so that I don't have to wash them all at the end of the night.  This year I found big soup mugs with lids that they will use for the chili.  They can take them home if they wish.

9.  I am also going to use some old stemless wine glasses that will be a crafting item.  Everyone can paint their names on them and then use them for their drinks.  This insures that they don't mix up who's drink is who's and also they can take them home because they become personalized and an art project.

10.  Im going lighter on the appetizers this year.  Opting for some mini cheese balls and crackers.  This covers the savoury snack along with chips and popcorn.  And then there are the chocolates and candies for the sweet tooths.

I will set up the chili and the toppings on the kitchen counter.  Leaving the mess in the kitchen hopefully.

11.  Things to do.  Along with the painting of the wine glasses, this year I am adding an ornament making craft.  I will do an acrylic dip and people can also draw on plain ornaments.  Also something to take home.

12.  Packing things up.  I made sure I got a bunch of ziploc bags in case people don't bring big enough containers for the cookie swap or if there is anything else to take home or put away.  I also got little rubbermaid containers to pack any food.  There shouldn't be much except for the toppings maybe.

And last but not least I found some huge Santa sacks that everyone can pack their cookies and their crafts and gifts into so that they have 1 bag to carry it all  home.