Okay darlings,
First off, I know Thanksgiving is in 2 days but I had to post this now so that you have time to prepare. Holiday parties. We all love them! On my instagram polls a few weeks back, too many of you said that you didn’t go to fancy/dressy holiday parties. I think that’s possibly the saddest thing I’ve heard in a really long time. You guys, fancy holiday parties are my jam. It got me thinking, that if you don’t go to them, there must not be any that your friends are throwing for you to go to. Which then made me think, that I should help you throw one yourself! As apparently, there is a shortage of them.
How to Throw a Holiday Party
Step 1: Pick a date. Now this can be a little tricky, especially in a city like LA/NY where there are usually 3 parties/night every weekend in December. But, your chances are better if you throw it earlier in the month and definitely on a weekend, preferably on a Saturday. Also, if you include an “end time” on the invite, people will know that it’s not going all night, therefore will come by earlier so then they can hop on over to whatever party they have after. I usually start parties at 8pm with an 12am end time. People never want to be the first one to arrive so they’ll show up between 8:30-9. (Your closest friends will know they can stay later obviously and once everyone leaves you can kick off the heels and watch a Christmas movie! Or just go to bed…that’s totally okay too.)
Step 2: Make the invite. The invitation is a clear insight as to what the vibe of the party will be. So, if you want this to be fancy, which, duh, make sure the invitation exudes that. Think champagne, metallic embellishments, cursive writing etc. You can also include a little note that says “Cocktail attire” or “Dress to impress,” which I always do if I want it to be fancy! Send the initial invite 2-3 weeks before the event with a follow up reminder 1 week before! I use Paperless Post for all my invites!
Step 3: Ambiance! As soon as your guests walk in, you want them to feel fabulous. Lighting, scent, decor and music are all huge things when walking into a holiday party. So, choose your playlist. (I’m a big fan of Frank Sinatra Christmas Radio, classy and festive af) Have holiday candles lit in every room they may go into. (Including the bathroom!) Candles give off a romantic, classy, festive ambiance so use them! Decorate with a main Christmas tree obviously, but even little mini Christmas trees or nutcrackers for the bathroom/kitchen/drink bar etc will be so fun and make your guests think you thought of everything.
Step 4: Signature cocktails and snacks. As soon as your guests arrive, you should have a couple options of signature cocktails they can choose between! I did a few festive cocktails for the holidays last year, you can check those out HERE. For snacks, a cheese board. Don’t just buy cubed cheese. This is a classy affair so go to your grocery store and find a few different varieties of cheese. Always have a creamy (like brie), a funky (like blue) and something a little more in the middle like an English cheddar. Mixed nuts, candied nuts, crudite cups are all amazing little nibbles as well. Never let the drinks or food run out!
Step 5: Have an element of surprise! Now, I’m not saying you have to go buy presents for 50 people. However, having those fun party poppers that everyone could do at the same time would be fun. Or you could hide a few small presents and have everyone look for them! This year, I’m hiding 4 presents and we will do a present search every hour on the hour. Something fun that brings everyone together for a little surprise.
And there you have it! Easy steps that if you follow, your holiday party will be fancy, festive and certainly a good time!
Xox
Tessa
