Party Planning

Planning ahead for your holiday party will give you plenty of time to enjoy the season with family and friends. Here are lots of quick and easy things you can do beforehand to prepare to host the perfect holiday party.

Polish Up the Good Stuff

Holiday gatherings are a great time to show off your best china, glassware and silverware, along with your planning skills. Look them over three weeks before your party to ensure that you’ve got enough place settings for your anticipated number of guests, and that none of it has been chipped or damaged. Polish the silverware, and clean any dust, dirt, water spots or fingerprints off the glasses and china. Also look at your special holiday-theme napkins, hand towels and other seasonal decorations to give yourself time to replace them if they’re broken or just looking a little ragged or dated since you put them away.

Analyze the Guest List

A key to successful holiday parties is to know who’s coming. Go over your guest list two weeks before your party, and make note of any special provisions you might need to make to accommodate them as part of your planning. Ask yourself:

Do some guests have dietary restrictions? Do others prefer a certain type of beverage? Will small children be attending which might mean I need to put breakable items out of reach? Will there be a person with limited mobility who might need assistance getting inside, furniture rearranged, or something else done to help them feel comfortable? Going through your guest list will limit those last-minute trips and surprises that can make hosting holiday parties hectic.

Decorate Early, Rearrange Furniture

Hosting a holiday party sometimes means rearranging your furniture, especially when seasonal decorations are added to the mix. Decorate your home during the week of the party because it often means moving some of your furniture. Once you determine the general number of guests, walk through what will be the main gathering area. Imagine your party underway, and determine if you’ll need to add more chairs, remove an end table or lamp, add a serving tray or even a card table to accommodate an overflow of guests that can’t be seated at the main dining table.