15 Tips for Hosting a Great Party

by Quick and Dirty Tips

Hosting a party or two this holiday season? Domestic CEO has 15 easy tips to transform your party into the main event of the season!

15 tips for hosting a great party, home decor, organizing

I love to entertain in my home!

Whether it’s a holiday party, or just a fun night to get friends together, here are my top 15 tips to make your party a smashing success:

Image via epollato0 @pixabay

1. Pick a theme. Themed-parties are a great incentive for people to attend. Throw a tried and true party (ugly Christmas sweater party), or think outside the box for your unique theme!

2. Consider a contest. If it’s a themed party, consider holding a contest .Think “ugliest holiday sweater,” “best couples costume,” “best Valentine’s Day cupcake,” etc.

Image via irfanahmad1989 @pixabay

3. Build excitement. Use social media to your advantage: create an event in Facebook, tweet about it with a customized hashtag (For example: and send out evites via email.

4. Be creative. Add pictures to your invites. Make the wording appeal to your guests.

5. Send reminders. Don’t let your evite go unnoticed in someone’s inbox. Send out reminders as the event approaches. Share your event on Facebook, text people about how excited you are, etc. The more excitement and conversation about your party, the better.

Image via Counselling @pixabay

6. Make lists. Now is the time to begin your party preparations. Make several lists to help keep your organized.

7. Plan your food menu. If it’s themed, make the menu work with the theme. For example: If your guests are supposed to wear an Ugly Sweater, make some Ugly Sweater Cookies, or have a cookie decorating bar.

8. Plan your drink menu. Fancy party? Martinis, wine, and a specialty cocktail will do the trick. More casual? Beer, sangria, a few bottles of varied liquor and mixers will keep your guests happy.

9. Plan your decorations. You don’t need to go overboard. Just a hint of decoration is enough to create an atmosphere.

Image via jesperbkskov @pixabay

10. Prep. Prepare as much as you can the night before. This includes prepping the food, decorating, stocking the bathrooms with plenty of toilet paper, etc.

11. Clean. Clean your house, or the general area where guests will be. No one likes hanging out in a dirty, unready space.

12. Get ready. Make sure you’re ready about 30 minutes before the party to avoid a last minute scramble of doing your hair when guests start arriving.

13. Set the mood. If it’s a holiday party, play some holiday tunes. Make a playlist or use Spotify or Pandora to provide theme-appropriate music.

14. Plan for early arrivals. Inevitably, some guests will arrive early. To avoid any awkwardness, have a few appetizers and drinks ready to go. This will help get conversation going.

Image via 1950sUnlimited @Flickr

15. Play host/hostess. Make sure to roam around and greet all your guests, taking a few minutes to chat with each of them.

This originally appeared at http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/house-home/entertaining/15-tips-for-hosting-a-great-party

Enjoyed the project?

You can do it! Saved to your projects

Frequently asked questions

Have a question about this project?

Ask a Question

Comments

Join the conversation

1 comment

UpState on May 10, 2015
You could have a 'Hand-Clapping" contest. Speed, Loudness, and Durations as the key elements. So much fun and laughter.

Like Reply