Food & Drink

It’s never too late to kick off your Christmas party celebrations since the yuletide season isn’t over yet. This year will see an increase in parties at home, as recent studies show that visits to pubs and restaurants will fall by 4.5%, no thanks to the current cost of living. So, more people will prefer to turn their homes into party zones, even on short notice. Understandably, hosting a last-minute Christmas party can sound very stressful, as you don’t have enough time to prepare. But “stressful” does not mean impossible. The following tips can help you pull off a great Christmas party with little time.  

Stay calm

Almost every party expert will advise planning early to give yourself enough preparation time, but that’s almost impossible at the last minute. Yet, don’t let this small window you have for planning be the reason you pull your hair out. Instead, calm yourself and think through the things you need to do right away. The calmer and more collected you are, the better you’ll be able to organise your thoughts and decide how to go about things. Allowing yourself to worry too much will only waste time, and you might end up bailing on an opportunity to host the party. 

Pick a convenient date for everyone

Choose a date and time that will work for everyone without going back and forth on making changes. Instead of using emails, reach out ot the attendees by calling them directly on their phones so you can get quick responses. Instant chats and internet calls can also do the trick, but since not everyone replies instantly to chats, try calling first. Ideally, a weekday evening will be best for a last-minute party, as most people will have their weekends already packed, especially during the festive season. So, pick a weekday evening and call the attendees to find out how suitable it is for them. 

Order all your drinks from one location

The last thing you want to do is run around from store to store buying drinks. Instead, order all of them from one place where possible. For example, if your guests prefer liquor or spirits, look for a store (whether online or brick-and-mortar) that offers various types, whether it’s tequila, liqueur, or bacanora. But double-check how long the delivery will take before ordering online. Use the same principle for juices, wine, and champagne. You can even find stores that sell different types of drinks, whether alcoholic or non-alcoholic. One huge advantage of ordering from one place is that you might enjoy some discounts. 

Let a party service handle the food

Good food is at the heart of any party. Unfortunately, good food can also take a lot of time to make, especially when you’re expecting quite a turn-up. One of the most convenient ways to wash your hands off this demanding responsibility is to order from a party service. Most restaurants and food businesses offer special menus for parties and large gatherings usually at lesser costs per person. Alternatively, you can ask your attendees to prepare their preferred dishes and bring them along. That’s like killing two birds with one stone – they’ll have the dishes they want, and you’ll ease the pressure on yourself. But if you still want to make something on your own, consider the next tip. 

Go for simple recipes 

This point should sound obvious, but it’s worth mentioning. Go for simple but delicious recipes to save you time and effort if you want to handle the cooking by yourself. Also, don’t worry; your guests will probably understand, especially when they know you planned everything on short notice. Often, there’s a huge burden to impress guests with the food choices, forcing many party hosts to try exotic and complicated recipes. But don’t put yourself under such pressure. Plus, there are several easy-to-make dishes you can try that your guests will love and will take no time at all to make. You can also ask friends and family to help a little with the cooking to save time. 

Plan for entertainment

The food might be good, but people expect to have fun when they attend a Christmas party, so plan for entertainment as well. Again, you want to keep things simple without losing the fun factor. Consider adding some games to the party experience. Whether it’s card games, board games, charades, or karaoke, think of games everyone will love and be willing to participate in. If you’re short on ideas, consider sorting opinions from your list of invitees. The more games you can add, the better, as that will keep your attendees occupied and prevent boredom. You can also consider hiring entertainers, but look for those who can be available on short notice.