Perfecting the holiday party

Its that time of year – tis the season. We’d be willing to bet you are in one of two camps

1. You have been preparing for your holiday soiree for weeks and are SO READY for the festivities
2. December snuck up on you and you are frantically trying to organize a last minute get together that doesn’t look or feel like it was on the back burner

Regardless of which camp you are in – we have you covered. In our years of throwing gatherings for our community we put together our tips and takeaways for the best times.

Nom Nom Nom

Everyone has food allergies and that can make catering a nightmare. We found cheese & charcuterie boards along with a beautiful vegetable tray to be accomodating across the board- gluten free, keto, vegetarian, vegan, lactose free? You have the ability to customize it to include things that fit all lifestyles. Massive spreads of meats, cheeses, fruits and veggies appeal to most and they look nice. Check out some of the inspiration below.

Sweets are always a plus. Who says no to a cookie platter? Good on you if you can make them homemade but we happen to know a local bakery that makes an awesome cookie spread (and they deliver). Extra bonus points if you host a cookie swap party and get the community involved.

Drinks!

It’s a great time for a festive punch but remember that someone will spill and red dye is a bitch to clean up. Make sure you offer some mocktails for the sober crowd. We also did a beautiful hot chocolate bar that the kids loved and was totally pinterest worthy. You can stick a bottle of liquor on the side for those that want to partake.

Music and decor:

Live music is the best music. Hands down. Dj is the second best- whether you hire someone or take turns designating a member to be the DJ. Music can make the event.

With decor you can be as simple or as WOW as you want but we find that if you have a limited budget- spend it on the food and bev as that is what people really remember and enjoy. Target and home goods have tons of affordable decor. We found lighted birch trees were super elegant and non-confrontational

Gifts and games:

We love a good white elephant or secret santa (if you are organized ahead of time).White Elephants are usually hilarious and a great way to get the community involved. A food drive is always a good idea. Everyone has a can of food lurking in their pantry. We’ve also had a lovely ornament exchange that was hosted like a white elephant.

If you need some ideas or a quick gift – check out our amazon shop category we specially curated for small holiday gifts.

Some of our favorite quirky gifts are this, this and this!

Don’t forget a little something for your community manager- they do SO MUCH during the year. The holidays are a good time to make them feel valued.

Lastly on the gifts spectrum- never underestimate the power of a handwritten note! We all love snail mail. Send a few holiday cards while you are at it!

As far as games go- we are big fans of interactive games. Charades is always a favorite, as is balderdash, catchphrase, and heads up.