Tips for Hosting a Chic but Affordable Christmas or New Year Bash

Nov.13, 2009 in Family Holiday Fun + Gifts

Why not try an unusual party theme this holiday season that can be implemented affordably for you and your guests? All it takes is a little creativity! If you’re the designated party-thrower in your crowd, here are some tips for keeping the expenses down, while still creating a party everyone will remember:

Putting a New Spin on Holiday Party Themes

For adults, save money by throwing a recycling/re-gifting party. Most people can locate at least one item they’ve received that they don’t want, so let them wrap them up and give them again. Make sure to let them know who is coming to the party, though, so people don’t re-gift items they received from other party guests. If you don’t want to risk hurt feelings, people can just bring impulse purchases they made but have never used. The items should be limited to a dollar amount that’s appropriate for the group, so people at all income levels can participate. Another spin on this concept is to have everyone print gift certificates, bring them to the party and choose names from a festive holiday bowl to decide who gets what from whom. Once the names have been chosen, each person fills in the blank with a free gift they’re willing to give, such as walking a dog, mowing a lawn or cooking a gourmet meal. This works best when the people in the crowd know each other pretty well.

For a kids Christmas or Hanukkah party, the guests can bring low-cost items that would be appropriate for a homeless shelter that serves families or a local animal rescue organization. If you call the organization in advance, you can compile a list of low-cost items that can be included with the invitations you send to your guests. Instruct them to wrap the items as if they were regular holiday gifts and then the entire party can meet at the organization to deliver them. Doing this would be a meaningful experience for everyone and would also teach the children the true meaning of the holidays.

Make Your Own Holiday Party Decorations and Invitations

The Web is full of a huge selection of free holiday invitations for both adults and kids. So why spend money on store-bought invitations when you can print them at home for just the cost of card stock and ink? There are also lots of vintage Christmas images on the Web, which make great party decorations. If you can find high resolution art, you can make your own banners and signs for the party. If not, you can at least use smaller art to make table place holders or to cut out and sprinkle throughout flower arrangements or plants. If you like antiques, you can print an assortment of free vintage greeting cards and attach them to a string that you drape around the room or the buffet table. This will create a distinctive feel and make the room look terrific! To enhance the shabby chic, vintage holiday theme, you can get mix-and-match used plates and silverware at a thrift store instead of buying paper plates and plastic forks, knives and spoons.

The most important thing to remember when trying to plan a budget-conscious Christmas, Hanukkah or New Year party is that you need to be creative. If you infuse style into your party plans, no one will ever know the party was actually a bargain! The economy may be a little tattered right now but that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate the winter holidays with style.