Set the date

This is probably the busiest time of the year, so do decide on your party date fast. Even if your guests don’t commit to other parties you sure might find it difficult to get venues and caterers and MCs and DJs unless you book them all fast this Christmas – New Year season. So, figuring out when you want to throw your party is crucial. If you are looking at Christmas eve and New Year’s Eve are the days, then you might want to be super fast about booking venues and such. Unless you’re holding the function at your home or your office.

Send out the invites

Even if you plan to send out formal invitations to your guests, send out a ‘Save the Date’ as soon as possible (with an RSVP). This will help your guests save the date and the RSVP will help you get a head count to fix your budget. Once this is done, you can get down to working on your proper invitations and send them out at leisure.

Set your budget

Though we said be fast and book your venue and your MC and DJ et al, you should keep your options open, especially regarding rates and such. So call up a few venues, talk to your DJs and MCs, understand the rates and weigh in your options. Once you’ve got an idea of the going rates and charges, figure out if you have that much to spend (especially if your budget needs to be sanctioned by your office), work out a few options and trimmings and then, set your budget.

Fix the venue, then the menu

Once you have your budget set, make all your bookings, and of course plan the menu. Here too, you will have to visit or call up various caterers and work with them to create an appetizing menu that will fit in the budget. If it’s a home party and you’re going to do all the cooking, work out your quantities, the costs of ingredients and how to fit everything within your budget. Make sure you have vegetarian and non-vegetarian options and also consider food allergies. In this WhatsApp world, this should be easy with a broadcast message going out to your guests asking “Hey, are there any food allergies that I should consider on your behalf?”

How about a theme?

Should you deck the halls with boughs of holly? Or go for a totally white Christmas theme? Would your guests love to dress up in Christmas costumes? Or do you want to make it a fully formal and stately affair? Now is the time to decide on this and let your guests know what to prepare for. For a New Year’s Eve party you might consider keeping an informal theme and allowing your guests to let their hair down. It is the last day of the decade, after all.

Decide on entertainment

Depending on whether it’s a Christmas or New Year party, your entertainment will differ. While you can consider some lovely carol singing time and play some traditional Christmas songs as entertainment for a Christmas party, a New Year celebration will need loads of peppy music and dance numbers and all sorts of year ending excitement that people look forward to. Games are sure to be fun no matter what party it is, especially if you have kids coming for the party or if it is a kiddie party. So do have some games and prizes in handy to liven up the revelry. A lil’ tip: Arrange for a Santa Claus to come in and surprise everyone with gifts. The gifts can be something as small as chocolates, but hey, who doesn’t love getting something from Santa?

Seated or Buffet?

Whether this is a home party or an office party, keep in mind that people like to mingle. But once they have food in hand, they might want to be able to sit down and savour it. So it is always wise to opt for a buffet service but have enough tables and chairs to seat at least half the number of guests you’ve invited.

Hope you all have a fabulous end of year fun!