It’s that time of year again, Christmas. Whilst the word makes some people giddy with excitement, it can send others into a panic. Christmas is an expensive time of year as well as stressful. If you aren’t a child then you may even find it to be a nightmare.
So what can you do to make it more interesting? Well, rather than dealing with the stress of shopping for gifts that people will show enthusiasm for on the day, but then secretly hide away in their wardrobe, never to be seen again, unless re gifted, why not cut all of that out and just host a Christmas party instead? You will get to see family and friends and tell them that the party is your gift to them.
But is a party not more expensive than buying gifts? Yes and no. it really depends. You can quite easily do a great Christmas party on budget and here we will show you how to do just that.
Plan your party
You are going to need to plan the party first. There’s no point in telling everyone about it if you yourself have no idea about what’s going to happen. When you begin your plan, have a look at your budget and how much you wish to spend. That way you will know if you can afford the things you want. Don’t plan for something extravagant if you can’t afford it. When putting together the budget, you will want to write down the maximum amount you wish to spend. Not the amount you think you will need. You will also have to factor in the cost of the theme you are choosing, as some themes might be more expensive than others.
When you have worked out your budget, it is time to plan a guest list. If you want to save money on invitations, then you can make them at home. Depending on the theme you have chosen, you can either hand make them or use a computer program to create them and send them out. Hand making can be more fun it gives a persona touch to your party. You want your invitation to stand out.
It is also a good idea to decide if you want your guests to dress up to match the theme. You will have to give plenty of notice so people can prepare a costume. Bear in mind though, don’t choose something complicated as it will put people off the idea of dressing up. In addition to this, also take note that some people will not want to dress up at all. If this is the case, then leave them to wear what they want, it is better to have all the guests happy than to have some of them feel uncomfortable at your party or even not turn up at all.
Location is vital
Whilst planning your party, you will need to consider where you would like to host your party. One great place to host a party is in Chester. Christmas Party Venues in Chester can cater to almost all types of party and budget and with the beautiful Cheshire countryside all around it makes a great setting for any party.
Decorations
Decorations can be bought cheaply from any supermarket or shopping centre and you can easily make them look fantastic by using them effectively, you could even get them in advance out of season so that they will be cheaper. Better yet, why not make your own? You could even ask party guests to make a decoration for your party in the weeks running up to it. That way everyone will feel like they have done something to contribute.
It’s amazing what you can make with old household materials. You could even have a contest to see who can make the best decoration suited to your chosen theme. It also makes a great conversation starter amongst the guests and is fun for the kids too.
Food and drink
Food and drink at any party can be expensive, but there are ways to cut costs. You can of course make your own food, but if you have a large number of guests coming then it could take you a long time and still cost a lot of money anyway. Check out local super markets, particularly in the frozen food aisles. Most supermarkets and butchers offer party platters for as little as £3 for 75 pieces of food which includes savoury and sweet platters. Getting a few of these should be enough to feed your guests. Unless you plan to have a sit down meal, then buffet food is a good way to go.
As for drink, ask guests to bring drinks with them to cut costs, but be sure to also provide a selection of beers, wines, spirits and soft drinks. You can always look at home to see what you have and bring that with you. Most supermarkets also offer great deals on both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, so shop around and see what deal suits you.
Don’t forget, if everyone is drinking, then it might be safer to offer the option of staying over. If you did chose Chester as a location for your party, then why not have guests book into one of the nearby Cheshire Hotels. That way everyone can have a happy, safe and comfortable Christmas.
Leave a Reply