It’s almost time to ring in the happiest time of the year, and what better way to do so than with your friends and family? Parties are an exciting way to embody the spirit of the holiday and spread joy, peace, and happiness. Read on for some tips on how to make your get-together the most jolly of them all!

Send Your Invites Early

Once you’ve decided on the perfect date to host your party, send out your invitations as soon as possible! The holidays are a busy time for many, and it’s important for people to have enough notice, so they can check their schedules and move things around. Furthermore, by getting invitations out of the way early, you can gauge how many people will attend. If too many of your guests are busy, you’ll have enough time to postpone for another date and make any other changes.

PRO TIP: We recommend sending out physical invites. Though digital events are more convenient, there’s nothing quite like opening your mailbox and finding a beautifully-decorated envelope waiting for you…especially this time of year!

Get Your Home Ready for the Occasion

Get your home into the spirit by decking the halls! Though we always love to go all out during the holidays, a subtle look is the best way to avoid clutter and ensure your guests have enough room to mingle and dance. Display candles on mantelpieces and window sills, hang lights over curtains, and decorate your doors with vibrant, green wreaths. Your minimalistic approach will impress partygoers and provide the perfect touch of holiday spirit.

Host a Potluck

Avoid the stress of party planning by hosting a potluck. While you take care of the main course, ask your guests to contribute a dish—bonus points if it’s holiday themed—that everyone can enjoy, such as the fan-favorite, spinach and artichoke dip. This will not only get everyone involved, it will also introduce you and your guests to new and exciting foods. After all, the holidays are about becoming closer, and there’s nothing more lovely than sharing your favorite dishes.

Gift Exchange

Giving and getting gifts during the holidays is always fun, so why not host a secret gift exchange? Once your guests have confirmed their attendance, set a spending limit and give everyone the name of a friend to buy a gift for. After you’ve finished dinner, sit around the fireplace and let everyone open up their gifts. There are sure to be good tidings and joy as each person sees what they’ve gotten!

You’ve got food, decorations, friends, and gifts, but there’s one more thing you need to complete your holiday party—ugly sweaters, of course! Arrange a contest where your guests model their ugliest holiday sweaters and the crowd votes for their favorite via applause. Be sure to have a prize for the winner; we recommend a giftcard to a local coffee shop!

We hope you have fun planning your most festive party yet! Happy Holidays from the Mountain House family to yours.