5 Tips to Make Your Holiday Party Less Stressful

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It’s no secret that the holidays are stressful. From buying gifts and decorating, to parties and events, it is definitely a busy season. If you are the one that is hosting the party, your stress levels are going to be even higher. They don’t have to be though. With some simple planning your holiday party can be virtually stress free.

Here are 5 party planning tips that can make your holiday party less stressful and more fun for everyone:

1. Make a to-do list. First and foremost, you need to create a list of the things that you need to do in order to pull off a stress free holiday party. Make sure you create this list early.

   Having a list prepared in advance helps to prevent you from forgetting anything important.

   I love the online to do list teuxdeux.com and it’s accompanying app.
    

2. Shop and cook early. I mentioned earlier that you need to create your list early. The same rule applies for shopping for your party. No one likes to do last minute shopping for anything, let alone a party.

   On the plus side, when you shop early, you are more likely to find deals on your supplies so you can save money (which always saves stress). The same is true for the food for your party. Anything that you can cook in advance, you should. This will save you from spending the entire day of the party in the kitchen.

   For a shopping list tool, I use the Flipp app which allows me to easily find deals and maintain a grocery list.
    

3. Less is more. When it comes to decorating, less is more. Of course you should have some holiday themed decoration, but don’t overdo it. If your party is a Christmas themed party, you don’t need thousands of lights or streamers or a tree in every room.

   Instead, place a simple centerpiece on each table and have a nicely decorated tree, it will set the mood and you didn’t have to exhaust yourself doing the work. Plus, that’s less work for you when it comes to clean up.

   You can also turn family time into a way to make a few simple, elegant decorations like these Holiday Centerpieces and this easy Christmas Garland.
    

4. Have a buffet or potluck. Instead of stressing over one particular dish, consider having a buffet style meal and letting people choose what they want. Or, better yet, have a pot luck!

   With a pot luck, no one person is responsible for a majority of the food. When you aren’t the only one in charge of the food, it eases a lot of the stress.
    

5. Relax. The best way to stay stress free is to remind yourself that not everything has to be 100% perfect.
    
   Didn’t have time to clean the upstairs guest room? Just close the door. Focusing on relaxing and having fun is probably the best thing that you can do to stay stress free.

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