The holidays are mere weeks away, you know what that means…parties! From friendsgiving bashes to gift exchanges and at-home happy hours, there’s so much to love about celebrating the holidays in your very own home. Here are our best tips and tricks for being the host with the most.

Pick a Theme & Plan a Date

From an apps-only holiday potluck to a cookie-decorating party and everything in between, pick a theme that matches what your guests might be interested in. Try to plan out your event at least two to four weeks in advance to allow enough time for your guests to save the date. And be sure to request an RSVP so you can accurately prepare your supplies.

Send Out Invites

While a simple text message to your potential attendees would suffice, why not step up your hosting game with a pretty, e-invite? Check out Canva for some awesome online templates to create a festive, theme-focused party invite.

It’s All In the Prepwork

Going into a party with the right framework will lead to a super smooth event. No matter how small or how packed your party is, planning and preparing for everything from the music selection and seating availability to the appetizers and drinks, will lead you on the path to an epic event.

Create a bumpin’ playlist based on the guests who will be attending, the type of theme you’re going with, and the type of activities you’ll be doing at your event. For example, you wouldn’t want to be blasting electronica dance hits if the main activity during your event is sitting around at a dinner table.

Be thoughtful about any guests’ food allergies or dietary restrictions and plan enough food and drinks for everyone, to be sure you don’t run out mid-party. The one pound rule suggests you allow for a total of one pound of food for each adult guest (or half a pound for kids). Or really spice things up with a unique element, like this leftovers table. For drinks, a general rule of thumb is two drinks per person for the first hour of the party, then one drink per hour after that – but you know your guests’ habits and can slide that scale up or down accordingly.

Cheers to a Great Time

Happy hosting! And when you’re ready for more lifestyle tips and tricks, check out our Olympus blog page and social media posts for more inspiration, how-to’s, recipes, giveaways, and seasonal contests.