The holidays will soon be upon us. Which means time for plenty of family get togethers or parties with our friends. Whatever you celebrate, you’ve got to have your part in style, right? There is no need to talk about the why of throwing an epic party. Just the hows.

One of the first things that you can do is to start writing a list. Making a note of everyone that you want to attend will help. Then deciding on a budget will be the next step. If there are some people on your list that are a bit of a maybe, and your budget is tight, take them off the list. If you have a lot to spend, then it won’t matter how many people that you invite. It is also important to remember that a small percentage of people will all say no. With it being the holidays, lots of people have plans quite far in advance. So bear in mind when you plan, that a few won’t be able to make it anyway. So, those are the first plans. What else do you need to think about?

Picking the date is the next step. Then everything else can work around it. You can’t book out a venue or a caterer if you don’t have a date chosen. Try to give your guests a couple of weeks notice too. With it being the holidays, I think that around four weeks would be a good notice period. Then they can check what their arrangements are, and if they need a babysitter, for example. It is also a good idea to put an RSVP date on the invitation. Then you know that you won’t be wasting your money if people only let you know last minute that they can’t make it.

Naturally, the next step is the invitations. You’ve no doubt got your location, date and rough times in your head. So make sure that everyone on your list gets an invite. It could be a traditional paper invite or perhaps an e-invite. You could even make an event on your Facebook page. It is a good idea to make it a hidden or private event, though. Otherwise, people that you haven’t invited might be able to see it.

When you think about the decorations and food, it is a good idea to keep it simple. Is it at a time when people will even expect food to be served? If it isn’t, then Just stick to a few festive snacks. It could be a few different pies for a Thanksgiving party or something like a hot chocolate bar for a Christmas party. You, of course, need to think about drinks too. Will you be serving alcohol? If so, it can be a little pricey. So it might be worth mentioning to guests to bring their own. Most people are more than willing to bring a bottle; especially during the holidays. Make sure you stock up on ice too. Even if it’s cold outside, people still want a nice cold drink. If you’re hosting at home, it might be worth getting an ice machine if you don’t already. You can get great reviews and information on top brands of Ice Machines online. So have a little browse and the drinks at your party will be epic.

Have you got any parties planned over the holidays? Have a good one!