Make Your Holiday Party a Masterpiece

Set on holding the best party of the season? Before you go on with the brilliant creative ideas, know a few of the basic steps - even the most impressive party can be drab without proper planning.

First, get all of your basic information together. How many guests do you want to come? Where will you hold the party? What kind of food do you want to serve, if any? Is this an independent venture, or are you part of a group? And, perhaps most important, what does your budget look like? All of these limiting factors can help when it comes to making decisions. Know everything before you send out the invites - you do not want to send out too many and find out the venue will not fit a number near that size, or too little and find that the catering company does not do small functions. Knowing your budget will tell you where to sacrifice and where to be lavish. Once these are under your thumb, it is time to look into other issues.

Most parties serve food, whether just a few appetizers and snacks or a full sit-down meal. Decide what you want to do at your holiday party in the Adirondacks. Depending on your budget, help, and expertise, you can choose several different options. Catering is convenient, but can be expensive. Cooking yourself may be laborious and can keep you in the kitchen the whole party. However, doing your research beforehand and investing well can prove to be a great catering experience, and with enough help and preparation you can give your guests a hearty, home-cooked meal. Weigh your options and consider carefully. Other options are to only cook simple snacks, or have a potluck (remember to keep track of a potluck dinner, or you might have too many beans and not enough potatoes!).  Whatever you choose, be sure to take your guests' allergies and diet restrictions in consideration, and provide varying alternatives to make everyone happy. Click here for recipe ideas.

If you want to decorate for the party, try choosing a theme first. This will give you ideas on the kinds of decorations needed. It can be religious, a festive holiday, a celebration in winter, a summer getaway - anything you can think of. Keep the décor simple, however - the more you pour into decorations, the less you can give to the food or entertainment. Even simple matching dinnerware can make a party feel more festive. If you are still keen on decoration, and want to try some "green" alternatives to disposable cutouts or balloons, try setting up soy candles. Soy is a renewable resource, and the glow can be a comforting touch to the party. Gathering outdoor trinkets like pinecones and fallen branches are ample in the Adirondacks and, when sprinkled with a little glitter, provide a bright and sparkling craft piece at no harm to the environment.

Consider the entertainment you want at the party. Is it a small function where everyone is well acquainted? Little entertainment will be needed, since most of the adults will be comfortable enough to pair off in groups and talk. With larger parties where guests might not know each other, providing entertainment will lighten the mood. You could have a singer or comedian perform, or provide fun group games like trivia or karaoke. Prizes are fun but not necessary. If there will be kids attending, consider some activities aimed explicitly at them - scavenger hunts, board games, or even a movie can keep little ones from being underfoot, and they might even have fun at the 'boring adult party'!

Explore options to host your holiday party at a hotel, inn, lodge or Adirondack resort. This is a great option for a plethora of reasons - you dont have to clean up after the party is over, most Adirondack hotels and resorts like Dunham's Bay Lodge give you plenty of room to move around. Some hotels have catering right on-site and many offer great deals if you book early. Search our Adirondack lodging section for possibilities.

With these hints in hand and hunches in your head, your Adirondack holiday party is bound to be as creative and innovative as you imagined, and you will be so prepared, it might even be perfect!   

<<Back to the Holiday Guide

Share