Festive Dinner Party

The festive season has well and truly begun with many of us indulging in fun Christmas parties and get-togethers with our friends and family. Dinner parties are one of my favourite things this time of year as you get to see your loved ones, enjoy some yummy food drinks but most importantly sit, chat and reminisce. If you are hosting your very own dinner party this season then I have the perfect tips and tricks that are sure to make sure that your party goes off without a hitch and will have plenty of style, flair and festive fun.

Invitations

Dinner parties should not be a last minute event! Make sure they are pre planned and the information given to your guests with a minimum of a week’s notice. There are many ways to invite guests to your home, if you like traditional invitations then handwrite your invites and post them to your guests using traditional Christmas stationary and elegant calligraphy. If you prefer the ease and simplicity of more modern modes of invitation then you can send out invitations via email or set up a Facebook event where you can get a near instant reply in order to begin arranging your event.

Pre party planning

Once you have numbers for those attending your dinner party it’s time to plan out the entire night including music, themes, food and drinks. Not only will this be easier for shopping for your dinner party but it will also mean that things will run more smoothly on the night. Draw up a menu that you know that all of your guests will enjoy, keep things simple and don’t attempt a new dish that you haven’t tried before as this will have the potential to go wrong! Make sure you have options for any vegetarian or vegan guests and also ensure that you have plenty of soft drinks for anyone who doesn’t drink or is driving. Non alcoholic cocktails are perfect for making guests feel included in the celebrations.

Party day!

Get everything ready before your guests arrive. Make sure the table is set, any food is in the oven and place name cards, crackers and fun decorations on the table to make your guests feel special. Place some music on in the background; classic Christmas music is a great choice but don’t blast it out too loud as your guests will not be able to hear each other. When you guests arrive have some prosecco, bucks fizz or bellinis for them to drink and make sure you mingle with them in between cooking the food. During dinner allow at least 10 minutes between courses and at the end make a little speech about the people around the table and what they mean to you.  If the night is still young why not prepare some games that you can all enjoy such as Pictionary, cards against humanity or a Christmas quiz with a bottle of wine for the winners!

If you want some more ideas on themes and decoration for you festive dinner party, take a look at our latest Pinterest board - Pinterest - Festive Dinner Party.