Hosting a holiday party at your house can be one of the best parts of this season. Coming together with friends and family to enjoy great food and drinks with a twinkling Christmas tree standing grand in the corner and perhaps a warm, crackling fire to sit around. It’s a wonderful scene but often the lead up to a party can be very stressful. But fear not, hosting a party doesn’t have to be so fraught. Below are some great tips to hopefully help make your holiday party planning as easy as possible.

Don’t overkill on the pre-party cleaning. A busy, happy house is a messy house and guaranteed none of your guests are going to be judging you on the tidiness of your home as you’re offering them a nice hot toddy! Simply crash-clean the rooms you’ll be using and call it a day. The only exception to this is the bathroom, which should definitely be cleaned. Light a scented candle, empty the trash can, have extra toilet paper on hand and you’ll be good to go.

Keep the menu simple. Don’t go crazy trying to plan an intricate menu. Remember, the best part of any party is the people who are there. There is absolutely nothing better than a big bowl of meatballs and spaghetti and great salad. Your guests will be thrilled and it will leave you a lot less stressed.

That said, you can never go wrong with shrimp cocktail. It’s a perennial appetizer favorite, easy to put together, and will always be eaten.

Don’t have seating for everyone. This may seem odd, but by not filling the rooms with extra chairs, you encourage mingling and get people relaxed and moving around. Plus, it’ll ensure your guests aren’t awkwardly stuck talking to the same person all night long.

Have a good game to play. Nothing gets people more relaxed and in a fun mood than a good group game. Whether it’s charades or Pictionary, or something more adult-themed like Cards Against Humanity, have some options on hand to really take your party to the next level.

Start the evening with an empty dishwasher and sink; your after-party self will thank you! When the last guest has left and you look around to see a mess of dishes and glasses strewn about, you’ll be so happy to have an empty dishwasher waiting for you to make cleanup just a little bit easier.

We at Better Housekeeping Shop hope all your holiday parties this year are festive and fun. If you are looking for any appliance in advance of a party, we are here to help you. With delivery and installation options, we are your one-stop-shop for all your appliance needs. Give us a call at 732-741-4310 and someone on our sales team would be happy to speak with you.