Minimal effort and maximum fun
Social distancing measures have been extended to 2021, guess we all have no choice but to stay home this year for Christmas. Since several of us in the office are planning mini last-minute Christmas parties at home, we figured we might as well as share our research with you. Here’s everything you need to plan for the best Christmas party at home.
Dress code
So you may have crafted invitations for your guests or popped them an email, but a good way to pull the party vibes together is to come up with a dress code. It can be a general ‘dress in festive colours’ or a specific ‘fidn your ugliest Christmas sweater’. Either way, guessing what people will wear is going to be another nice highlight of the party. Who doesn’t like to have an excuse to dress up?
Drinks
Drinks are such a crucial part of any party. You can get start serving drinks at any point throughout the party, even before everyone arrives. Mulled wine is a classic, and you get buy ready-made bottles to reheat at home or brew your own from a combination of spices. Speaking of brewing, you can even brew your own Christmas alcohol, like spiced vodka or spiced gin. Any combination of cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and fruit will result in a magic pot of Christmas.
Catering
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Instead of a long course menu with a dish per person, finger foods and small bites might be a better idea. An easy way to impress your guests is to plate your own charcuterie platters. Arrange your hams and cheese in a wreath or in a Christmas tree shape, and line the edges with some pine and rosemary. If you need some extra help on the rest of the food options, click here for more details on who to find.
Decorations
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You can’t leave out decorations when you’re putting together a Christmas party. Even if you don’t have a tree this year, you can always line your windows with tinsels, drop a couple of figurines or baubles on flat surfaces around your house. Got a space on the cabinet that looks empty? Put a couple of candles there and you are all set for a festive evening. If you’re looking for more detailed Christmas decorations, click here for more details on where to shop.
Entertainment
Don’t underestimate the power of music when it comes to a party. Come up with a playlist beforehand for your party with a healthy mix of Christmas tones and vibey music. Even better yet, you can have a microphone prepared for some good old karaoke. If you know your crowd, make sure to give them each something they would like. For us at Hong Kong Living, we will have a playlist of some Christmas carols, some Ariana Grande, some Kpop and some Cantonese classics.
Activities
Now that the food’s almost finished and drinks are still going, it’s time for some Christmas party activities. The best trick in the book is, of course, charades. There are phone apps for charades now, as well as similar teamwork games that you can try out. You can also arrange a secret Santa beforehand, maybe even set a theme for the presents to make things more fun and challenging. When you start settling into the night, it’s always good to set up a movie screening, so click here for more recommendations on what to watch this Christmas.
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