How To Host An Unforgettable Christmas Party On A Budget

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Christmas is coming! Whether you are dedicated hosts of an annual Christmas get-together or you are hoping to host your very first festive soirée, you may be wondering how you can pull together an unforgettable celebration on a budget.

After all, many of us are living with tighter purse strings these days, and Christmas itself is becoming an increasingly expensive holiday as we seek to find the perfect gifts for our loved ones. But never fear – your Christmas party doesn’t have to suffer just because you have limited funds. There are plenty of tips you can use to throw a magical celebration that won’t put a sizeable dent in your bank balance. Read on to find out more!

Create A Party Budget

Before you start coming up with ideas for festive color schemes and the perfect recipe for a bowl of Christmas punch, it’s vital that you set a budget for your party.

To ensure that you have enough funds for every aspect of the get-together, separate your budget into categories – such as drinks, food, entertainment, and decorations – and choose how much you are going to spend on each category. This will help to make sure that you have enough money for everything you need, and that you don’t spend more than you can afford.

Find A Cheap Venue

Once your budget is set, the next step is to find a venue. The best way to throw a low-cost Christmas party is, of course, to host it at home. However, if that’s not possible for whatever reason, don’t despair, there are other options available to you. These include local churches and community centers, or perhaps a local park.

If you live within easy reach of the beach or another natural attraction, you may even be able to hold a relaxed, low-key festive get-together in the great outdoors – as long as you ensure no litter is left behind and you don’t cause any damage to flora or fauna.

Send Text Message Invitations

One of the most frustrating aspects of planning any kind of party can be the writing and sending of invitations. Until recently, this process involved hunting down each individual guest’s postal address, and then queuing in line at the post office to send the invites (which, of course, could also drain money from your bank account that you would have been happier spending on other things).

Fortunately, these days there is no need to bother with all that party admin stress, as you can now send an invite via text message instead, with the help of a company such as Greenvelope. And not just any old generic text either, but a beautifully prepared, hand-decorated invitation that will leap out at them from their phone screen, and which they can RSVP to within seconds. Organizing your guest list just got a whole lot easier.

Use Affordable Decorations

One of the most important elements of any Christmas party is the decorations. While you can easily throw away hundreds of dollars on lavish adornments and lighting, it’s just as easy to find some affordable and stunning decorations that will look just as festive.

For example, you can use your existing Christmas decorations, particularly if you’re hosting at home. Alternatively, your local thrift store is sure to have a range of decorations on offer, and if anyone is holding a yard sale, why not head on over and see if they are giving any seasonal décor away?

Last but not least, if you’re a keen crafter, you can also make some of your own decorations – from colorful paper chains to hand-woven wreaths, there are plenty of decorations you can create yourself at home.

Ask Your Guests To Bring Their Own Contributions

While cheap soft drinks and snacks can be purchased at your local Dollar Tree, if your bank balance is particularly low this year, don’t be ashamed to ask your guests to bring their own contributions of food and drink – particularly if they are keen to drink alcohol during the festivities.

After all, alcoholic beverages can be expensive, so if each guest brings their own bottle of wine or six-pack of beer, it will help you out a great deal – and it also means they will have their preferred tipple to drink during the party.

If you’re planning on serving the main meal, you can organize it as a pot luck, so as well as each guest bringing a drink, they can also bring a food item to serve, ideally their signature dish, whether it’s a starter, a main, or a dessert.

Find Low-Cost Fun-Filled Entertainment Ideas

While most of your party can be spent companionably eating, drinking, laughing, and chatting together, it’s also a good idea to include some budget-friendly festive entertainment.

For instance, you can host a Christmas carol sing-along, compile your own festive playlist so your guests can dance the night away, or you may want to try a game of holiday Bingo. If you have friends or family members attending with children, organize a seasonal scavenger hunt around the property and print out some Christmas-themed coloring sheets for them to fill in and take home.

As you can see, there’s no need to break the bank to have a fun and festive Christmas party!