Jazzmine's Christmas Party

A couple of weeks ago, I hosted my first Christmas party and it was a blast! My guests and I spent the night playing with our food, listening to music, taking pictures, and getting into the Christmas spirit. Check out all the details below, including the menu, pictures from the night, and tips for Christmas Party success.

My Christmas Party Menu

I focused on a mix of different comfort foods that were not only yummy but also interactive so my guests could actually play with their food. The DIY S'mores Bar was a big hit and the setup was so inexpensive--I'm talking under $15! I posted the tutorial earlier this week using materials from the dollar store and a couple of things I already had on hand. Some of these recipes are already on the blog and I'll share the others soon, if y'all are interested.

• Christmas Tree Fruit Centerpiece
• Buttery Chai Popcorn
• Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Sliders
• Mac & Cheese Muffins
• Massaged Kale Salad
• Gingerbread Christmas Donuts
• DIY S'mores
• My Famous Rum Punch
• Red Wine Hot Chocolate
• Whiskey, Cognac, and Mixers
• Infused Water

I dressed up my bar cart and rolled it out to serve as a drink station for liquor, mixers, and ice. Guests were greeted with this setup at the door and the option to take a shot or get under the mistletoe. 🙂

Christmas Party Photo Booth

I created this DIY photo booth for under $20 because, if you don't have a photo booth, do you even have a party? Get the easy tutorial to make your own here.

Christmas Party Hosting Tips

Eliminate potential areas of congestion.

Don't be afraid to rearrange furniture in order to achieve good flow in your space. You want people to be able to easily mix and mingle, grab food, and find a place to sit or stand without feeling boxed in or cut off from other party-goers. I moved my dining table and chairs around and cleared most of the tabletop surfaces in common areas.

Make cleanup easy on yourself.

Y'all might remember the rug I searched and searched for to complete my dining room makeover last month. I rolled it up and removed it before the party in order to avoid having to spot clean it afterward. Spills are inevitable and hardwood is much easier to clean than hand-tufted shag!

Use a slow cooker...or two.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: slow cookers can save the day. I wanted all food to be in one place and to keep guests in common areas, which doesn't include the kitchen since it's kind of cut off from the rest of the house. Slow cookers were the answer for keeping the red wine hot chocolate and BBQ chicken sliders warm without leaving them on the stove top or in the oven.

Do you have any fun ideas for a holiday party? Let me know below. Thanks for reading!