Let’s be honest: We all love a good party—especially a good Christmas party. During the holiday season, we often show just how much we love these parties by busting our budgets, all in the name of making our Christmas shindig the talk of the neighborhood or the office.
But if you’re getting out of debt (or filling up your emergency fund), hosting a Christmas party can be a real challenge to your budget. You want to be just as festive as the next guy, but you don’t want to completely derail your money goals—which might feel pretty darn near impossible to do. The good news is, you don’t have to overspend to entertain! Here are budget friendly ways to help you host a Christmas party on a budget.
Hosting a Christmas party that doesn’t break your budget:
Make a Christmas party budget and stick to it
Think through how much money you’ll need to host a Christmas party this year. If you want to find extra cash in your budget fast, temporarily cut a few categories, like your fun money or your restaurant cash. Set aside a realistic amount in your budget and mark it “Christmas Party” so you know exactly how much you can spend.
Local experts you can trust
The best way to stay on budget when you’re hosting a Christmas party is to track your spending as you go. We have a free, handy budgeting app called EveryDollar that makes it easy to track your transactions. It’ll help you know exactly how much you’ve already dropped on the party and how much you have left to spend.
Set your priorities
Before you start spending, make a list of everything you want to buy. Start with what’s most important when it comes to hosting a Christmas party: paper goods, main dishes, appetizers, desserts, drinks, decorations and tablecloths. That way, if your money runs out along the way, you can cut things from the bottom that don’t matter as much and focus on the Christmas party ideas that you really want to do.
Opt for a hot cocoa bar over alcohol
Look, we’re not trying to be a Scrooge about your Christmas “spirits” here, but the reality is, alcohol is expensive—especially when you’re buying it for a large group at a party. If you still want to be festive while saving major bucks, then forgo the spiked eggnog and mixed drinks and offer a hot cocoa bar to your guests.
It’s pretty simple too. Just make a large portion of hot cocoa, provide Christmas-themed cups, and offer all the delicious toppings for guests to pile on. Of course, marshmallows are the obvious favorite, but don’t forget things like candy canes, whipped cream, sprinkles and whatever else gives your heart that cherry-on-top feeling.
Keep it manageable
You don’t have to throw an over-the-top, black-tie event for 100 people. Invite 10 friends to your house for a casual potluck dinner instead! You’ll save a lot of money and reduce the stress level of your Christmas party planning. And with a smaller group, you’ll actually be able to hang out with your guests rather than act like a catering service.
Join in some reindeer games
If you want to throw a stellar Christmas party, you need to have a few Christmas party games up your sleeve. It’s a great way to break the ice and get your guests to mingle a bit. White Elephant-style gifting games are always popular—just be sure to let your guests know about it ahead of time. No one likes the feeling of showing up to one of those empty-handed!
There are plenty of other free games too! Some festive Christmas party ideas you can add to the list are ornament-on-a-spoon races, an ugly sweater contest, or a cookie recipe taste-off. Don’t forget the always crowd-pleasing “who am I” type games. Give everyone a sticky note with a Christmas character’s name written on it. Have each person stick it on their forehead (so they can’t see it) and let them guess what character they are.
Accent key places
If you can’t afford to deck the halls throughout the entire house, that’s okay. Focus on high-impact, high-traffic areas like the table, mantel and front door. You’ll get that festive vibe you want without spending a lot of funds or going through a lot of fuss!