When it comes to saving money, the biggest drawback seems to be…if it costs less money, it usually costs more time. The question to answer is, which do you wish to spend more of this holiday, time or money? Personally, I prefer to spend more time…
- Light candles and dim the lights.
- Set the mood with a few all-time favorite tunes. Choose music that you know your guests will love to keep toes tapping all night long.
- Look the part, you’re the hostess so glam it up. Wear something fun and festive.
- Ask everyone bring a bottle of wine and an appetizer to share; skip the meal. (Alcohol and food can be a big chunk of any party budget, and this will bring it back down to earth.)
- Use glassware instead of plasticware to create a more elegant feel – it looks great and costs nothing. (If you don’t have enough to go around, try borrowing some from a friend.)
- Raise your glass in a toast to your guests and their friendship.
- Games….sure you can buy some, but if you’re on a budget, how about some kids favorites like freeze dance or Santa says? If you have a little more time…research song lyrics and have guests fill in the blanks.
- Host a gift exchange, but be clear whether you want nice gifts or ‘white elephant’ gifts – and do your guests a favor by setting a price limit.
- Ask each guest to write down one goal for the coming year and seal it in an envelope. (The fun part is mailing it to them later in the year and finding out how their goal is progressing.)
The long and short of it is, you can have an amazing party without spending a lot of money…but you can’t put a price tag on fun!