After spending hours decking your home for the holidays, it is so fun to host a Christmas party. With twinkle lights everywhere, parties feel more magical. There is a heightened sense of love and giving. The world feels a lot smaller and happier. It’s the most wonderful time of the year for entertaining!

I’ve teamed up with some of my favorite blogging friends for a Styled and Set Christmas Entertaining Home Tour hosted by Lory from Designthusiasm. Each day this week, bloggers will be sharing entertaining ideas to help you entertain with ease this Christmas season. If you have stopped in from my friend Janet at Shabby Fufu, welcome! I love all of the romantic touches Janet always adds to her gorgeous home.

With a few simple tips, you can throw a fabulous Christmas party without a lot of stress. The best parties are when your guests feel welcomed, loved and never want to leave. As the host, it’s your job to make your guests feel important.

I am sharing 5 Christmas entertaining tips to help you throw a fabulous party. These are simple things I do when I host a Christmas party {this post contains affiliate links, see my full disclosure policy here}.

5 Christmas Entertaining Tips for a Fabulous Party

Lighting candles creates a dreamy party atmosphere. I like using scented candles that fill my home with a delicious smell. If you have guest coming that are sensitive to smells, you may want to lite unscented candles.

Tuck them in several spots around the house. Their light gives your home a cozy feel.

• Add them to trays.
• Create little vignettes with beautiful votives.
• Use them on fireplace mantels or table settings.

Some of my favorite candle sticks and votives to use are linked below…

Music has the power to make or break a party! Back ground music helps cut the ice and magically gets people chatting. Keep the tunes on low enough people can converse, but high enough to hear the tunes. You can keep it simple and play your favorite station from an online source or come up with a festive playlist ahead of time. Both work great. Here is a list of my favorite Christmas tunes to play for a Christmas party. I keep them shuffling the whole night.

The Christmas Song – Nat King Cole

Silver Bells – Perry Como

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – Andy Williams

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – Micheal Buble

Mistletoe – Justin Bieber

Kiss Me Babe, It’s Christmas Time – Owl City

Jingle Bells – Natalie Cole

Santa Baby – Eartha Kitt

Baby, It’s Cold Outside – Dean Martin

All I want for Christmas is you – Mariah Carey

Last Christmas – Knights Bridge

Let it Snow Let it Snow Let it Snow – Dean Martin

White Christmas – Bing Crosby

It’s Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas – Micheal Buble

I’ll Be Home for Christmas – Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters

Peppermint Winter – Owl City

Jingle Bell Rock – Bobby Helms

You Make It Feel Like Christmas – Gwen Stefani

Sleigh Ride – Philharmonic Symphony Chorus

Using real dishes shows guest you care enough to take the extra time to use your best! Pulling out your real dishes verses paper doesn’t have to be a ton of extra work. Simply make sure your dishwasher is empty before your party. You should be able to fill your dishwasher instead of your sink with dishes. Using clear plastic cups is fine, unless it’s a dinner party. 

Serve a beautiful dessert to make your guest feel loved. Whether you make it from scratch or pick up a cake from your local grocer or baker, dress up your dessert with fresh flowers. It doesn’t take much to take a plain cake from ordinary to extraordinary!

Take a peek at this red velvet cake from my local grocer. I simply added a single red rose, some fresh sprigs of rosemary and a few red berries to the top. It feels elegant and custom with little work.

Make something from scratch, if you have the time! Last year I dressed up my mom’s orange cranberry bunt cake recipe with fresh white roses, candied cranberries and rosemary. You can get the recipe and see more here.

Set out a mint tray for guests to freshen their breath! This is my favorite party tip! I learned this little tip from my mother in law a few years ago. Guests love being able to refresh their breath with an assorted mint tray. Buy some pretty, assorted mints and display them in dainty white dishes. Place them on a tray or plate and garnish with some jingle bells or fresh flowers. 

I know you will throw a fabulous Christmas party this season by using some of these simple tips!

Check back later this week for more tips on Christmas decorating. I’ll be sharing our Christmas home tour next week. Here’s a peek at my tree set up but undecorated…

See my Christmas home tour from last year by clicking here or on the photo below…

For more Christmas entertaining tips, visit my dear friend Tamara from Citrine Living who always has the most gorgeous holiday ideas.

 

Here is a list of the full tour…

Today’s posts:

DesignthusiasmShabbyfufuCitrineLivingLife on Virginia StreetDecor Gold Designs
If you missed Monday’s posts:

Taryn Whiteaker | Celebrating Everyday Life | So Much Better With Age
Setting for Four | Maison de Pax | Cedar Hill Farmhouse

Tuesday’s Posts

Designthusiasm | Shabbyfufu | Randi Garrett Design | Citrine Living
Life on Virginia Street | Decor Gold Designs

Coming Wednesday

Julie Blanner | Bless’er House | Maison de Cinq | Finding Home Farms
Zevy Joy | Sand and Sisal | Town and Country Living

Coming Thursday

StoneGable | On Sutton Place | My Soulful Home
French Garden House | Ella Claire Blog | Becky’s Farmhouse