Guide to Being the Best Holiday Party Host

We’re heading into the holiday party season with friends and family. Every other weekend, there’s something planned, especially leading up to the new year. When you’re an attendee, all you need to worry about is what to wear and what bottle of wine to bring for the host.

However, if you’re the host, there are bigger worries at hand. Decorations, food and entertainment all need to come together perfectly to wow your guests. It’s easy to plan and execute a fun party, but if you don’t know where to start, we’ve created an easy holiday party guide that covers everything you need to throw the best gathering in your friend group or family.

Create a Theme

Hosting a party for a specific occasion, such as a birthday, Friendsgiving or Christmas, gives you an overall theme to work with. You can go a step further and create something more specific for each event, making it easier to plan the details.

For instance, if you’re hosting Christmas with friends this year, consider a pajama theme. Guests can wear their favorite pajamas, or you can ask them to find ones that match a specific brand or character. Make bets on who will wear similar outfits or show up dressed as characters from the show or movie you chose. Whatever your theme, go all out and have fun with it.

Pick Decorations and Music

Once you have a theme, plan your decorations accordingly. A pajama Friendsmas party calls for a cozy setup with low lighting, candles, string lights, pillows and blankets. Display candles along the dinner table—battery-operated or lit candlesticks both work—to add warmth to the space.

Add a small pillow to each chair for extra comfort, and pile blankets in a corner for guests to grab throughout the night. If you’re setting up in the living room, play a movie silently in the background while soft music plays. If you’re in a dining room without a television, music is key. Jazz or lo-fi music makes perfect background noise—it sets the mood without overpowering conversation.

At the end of the night, switch to music with lyrics for a karaoke session.

Games and Activities Make Parties Extra Fun

A little friendly competition always livens up a party. Choose a few board games to play before or after dinner—Uno, Jenga, Candy Land and Lotería are classics that everyone enjoys. These games allow multiple players and keep the mood light and fun.

You can also find printable games on Etsy or online to help guests get to know each other better.

Potluck or All-Day Cooking?

Planning and hosting can be tiring, so consider making your party a potluck to ease the stress of cooking the day before and the day of. Give your guests a theme, and ask them to bring dishes that fit.

For a cozy pajama party, warm comfort foods are perfect—think macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, hearty soup or roasted chicken.

Other guests can bring desserts such as cinnamon rolls, sticky pudding or gingerbread cookies. You can even set up a hot chocolate station with mugs, mini marshmallows, candy canes, whipped cream and sprinkles. It’s sure to be a hit.

As a fun activity, ask guests to bake and bring their favorite cookies to share. At the end of the night, everyone can take home a box filled with different flavors.

End the Night With Goody Bags

The best hosts always send guests home with a little something extra. Goody bags don’t have to be large or expensive—just small tokens of appreciation.

Include a few thoughtful items, such as skincare samples, a piece of candy, a pair of socks, a candle and a handwritten note. You can also match the contents to your party theme.