How to Organize a Holiday Craft Party

Nothing kicks off the holidays better than great company, a glass of mulled wine and the chance to whip up a batch of fabulous homemade presents. Turn up the music and let the (reindeer) games begin!

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Select a date early in the season before people get booked up. Set it up as an all-day event so guests can drop in on their way to other holiday functions. See 359 Plan a Holiday Open House.
2. Send out invitations a month in advance. Ask guests to bring evergreen branches (for wreath-making), a dish to share and any project they wish to make.
3. Decide which projects you want to make. Pore through magazines, surf sites such as MarthaStewart.com and steal ideas liberally for easy, quick projects.
4. Set a budget for materials, ingredients and decorations based on a projected head count. If you're watching your own bottom line, include something in the invitation along the lines of "Please contribute $20 per person for materials." Or assign each guest a project and ask him or her to bring materials for 12 people.
5. Start purchasing materials and supplies months in advance to take advantage of good deals. Keep your supplies list with you and check items off as you find them. See 351 Stay Within a Budget This Christmas and 357 Organize Gift-Giving in Advance.
6. Earmark a set of shelves in the garage or a spare bedroom to stash your supplies. Tape a copy of your master list to the shelf and check off items as you purchase and store them.
7. Set up stations for each project. In order to give everyone plenty of room to work in, put stations in various rooms on the main floor. Stock each work area with ample materials and supplies (scissors, glue guns).
8. Make your gifts one of a kind with handmade or personally designed gift tags. Incorporate a digital photo of your kids or of the finished project on the front, put any instructions on the reverse, and add a personal message inside. Print out as many as you have need for.
9. Assemble fast and easy gifts from the kitchen that your friends and family can cook months after the holiday feasting has tapered off. Use layered "mix in a jar" recipes, like winter bean soup or chocolate chip cookies, guaranteed to bring a smile to the face of anyone on your list.

Tips & Warnings

• If you hold an annual event, incorporate some new ideas into the mix along with old favorites.
• Keep projects simple enough for even noncrafty people to participate.
• Stand evergreen branches in water in a tub or garbage can outside.
• Set up one table for coffee and tea, and another for guests' potluck dishes. Put the "donations for materials" basket on the food table.

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