How to Cater a Christmas Party

The holiday season is here and you've made your lists, you've shopped for every person on the planet, you've cleaned and decorated your home, so what have you forgotten? Oh, that's right, the Christmas party you planned to cater for about a million of your closest friends and family. Don't panic. Catering a Christmas party is not as difficult as you may think if you follow a few simple guidelines.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Set a budget and stick to it. This time of year typically places added strain on the wallet, and knowing your limitations will help you decide what type and size of a Christmas party you can handle. Resist the urge to go overboard, remembering that the party is about spending time with your guests and not about the bottom line.
2. Compile your guest list. Your budget will in large part determine how many people can attend. Perfect attendance is not likely, especially at this time of year, so having a few more on the list than you originally planned to cater for is all right.
3. Settle on a date. The Christmas season is filled with obligations and tasks to complete, usually leaving most people feeling frazzled and stretched too thin. When choosing a date for your party, remember that your guests will likely have other parties and family visits the closer the holiday gets. Having your party on the weekend before Christmas usually ensures better attendance and gives your guests a welcome respite from holiday stress.
4. Plan your menu. A buffet is an excellent alternative to the more formal sit-down dinner, allowing your guests to meet and mingle on the buffet line and providing more flexibility in seating arrangements. Catering a party buffet style also gives you the opportunity to prepare many of the dishes ahead of time, reheating them immediately before serving.
5. Devise your supply list ahead of time. Now you need to write down what you need to get for your party, including food ingredients, extra tables and seating, cutlery, dishes, decorations and drinks.
6. Decide on your music before the night of your party. Music is an essential addition to any successful Christmas party, so you may want to create your own CDs that mix popular music with holiday music. Having wonderful seasonal music playing in the background sets ambiance and puts your guests in a celebratory mood.
7. Clean your house the week before your party. You will likely be focusing on preparing your foods in the days immediately before, so plan on doing a thorough cleaning well in advance. This way, you won't be too tired the day of your party and you can devote your attention to more enjoyable tasks like setting up and decorating.

Tips & Warnings

• After all the planning, cleaning and cooking, have fun. Enjoy your guests, your home and the holiday.
• Plan on sending out your invitations a minimum of three weeks in advance, allowing your guests enough time to mark their calendars and RSVP.
• If you really want to cater a party for Christmas but you are finding the budget too constraining, allow your guests to bring dishes when they offer.
• Steer clear of trying new recipes out at your Christmas party. It's always a good idea to go with the tried and true. Serving a dish for the first time at this event is not a great idea.
• Don't fear mixing friends from different social circles. As long as all your guests know someone else initially, chances are that putting all your favorite people together will work out just fine. After all, they have you in common.

Who Can Help:

• Find Tree & Shrub Services Here. Compare Up to 4 Quotes, Free Service & No Obligation.