How to Plan a Tree-Trimming Party

Since the dawn of recorded time, people have honored the winter solstice - and said "boo" to the chilly darkness - with festively decked evergreen trees. When trimming the tree becomes an excuse for a party, the winter blues hit the trail that much faster.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Christmas Tree Lights
• Christmas Trees
• Ornaments
• Tree Stands
• Party Drinks
• Party Snacks
• Ornaments

1. Decide when you want to hold your tree-trimming party and whom you want to invite.

2. Issue invitations. Phone, fax and e-mail all work fine, but for maximum festivity - time permitting - nothing beats a clever and colorful "hard copy," hand-delivered or sent by U.S. mail.

3. Haul your ornaments and other trimmings from storage and examine them carefully.

4. Choose the ones you want to use this year, get rid of any you no longer want, and stash the rest away for another year.

5. Gather an assortment of baskets, tins or decorative boxes, and fill each one with ornaments - carefully nestled into tissue paper or colorful shredded paper.

6. Buy or cut your tree and set it up.

7. String the lights on the tree before the party starts. This part of the process tends to resemble work, and your guests are coming to have fun.

8. Stock the bar with libations of your choice, and cook your favorite winter-party food - or order it in from your local gourmet deli.

9. Turn on your favorite holiday music; point people toward the food, drink and trimmings; and send the darkness packing.

Tips & Warnings

• No law says your tree has to be labeled "Christmas." After all, this tree-trimming idea originated thousands of years before Christ was born. If the religious aspects of the season don't appeal to you, call yours anything you like: a solstice tree, a holiday tree, a Hanukkah bush.
• Winter calendars fill up fast. To ensure maximum turnout for this, or any other holiday party, try to give your guests a month's notice.
• If your ornament collection includes treasured heirlooms, hang them yourself, either before guests arrive or after they've left. Few parties run their course without something breaking.
• A tree trimming is a great excuse for a holiday party. It is not the fastest or most efficient way to get your tree decorated.
• As a responsible party host, see to it that your guests return home safely. If any guests have had too much to drink, arrange alternate rides home or invite them to stay over.

on 11/22/2005 1. Have a tree-trimming contest between two teams. 2. Buy gifts for all the guests and play a version of the "White Elephant" game. The winning team should be the last to pull a gift from the tree(s) so that they will have the opportunity to "steal" gifts already opened. Keep this part of the party a secret.

on 11/22/2005 It would also be nice at the end of the party to present each couple with a Christmas ornament with the year printed on it as a keepsake.

on 11/22/2005 Another good idea is to have all your guests bring an ornament of their choice.