Throw a Memorable Christmas Party
How to Create a Party Your Guests Will Always Remember
Sep 7, 2008
Decorate the Christmas party space. Decor can be as elaborate or as simple as you would like, but do something to please the eye and let your guests know what to expect. Set the tone with the decorations, from classics like pine garlands and poinsettias to flashy modern tinsel trees and sparkly accessories.
Sound
Continue creating a rich memory by layering sound into the mix. Have Christmas music playing at a low volume when guests arrive. The goal is to have the music create a pleasant background, but not prevent guests from interacting. As with decor, the style of music can suit your own personal tastes, but classic Christmas carols and instrumental pieces are always a good choice. The traditional music reminds guests of warm memories of holidays past, and immediately sets them at ease. Don't have a collection of Christmas music? Head to your local library and borrow some holiday CDs. There are also online radios stations that play nothing but holiday music.
Touch
Give your guests something to do. One memorable and fun experience is to decorate gingerbread houses or cookies. Even that grade-school craft of making graham cracker houses is a fun activity, but it's particularly special and memorable if you make real gingerbread houses. It's an activity that appeals to children and adults alike, and stays in the memory for years to come.
Taste
If you're decorating gingerbread houses, you can bet that your guests will be nibbling on the candy and icing as they decorate. Be sure to balance the sugar overdose by offering some savory nibbles as well. Finger foods work well at any party. Prosciutto wrapped asparagus is an easy and elegant appetizer. A tray of crudités is always appealing after eating a fist full of candy. And a tray of cheese and crackers is an easy savory snack to offer guests—make easy and delicious homemade crackers ahead of time if you want to make the experience extra special.
Smell
Scents have long been associated with memory. A scent can vividly transport you back to a time and place like nothing else. According to Sarah Dowdey, author of “How Smell Works” on Howstuffworks.com, this is because “the olfactory bulb is part of the brain's limbic system, an area so closely associated with memory and feeling it's sometimes called the 'emotional brain.'” Make your Christmas party one of those powerful, emotional memories by making use of the sense of smell. Try one of these ideas:
- Gingerbread. If you've baked gingerbread houses, your house will smell wonderful. The warm, spicy scent of the gingerbread lightly permeates the air and will delight anyone walking into the room, even days after you've finished the baking.
- Mulled Cider. A delicious traditional beverage to sserve (great for the sense of taste, too), and the sweet, richly spiced smell will delight your guests.
- Candles. Don't have time to make something to delight the olfactory sense? Light a few holiday scented candles 15 minutes before the guests arrive.
When you consider all five senses in your party planning, you're sure to create an event that lingers in the memory, and is fondly recalled for years to come.
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