Six DIY and Budget-Friendly Holiday Entertaining Ideas

The following was submitted for publication by Events by Renee, a Wayne-based events planning firm.

Renee Patrone from Events by Renee offers these Holiday Entertaining Ideas:

1.     DIY photobooth complete with Holiday themed props.  Papersource.com has a great selection or they are easy to make!  Grab an old school polaroid camera and snap away!  If party guests are using their cell phones instead- create a hashtag for the evening where guests can look back at the photos taken via social media avenues.

2.    Ask guests to give you their 3 favorite holiday or party songs in advance- include them all on your playlist for that evening.

3.    Create a champagne bar- have dry champagne chilled and accessible for guests. Include additions like pomegranate seeds, raspberry liquor, strawberries, chocolate. Include recipes framed on the bar to give guests instant inspiration. OR Create a cocktail self-serve bar. Provide the ingredients and let your guests be their own mixologists! Poinsettia Punch is a personal favorite of mine.

4.    Purchase affordable wine and champagne glasses at places like Ikea or the dollar store and paint the base with chalkboard paint, give guests chalk and have them write their names and doodle on them. Missing glasses are always a problem but this is a wonderful solution!  As a parting gift, encourage guests to take them home. 

5.    Serve Naughty & Nice desserts- one decadent and one lighter. Guests will enjoy trying a bite of each.

6.    Hire a Host Helper.  The most important thing about being a host is actually enjoying yourself!  For $25 per hour you can hire someone to take coats, clear dishes, serve drinks and clean your kitchen.

Do you have any holiday party tips to share? Add them by commenting below.