Since my high school days, I've been hosting Christmas parties with my friends. As I've gotten older, some things have changed. The most notable change is the lack of access to my mother's credit card and the increase in expectation for alcohol. Both have made me start being more creative while hosting on a budget. Use these tips for your next Friendsgiving or holiday party.
1. Disguise cheap booze.
If you want to liven up the party, but don't have the cash for quality liquor, try disguising those cheap bottles. Try adding a $10 bottle of peppermint schnapps to hot chocolate. Take that cheap red or white to the next level by making spiced wine.
2. Go potluck.
Nobody in college has the right to think that a potluck is tacky. If anything, it's smart as it gives picky eaters a wide variety of food and saves you a lot of cash. Also, they're probably grateful to you for offering up your apartment to hang out instead of theirs with their psycho roommates. However, you should offer to make the main dish. I'd recommend something pasta-based, like a lasagna. Making a turkey is costly and time-consuming. Pasta is the quickest and easiest to make in large quantities.
3. Find cheap entertainment.
When friends get together to eat and drink, most of the entertainment happens naturally. However, if you want to make it more fun, try an app like "Heads Up!" for 99 cents. Last Christmas, my entire family played for hours, and the alcohol definitely made it more interesting. Make your friends wear ugly Christmas sweaters and vote on who has the worst one.
4. Use internet invitations or send texts.
In college, no one really sends out invitations anyway, but you want to make sure your guests can plan to come. The holidays are especially difficult to plan parties around in college because people often have finals or are going home to visit family. Make sure to text people or start a Facebook event at least three weeks in advance.
5. Utilize the dollar store.
Save yourself some time and potentially money, since I'm guessing most of us don't have a proper plate set for over four people and go to the dollar store. Stock up on paper plates, plastic cutlery and solo cups. You can also browse for some cheap decorations.
6. Don't overthink it.
Free alcohol, a big meal, and friends is a recipe for a great time. Don't think that you need a bunch of impressive decorations or an ornate meal. Try to set your budget low before you go into stores, so you don't go overboard on things you don't need. Make a list of essentials, estimate the amount you will need, and go from there.
What should your list look like now? You'll need cheap booze, cheap ingredients for the main dish, and paper goods from the dollar store. Follow these tips, invite great people, and your party is sure to please!
