How to throw an awesome Christmas Eve party on a budget

If you’re like me, you’re more than a little tired of the Christmas shopping and parties. But there is one party left on your calendar: Christmas Eve. And while I’m not a fan of throwing parties that are just for the sake of having a party, this one is worth it.

Why? Because if you’re like me, you’ll want to spend Christmas Eve with your family — but also with people you care about who aren’t necessarily family members (or even friends). And as much as I love spending time with my kids (and my mom), there is something about being with people who aren’t related to us that makes the holiday seem more magical.

So how do we make this happen without breaking the bank?

Here are some ideas:

Plan ahead

The most important thing is to plan ahead and make sure that you have all of your supplies ready before the big day arrives. This will help save you time and money in the long run!

Set up a bar station

A bar station is always fun to have at any party; it makes things more festive and adds some extra charm to the event as well! You can buy all of your supplies at either your local grocery store or a home goods store like Target or Walmart—just make sure everything is ready before guests arrive so you don’t have to worry about tending bar while mingling with other guests. If you don’t want to use alcohol, then make non-alcoholic drinks instead (like virgin mojitos).

Ask people to bring gifts

People love giving gifts, so ask each guest to bring one small gift for each person attending the party. That way you won’t need to buy gifts for your guests. You can either provide them with a list of gift ideas or let them choose their own gifts from any store they like (just make sure they don’t spend more than $10 per person.

Instead of buying new decorations every year, buy ones that will last and reuse them next year

This way you won’t spend more money than necessary on Christmas decorations (and they’ll look better too). Get creative with food and drinks too.

Decide if you want to have an alcohol-free event, or if you’ll allow guests to drink alcohol.

 If you do allow alcohol, make sure it’s served responsibly, with non-alcoholic alternatives available. If you don’t want guests drinking alcohol then stick to soft drinks and juice – anything else will be too much of a temptation for some people.

Set up a playlist

Music can set the mood for any type of gathering, but it’s especially important when you’re trying to create a festive atmosphere at home. Make sure you have some great songs for dancing and singing along. If you don’t know where to start, check out our list of top best Christmas Eve songs.

Make sure there are plenty of snacks on hand

Nothing goes better with cocktails than chips and dip. Or try some cheesy nachos or even chicken wings if you’re having a late night get together.