You want to get together with your friends or people from the office, but Christmas time is stressful enough even without having to plan a party. Luckily, you have another option – host a post-holiday party in January. Here’s how to plan such a party, along with some reasons for having your party after the holidays.

Book ahead

Finding and booking an appropriate space for your party can be very difficult during the holidays, not to mention expensive. However, if you just postpone your party to January, not only will it be easier to find the perfect venue, but it’s quite possible it will be cheaper, since many venues can be rented for special prices after the holidays. Nevertheless, don’t wait for too long. Book your venue of choice early on, in December if possible. You don’t want to put yourself in the position of not knowing where to go and what to do if you lose your venue to somebody who was simply faster than you. Another thing you might need to book is a DJ. If you want your party to be wild and loud, a DJ is the best solution for that on-the-floor-all-night party.

Think of a theme

Whether it’s a get-together for your co-workers, or a party for your dearest friends, it might be a good idea for your party to have a theme. The period after the holidays offers some ideas that wouldn’t really make sense during any other period of the year. For example, a re-gifting party – people can bring gifts they don’t need or like and pass them on to somebody who will be happy to get them. You could play games or have mini-competitions, like telling funny stories about holidays with your family and choosing the funniest one. And if you don’t think these ideas are right for your party, it’s fine. The holidays are over; you can choose a theme that has nothing to do with the holidays whatsoever. Have a disco night, a masked party or make it a social-games night. The options are endless.

Decorate the venue

Although decorations don’t make a party, they can contribute greatly to people’s party mood. The wonderful thing about having a post-holiday party is that you can use the holiday decorations that are already there and maybe just upgrade them, if necessary. If you’re having the party at home, you can even choose to leave the Christmas tree decorated for a few extra weeks, until your party. Adjust the decorations to the theme of the party. Make sure the lights are appropriate; if you want your guests to dance or talk more, dim the lights a bit, and if you’re playing social games, you might need stronger lights to see what you’re doing. Additionally, you could set up a photo booth with neon signage. This might be one-of-a-kind, and if you’re looking for more info regarding where to obtain customized neon lights, check e-portals like Neon Mama or other similar sites.

What to serve

It’s sometimes ok to serve chips and similar snacks, but if you don’t think that would do for your party, there are other good ideas for party food and drinks. When deciding on the amount of food, always count on a couple of extra guests, just in case. You can always freeze the leftovers later, but it would be very inconvenient if all the food is gone within the first hour or two. If you don’t think you can cook enough food on your own, hire a caterer. And if, for example, you’re throwing a Wonderland tea party, you can serve various tea flavors and all kinds of cakes and cookies to go along with it. For this occasion, choosing the right dishes is essential, so opt for beautiful and colorful teacups, saucers and teapots by Wedgewood to make your party really stand out. Get several types of alcoholic beverages, so that everybody can find what they like. Also, provide enough sodas and juices, since not everybody may want to drink alcohol.

Who to invite

Depending on where you’re having the party, be sure not to invite more people than you can deal with. In the invitations, let your guests know if they can bring their “plus one” along. Ask them to RSVP, since that will make it easier for you to plan food and drinks. If dress code is an important aspect of your party, be sure to inform your guests of this in the invitations, and be clear and detailed enough, so that they know what’s expected of them.

Having a post-holiday party is actually a great idea. There’s less stress and more discounts when shopping for a party after Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Plus, the people who traveled to spend the holidays with their families are now back and ready to party. All that’s left for you to do now is to have fun.