Christmas Party

[MissKClaus]

I am planning a Christmas party/get together for my friends and would love to hear some opinions on what I have planned. We are all mid-twenties, some with partners (whom they can of course bring if they want), no kids (yet), some would come from different cities.
The party would be on a Saturday, late afternoon and then open end. I'm planning to celebrate in my lovely little apartment.
I have planned a buffet with homemade biscuits, sandwiches, pigs in blankets, sweets, salty snacks, mulled wine, cider, egg-nog, hot chocolate, tea, maybe even a chocolate fountain (if I can be arsed).
As activities I have planned a secret santa with everyone coming and a christmas movie marathon, everybody brings a pillow and blanket and we basically transform my living room into one big sofa.
Decoration-wise, I will have a real christmas tree and lots of candles, fairy lights, baubles, angel-figurines.
I have ordered invitation cards online and will send them out together with a little paper on which people can vote for their favourite movies.
Is that enough? Did I forget something vital? And what do you think about the whole set up, would you like a party like this? I am happy about all sorts of input to make this a wonderful evening for everyone.

It sounds lovely,I would just make sure there is enough substantial food in the buffet if people are hungry.

The only part I wouldn't be so keen on is watching films. When I get together with friends I would much rather have a chance to catch up with them than watch something. But if it is something your friends would like then go for it.

I wouldn't have a film on unless there were only a couple of you. If people don't see each other often, surely they'll be chatting?

Apart from mulled wine, there's no alcohol - is this OK with your group?

Hi, thank you guys for your feedback. There are quite a few people driving, so I thought one alcoholic beverage would be enough. Any ideas what else I could put on?
There would be one, maybe two movies and I planned some (non alcoholic) drinking games for them, such as "drink whenever a daft play on words with "who" comes" when watching the Grinch or Love-Actually-Bingo, so it wouldn't be completely "un-social", I will invite about 20 people but I don't think there will be more than 15 coming. Is there any "filling" food you can recommend? Doesn't matter if with meat or vegetarian. It's my first "own" party in my own apartment, so I really want everything to be perfect

Will those not driving drink? I wouldn't really like to watch films tbh, I'd rather chat and catch up. Could you all go for a walk late afternoon, maybe go look at some Christmas lights etc? I would do pulled pork/chilli/curry or something similar- more of a hot hearty buffet than sandwiches. Maybe play some games rather than watching TV? When do you think everyone will leave?

The walk sounds like an amazing idea. We're not in the countryside unfortunately but there should be a lovely little christmas market nearby.
Most people don't drink much, so maybe I could add some normal wine and prosecco to the display. What's the stance on beer, I don't like it at all and don't want to have leftovers I'll never drink anyway.

Oh and I think it will go on quite late as most people are staying in town over the weekend and it's a saturday night. And can you recommend any games that are fun to play in groups where not everyone knows each other?

OP, gently, it all sounds a bit strange.

Movies, hardly any drinks, a child's tea party type of buffet. I think it needs to be a bit more grown up.

If this suits you and your friends, absolutely, carry on, you know them best and I'm sure you'll all have a lovely time.

If you want a re-think, perhaps have a look in some supermarkets, M&S, a lot have their Christmas party foods out now, you don't have to buy them but it would give you some ideas.

It sounds like you have really, really good intentions but perhaps you're just a little bit wide of the mark at the moment.

Buck’s Fizz

Sorry that was rather short. Meant to say ... how about Buck’s Fizz to go with the mulled wine?

If everyone is coming late afternoon and staying all evening I would start with some snacks and nibbles when they arrive, have a walk before it gets too late and then have a buffet you can leave out for everyone to dig in. With games I don't think I'd arrange something you all play at once, 15-20 is too many for that , maybe have a Jenga , Mancala and a pack of cards so if people want to play in smaller groups they can but if they prefer to chat they can do that instead.
I'd definitely go with a slow cooked pulled pork or something similar that doesn't need much work whilst your guests are actually there so you can spend time with them. Mince pies/yule log/cheese board for afters.
I think that if you're laying on food and soft drinks it would be fine to make it bring your own booze so you don't have to spend on things that won't get touched!

I wouldn't want to go to a party with 14 other people and sit and watch 2 films. I especially wouldn't be taking pillows and blankets to someone's house to sit in their front room. That's quite strange. As an adult I don't have time... If I have plans to socialise that's exactly what I want to do, not sit in silence for hours.

I do a Christmas party for friends every year and have done most years since I was 23ish.

• first, work out whether you want partners or not and make this explicit on invite
• your timings sound off.. is it an afternoon do, or an early evening one? Make this explicit as the vibe is different
• drinks: if afternoon then some mulled wine or hot chocolate can be nice. In evening some bubbly and some nice mocktails made up eg mix of juices, cordials and garnishes and add a bottle of gin/rum on the side so people can add if they want
• food: what you said sounds nice for arrival and drinks. If you want people to stay past 7/8, you'll need to do a proper meal. If you aren't great in the kitchen then what about just some posh pizzas and some nice salads (a pasta one and a rocket/parmesan/sun-dried tomato). Let me know if you want more menu ideas, I tend to go all in.
• entertainment: get a good playlist on, mix of chilled fun music and sprinkle Christmas songs in. Everyone should just be chatting. Organise a game if you want but nothing too silly, heads up on your phone is easy and fun. I also like to do a secret santa - i use an online tool to send out names.

What about the game where you wrap a present (can be more than one layer) and you roll 2 dice, if you get a double you start putting on a hat, scarf and gloves then try to open the present. While you are doing that the next person is trying to get a double and when they do they start with the clothes etc (whatever point first person had got to) person who manages to unwrap it wins it. It's like a funnier, harder and more competitive version of pass the parcel!

Or bad santa - all bring two wrapped gifts - the more obscurely wrapped the better, a good one and a rubbish/weird one, and add them to a bag when they arrive. Draw names (all in hat twice) and when your name is drawn you get to pick one from the pile, when the next person is drawn they can pick one from the pile OR they can steal one from someone else, the other person then picks another one before next name is drawn, continues until all names have been drawn and then you open and see what you got. It's really funny as there always tends to be one that everyone wants and steals and when it's opened it may not even be good, works best with groups around the amount of people you are saying

I think that the film/blanket thing works better with a small group of close friends who see each other regularly. Your invitees, not all of whom know each other and who live in different places, are likely to want to chat/get to know each other/catch up rather than watch Love Actually in near-silence.