Throwing a Christmas party doesn’t have to be stressful … if you are prepared. Here are some tips to help you prepare for a fun and relaxing holiday get together.

Create your lists
You’ll need a few lists to keep everything organized.

• Who’s coming & what they’re bringing (if it’s a pot luck)
• Food and beverages needed — ingredients if you’ll be making any of them
• Accessories — paper plates, plastic utensils, decorations, etc.

Decide on the Basics
Of course, you’ll need to make some decisions before you can create your lists.

• Who will be invited?
• How many will be invited?
• When will the party take place?
• Where will you hold it?
• What is the source of food and beverages? (Pot luck, catered, pick up pre-prepared food from a store, make from scratch, a combination of these?)
• Will there be a theme?
• How formal will the party be?
• What about music? Will it be from your stereo, a DJ or a live band?

The answers to these questions will help you develop your lists and be clear on how much you will be responsible for.

Create an Action Plan
Now that you have your lists, create an action plan of what needs to be done by what date. This will organize you so that you can focus on what needs to be done now and know that your plan will make sure you remember to do what needs to be done tomorrow.

So, there you go! With all these ducks in a row, by the time the party starts you’ll be able to relax and enjoy it!

You’ve heard of the 12 Days of Christmas, right? Well here’s a fun take on it: The 12 Things You Never Knew About Christmas:

1. Yes, it was a fire hazard, but Christmas trees were originally lighted with actual candles. As a result containers filled with water had to be kept near the Christmas tree.
2. Who started the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree tradition? Construction workers! They are credited with placing an undecorated tree at the site in the early 1930s.
3. Who keeps the White House properly adorned with Christmas trees each year? The National Christmas Tree Association, which has maintained a presence in the White House at Christmas by donating a Christmas tree to the First Family since the mid-1960s.
4. The first manufactured Christmas tree ornaments were sold by the former Woolworth department store in 1880.
5. Lead was once used in the manufacture of tinsel, causing it to be prohibited. So, now-a-days, it is manufactured from plastic.
6. The first Christmas greeting cards were developed in the late 1830s. In Britain, John Calcott Horsley started to produce small cards that had festive scenes and a holiday greeting written inside. Around the same time in the U.S., R.H. Pease, in Albany, New York, and Louis Prang, who was a German immigrant were creating similar cards. However, the idea of sending these out during the holidays didn’t gain popularity for another 10 years, when new postal delivery services started.
7. Where did the term “Xmas” come from? Some believe that it came from the Greek word ‘Xristos’ which means Christ, and the short form has been popular in Europe since the 1500.
8. For 200 years, candy canes were only white, says the National Confectioners Association. It wasn’t until the 1950s that this holiday confection was able to be mass produced.
9. In England, the day after Christmas is called Boxing Day. Several stories exist for the origination of the name. It is believed to have originated from the practice of boys who would be about collecting money in clay boxes. Another thought is that the term is derived from a custom in the Middle Ages, about 800 years ago, when churches would open their ‘alms boxes’ and distribute the contents to poor people on the day after Christmas. Alms boxes are boxes in which donations of gifts and money would be placed. Yet another belief is that it comes from a custom of masters giving their servants Christmas presents in boxes on the day after Christmas.
10. Before Christianity started, people would hang evergreen branches over their doors and windows because evergreens were believed to ward off witches, ghosts, evil spirits and illness.
11. Christmas is celebrated in December, in part, because the holiday would coincide with the winter solstice celebration of sun god worshipers. Doing this would make it easier for them to make the transition to Christianity. The ancient peoples celebrated the winter solstice because they believed that the sun god was starting to regain strength after falling ill … something he did every year, bringing on winter.
12. In the earlier years of the U.S., following the American Revolution , it was unpopular then to observe and take part in English customs … including Christmas. In fact, Christmas celebrations were barred in Boston from 1659 to 1681 — anyone caught participating in any event or activity related to Christmas had to pay five shillings. So, it might not surprise you that in 1789, Congress did business on Christmas Day, the first one to be observed under the country’s new constitution.

With the current economic climate, you might be thinking of reducing your Christmas budget this year. But that doesn’t mean that you have to have less fun or give out bad (or no) gifts. Here are a few ideas for creating a festive Christmas holiday while keeping the expenses down.

Gifts from Dollar Stores, Big Lots and Thrift Shops
You’d be surprised at the gems you can find at your local GoodWill. Remember, retail stores often donate merchandise that isn’t moving, so you can find unused items there.

Also, thrift stores often have a great selection of interesting baskets. Buy a few and fill them with goodies that you get at your local dollar stores and Big Lots.

Exotic Foods for Less
Speaking of dollar stores and Big Lots, you can find some very interesting and exotic food stuffs there, as well. Why not stock up on the basics and save your higher purchases for the fresh stuff when your holiday meals are closer?

Shop All Year Round
I always keep a look out for gift items and I buy them when I see them. I have a box in the closet that is filled with gifts just waiting for the right occasion. Shop at the after Christmas sales for your next Christmas gifts and you’ll save a lot!

The key here is to shop earlier, rather than later and always keep an eye out for bargains.