The Stress-Free Holiday Party Plan

This stress-free plan comes complete with do-ahead recipes (a few savories and a sweet) and delicious store-bought extras. Even better: The grab-and-go, finger-food-only menu requires no utensils, meaning less cleanup.

The Menu

• Crab and Chive Puffs
• Hot Ricotta Dip
• Maple-Glazed Ham with biscuits, mustards, and chutney
• Mini Gingerbread Cupcakes
• Store-bought goodies: Mixed olives, pickled vegetables, pistachios, and clementines

You might think punch is a bit “cotillion,” but these serve-yourself recipes (choose one) are decidedly hip.

The Cocktails

• Pineapple Mint Punch
• Tequila Grapefruit Splash
• Winter Sangria
• Vodka Cranberry Cooler
• Spiked Sparkling Cider
• Bourbon Ginger Snap

Need some pointers? Get our 5 Bar Strategies for a Fabulous Party.

Lighting

Turn off your bright overheads and use amber votive holders, which give off a warm glow. Decorate with metallic accents—they’re instantly festive and bounce light around. Tape light and dimmer switches in place so guests won’t lean on them and ruin the vibe.

Music

To infuse the party with holiday cheer without subjecting folks to back-to-back tracks of “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” and “Feliz Navidad,” mix “traditional holiday songs with favorite party tunes in a ratio of 3 to 10,” says Kobrin. Try one of these festive playlists:

• Up-Tempo Holiday Party Mix
• Mid-Tempo Holiday Party Mix
• Mellow Holiday Party Mix

Rent a coatrack. It beats having guests pile jackets on your bed. Check party-rental sites. Coatracks cost about $20, and many times hangers are included. Put the rack in the entryway against a wall.

Soak dirty dishes. Fill a large plastic bin with warm, soapy water and keep it in the kitchen. Toss in used dishes during the party.

Clear the air. “Crack a window open to circulate fresh, cool air, then adjust as the party heats up,” says Kobrin.

Keep prepared food warm. “A 200-degree oven works as a warming drawer,” says Kelsey Nixon, the host of Kelsey’s Essentials, on the Cooking Channel. This also frees up counter space and provides insurance that your food won’t burn if you forget to take it out.

Create a flow that makes sense by strategically shifting your furniture. Learn how to rearrange your space here.

Signal that the party is over (subtly). Lower the music, blow out a few candles, turn on one light. If guests don’t get the hint, resort to plan B: Start cleaning up.

Dole out leftovers. “Buy Chinese to-go boxes for people to take extras home,” says Kobrin. “The more you get out and give away, the better.” (Takeout boxes, 50 for $19.50, save-on-crafts.com.)

Tidy up a tad (then hit the hay). After guests are gone, take out the trash and recycling so your house doesn’t smell like a bar when you wake up. “Check for furniture or carpet stains and treat those immediately, but otherwise leave the heavy cleaning and furniture moving until morning,” says Andalman.

Not sure whether to chill the wine or just chill? Consult our handy holiday party-planning timeline.

Should a drink spill or chutney make its way onto your new sofa, at least you can take heat knowing that you sidestepped these more dramatic disasters. Read on for real-life holiday-party horror stories.