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One thing I love about the holidays is all of the opportunities to celebrate! From five different types of Friendsgivings/Thanksgivings, to six different Christmas parties, and cookie swaps / other get-togethers in between, Hudson and my schedule can look exhausting sometimes! But it is SO much fun to get together with friends and family!

I also love the party planning aspect of everything! So today, I thought I would share some party planning ideas with you — from how to make your party memorable to how to save money on a party. Here are my top 5 party planning ideas!

Party Planning Ideas

1. Always remember that party planning and decorating can be a way to show love.

My wonderful mother-in-law is the queen of party planning! She not only has the best meals, but also the best decorations and tablescapes. These photos are of her beautiful tablescape she created for Hudson’s birthday meal over Thanksgiving!

I also love that she is sure to mention how decorating can convey love to those around us. In her own words, “My decorating is done with prayers and loved conveyed to those family and friends that I am creating a special atmosphere for, to make sure they feel all wrapped up in love and joy!”

Isn’t that so sweet?! Sometimes it can be easy to get stressed out party planning and decorating, but when you think about it from the perspective Hudson’s mom has, it really changes things!

2. Make a schedule.

I’ve found that a lot of times, prior to parties, I get really worried about how we will keep everyone occupied and make them happy. So one of my party planning ideas is to make a schedule of events! I make mine very detailed; starting with “guests arriving” for a 20 minute period, then “guests mingling” for a 15 minute period after that, and continuing on with the event.

The important thing to remember about a schedule is that it’s good to have one, but also good to be flexible when the party is actually happening. I’ve found that I rarely follow my schedule to a “t” but it is always helpful for me (and calming to me!) to have one prepared.

3. Think of every detail.

In the past when I’ve shared party planning ideas with people, they have asked what the “must haves” for a party are. While this really depends on the type of event you’re hosting, the important thing is to think of EVERY detail.

Having a schedule really helps with this! I go through my schedule and think “okay, during guest mingling time, I want them to see this or be doing this”…and from there, I can make a list of what I need and get to work!

4. Shop for holiday party supplies after the holiday occurs.

This is my biggest tip for how to save money on a party! Holiday party supplies are most expensive right before the holiday occurs, so shop for them in the weeks after the holiday, season, or event. Last year in December, I got Thanksgiving napkins and plates on clearance for just a couple of cents, and they were a huge hit at our Friendsgiving this year!

Also, as Hudson’s mom says, decorating can be a real joy using the resources around us! To save money, she creates tablescapes using things she already has at home, and things she borrows from gracious friends and neighbors.

5. Weave in something that relates to the type of party you’re planning.

Want to make your party really memorable? Take something that would typically be really standard, and either put a twist on it or weave in something that relates to the holiday, season, or event for which you are planning the party!

For example, at a party I recently threw, I took a standard chocolate cake, put a spin on it, and wove in something related to Christmas to make the ultimate chocolate peanut butter cup Christmas tree cake!

Here is the recipe, if you are interested! I created a Christmas tree printable so it is easy to replicate.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Christmas Tree Cake

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1-1/4 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 squares baking chocolate, melted
• 4-8 peanut butter cups, crumbled
• Kraft Cool Whip
• Green food coloring
• Green sugar crystals
• Christmas tree printable

Directions

1. Beat butter, sugar, water and vanilla in large bowl on medium speed of mixer until well blended. Add eggs; beat well. Stir together 1-1/2 cups flour, salt and baking soda. Gradually add to sugar mixture, then add remaining flour and Baker’s chocolate.

2. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into square cake pan and bake about 30 minutes or until done. Do not overbake.

3. Cool in freezer for one hour. Meanwhile, put three drops of food coloring in Cool Whip and stir. Shape Cool Whip into Christmas tree printable (which you can download here) and freeze for one hour.

5. Press Cool Whip Christmas tree onto cake, sprinkle with sugar crystals, and enjoy!

Kraft products from Walmart make fabulous party planning so much easier. No party is complete without delicious food, am I right?! I snapped this photo of the Kraft Cool Whip as I was shopping.

If you need more inspiration, check out Walmart’s Cooking Up Good website. It has recipes, sweepstakes, loyalty programs, coupons and more!

What are your top party planning ideas?