1. Eat an apple before you go.
This sounds kind of silly to eat something before going to a party where there will be an abundance of delicious food, but if you eat something healthy before you go, then you are much less likely to eat too much of the holiday treats. This simple habit can save you hundreds or possibly thousands of calories over the weeks.
2. Turn off your phone.
If you’re going to be at the party, BE at the party. No one wants to be the overly-focused person, repetitively checking to see if you’ve gotten a life-altering email in the last 30 seconds. Enjoy the people you are with and celebrate your time with them.
3. Dress to impress.
Females especially understand this concept. When you know that your outfit looks nicely coordinated and put together you feel more confident. People like being around confidence. Know that you look good! Worst case scenario, bust out the ugly Christmas sweater and you’ll still be in the spirit!
4. Know obscure Christmas trivia.
Truth is, there is always going to be that odd, awkward silence at some point in the party. This is when you pull out your random Christmas trivia. One of my favorites is in order to buy everything in the 12 Days of Christmas song it would cost you almost $115, 000!
5. Bring a good gift.
Most of the parties I go to over the month of December have some form of present exchange. Don’t bring last year’s white elephant gift that you got stuck with because no one would trade with you, that’s incredibly disappointing! Gift cards are always a great option!
6. Ask people about their Christmas traditions.
People celebrate Christmas in some very cool ways. Plus, everyone likes sharing life stories. One of my favorites from last year was learning how people celebrate in Japan.
7. Take the party on the road.
Go caroling! Or if you have a lot of tone deaf friends get a package of kazoos and go caroling that way. Even if you don’t go up to a specific house, people love hearing Christmas music shared. The movie Elf communicated this best: “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loudly for all to hear.”
8. Be the photographer
If parties aren’t really your thing, be the party photographer. You’ll have an excuse for not spending a lot of time talking to people, you won’t get stuck in one place, and best of all people, will appreciate that you caught the fun atmosphere.
9. Bring a friend (or two).
Always be sure to ask the host or hostess if this option is available. Just in case you have any parties that you are a dreading a little bit, bring a friend. Bonus points if your friend is quick with a joke or knows how to wow with a magic trick.
10. Celebrate the season.
So many times we get lost in the lists of places to go, people to see, food we bring, décor to put up, the presents to buy, etc. The lists just keep getting longer and longer. Celebrate the season for what it is. Christ came to earth — really cool big deal! An advent reading plan will help you get in the spirit (and stay in the spirit) without any bah-humbug crashing the season.
How would you suggest surviving a holiday party?