Heat up the fireplace; turn on your favorite Christmas music; hang mistletoe in each entryway, and your party's ready to start. You can select between a sit-down dinner or a buffet depending on how many people you've invited. Most of the time, a buffet is preferred. Before giving it out, write on the invitations: "Bring a Dish to Share".



What Will Be Served In Your Party?

A 12 foot hero or sub is a safe enough choice. Served either hot or cold, it's enough to feed everyone. Alternatively, you can make your own creation and tell everyone beforehand to bring something they make. Popular side dishes are: stuffed mushrooms; chicken or turkey rolls, or bite-sized appetizers which come in a wide assortment of flavors. Have a wide variety of wines, colas, water, and don't forget eggnog.

How Will You Serve It?

Set up a separate table in your dining room or living room. Place all of the foods on the table. Add Christmas paper plates, napkins, and your good flatware at the beginning of the table. This way, your guests can take a paper dish, napkin and utensil and proceed directly to the food. Tip: This makes cleaning up easier for you, too.

Now to make your dining table appealing to the eyes, here are some tips. Use a tablecloth made of solid colors; either green, red or white. Put a Christmas placemat under each dish. Your centerpiece can be a crystal bowl filled with Christmas balls. Beside the centerpiece, put a pair Christmas candles. One way to make your tablecloth stand out is to pin garland at the edges of the tablecloth.

How About Party Games?

After everyone's had their fill, it's time for fun games. Adults may enjoy charades or a Christmas sing-a-long. How about playing musical chairs with a twist. The guys get down on one knee, while the girls circle around them to the tunes of Christmas medleys. When the music stops, each girl has to immediately sit on a guy's knee. It's so fun, that your guests laugh till tears fall out.

Finally, Christmas isn't Christmas without Santa. Pre-arrange someone to dress up as a Santa villain. Have him wear a wig and a mustache that turns up to his nose. He could give away gag gifts, or anything that's funny and appropriate. This is sure to be a company Christmas party idea that will be long remembered.