It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas....part 2

Holiday gatherings can easily break a budget if you are not careful. We are going to explore some ways to save and still have a great time.

Make it potluck.
Instead of hosting the complete dinner yourself, serve the main dish and have everyone else bring a side dish or dessert.

Have the party after dinner hours.
Serve dessert and coffee, or drinks and snacks. (remember to be careful with alcohol consumption...your guests will be driving!)

Have a gathering on a weekend afternoon.span> Plan your gathering for Saturday or Sunday, around 2 or 3pm and again, have light snacks instead of a full meal.

If you are hosting a full dinner, remember to keep it simple.
You can probably skip the three different types of vegetables, or the 2 kinds of potatoes and still have a great time. Keep things about the company, and not just the food.

Consider having an open house.
Instead of having seperate family and friend's parties, consider having an open house for a few hours each evening, and having people come and go at their leisure. You can have one day where you have everyone over, and then really be able to focus on enjoying the holidays.

I hope some of these ideas help. If you have any others, I would love to hear them!!

And most of all, Have a Happy Thanksgiving, and Merry Christmas! Enjoy your friends and family!