Begin with Simple Outdoor Decorations

• Sprucing up the exterior of your household is crucial to preparing guests for the abundance of holiday atmosphere inside of your home. On the most basic level, a wreath can offer a warm welcome to visitors. First, buy a cheap and plain wreath. Then, go around the neighborhood and collect branches from pine trees or bushes. You can spray paint these with gold and silver and glue them onto the wreath. This will make the visual appearance of your home's threshold very attractive and inviting. In addition, a string of Christmas lights can be a quick and easy way to brighten up a porch, flower bed, window sill or balcony.
  
  

Serve Drinks in a Merry Way

• Christmas parties often include a variety of holiday beverages, such as eggnog, hot chocolate or apple cider. Instead of simply serving these drinks in plain cups from a crock pot, you should dress up the serving dishes and cups with ribbons or wrapping. Tying tinsel or ribbon around plastic cups, ladles and bowls can turn year-round dining ware into holiday dishes. Christmas-themed beverage napkins can also add an extra boost to your holiday theme.
  
  

Wrap Your Pictures

• Another simple way to infuse the decor of your home with holiday zest is to wrap the pictures in the home. Wrap the pictures on the walls, tables and mantles with wrapping paper and ribbons, giving your home a very chic and modern Christmas feel, and filling your home with what appears to be presents.
  
  

Write the Names of Guests on Snowflakes

• When the guests arrive for the Christmas party, they may feel a bit awkward upon arriving. The best way to make them feel at home and comfortable is to show them that you really want them there. Take the time to craft a bunch of snowflakes out of paper and write each guest's name on a snowflake. Then you can either hang the snowflakes throughout the house or use them as name tags (with a little tape or safety pins). This will help guests learn each other's names and also add to the theme of the party.