As much as we all love parties, November and December calendars can fill up quickly and become overwhelming as you're planning which holiday parties to attend, performances to see, and when to squeeze in your Christmas shopping!
A few years ago, I remember planning my "route" of Christmas parties for the evening; one of my girlfriends and I were going to attend 3 different parties in 3 very different areas of Dallas in one night, so we even had to include drive time in our plan! I remember being at one of the parties, thinking "do I really have to leave and go to the next one?" I would have been happy just to stay at that one party all night, but of course party-hopping becomes somewhat of an adventure, and even a competition as you compare weekends with friends and coworkers when they ask about your weekend: "Well, it was great! I went to 17 holiday parties!" This year, however, I have a plan to maintain my sanity during this busy time of year so that I can actually enjoy it as opposed to just being "busy."
There is a bit of a rush as you hop from place to place, making a fashionably late grand entrance at each house, and screaming as you hug friends (who you probably saw yesterday!) but I'm doing my best to streamline my calendar and only go to the events that I really want to attend this year. Even last weekend during Halloween, I encouraged friends not to come to my party if they had another event to attend because I wanted them to enjoy their time at the event without having to worry about when to leave, and now I have some tips for you to make the most of your busy November and December weekends.
1. Choose one (two, maximum!) parties to attend each night.
Trying to fit more than two parties/activities into one evening can be more stress than it's worth. Look at the guest list of each party; who do you see more often? Who do you actually want to see? Choose the party where you will have the best time and be glad you went. We've all been to parties that result in the "why did I even come here?" feeling! No party regrets this year!
2. Keep at least one free night/week!
Even the most extroverted party-goer needs REST! I constantly have to remind myself to say "no," to plan a night at home and stick to it! If you're too busy with parties, simple tasks like laundry and cleaning your room can pile up, resulting in you feeling stressed out with no time to spend at home (and when you want to wear something that's in the dirty clothes pile, it feels like the end of the world!). Schedule one night at home and make it happen!
3. Bring a host/hostess gift.
This is important. Your hosts put a lot of effort (planning, time, and money!) into creating an enjoyable evening with friends; a small gift is a great way to say thank you and that you were thinking about them! I love bringing a small candle (buy this 4-pack of Voluspa candles and then split them up!) or a novelty food item, like Sugarfina gummies (my favorite!) as a gift; they are both a great alternative to the bottle of wine that everyone else brings.
4. Wear something sparkly!
Holiday parties are a fun time to reconnect with people you haven't seen lately and nothing can make you feel more self-conscious than an ill-fitting top or a dress that you can't sit down in! I love finding easy outfits like these budget-friendly dresses below that are festive and comfortable! People notice when you feel good about yourself, so wear something that makes you feel happy and beautiful!