What a beautiful time of year. Christmas doesn't only represent a beautiful event in history but also is a time when loved ones come together to celebrate family, good food, and cheer.

The most traditional Christmas decoration is a Christmas tree. If you don't mind cleanup, go with a real tree which will give you a pine smell throughout the house. If you do not want cleanup, there are many choices of fake trees to choose from. The colorful lights are also a huge representation of the Christmas holiday tradition. It is the one time of year where "overdoing it" is not considered tacky. Stringing multi-colored lights from your rooftops to your bushes is a great way to show your holiday spirit.

Putting a tree and Christmas lights up is a good start to setting the holiday mood. Presents wrapped with flying Santa and shiny paper is a festive sign the holidays are upon us. Tuck presents under a perfectly lit tree for the ideal Christmas backdrop to a gorgeous holiday party. Lights, trees, and presents are considered a given at holiday parties, but there are many other ways to make your holiday party stand out.

There are two questions which will help you plan for your party. First, will your event be a sit down dinner or a cocktail party? Second, will your event have children or is it adults only party? If you are planning a sit down dinner keep in mind that you will want to have the table as the center focus. You can have anything from evergreen sprigs and candles to glitter and Poinsettias (the traditional Christmas flower) on your table. A creative touch would be to place a Christmas ornament with guest's name on it on their plate as a place card. They can then take this ornament home as a party favor to place on their tree. A sit down dinner you will be more formal, whereas a cocktail party will have a more casual feel to it.

There are many holiday games you can play when it comes to opening presents and gift giving. You can add to almost anything when it comes to the holidays; the possibilities are endless. If you are having kids at your party you can pre-bake gingerbread cookies and the kids can decorate their own cookies. This is sure to keep them busy as the adults sip on their spiked eggnog.

There are so many creative, exciting options when it comes to planning a holiday party. Keep in mind it is a party and everyone is there to have a good time, even you! You do not want to have your guests on a strict schedule; you want the evening to have a natural flow. Combining good people, food, drink and sparkly festive decorations are the ingredients to have a happy and unforgettable holiday party recipe.