Friendmas is the new Christmas

If last Christmas was basically family fights and criticism on every one of your life decisions, you might be looking for another option. Enter Friendmas. Yep – friend Christmas. There’s no kids table, and you don’t need to tell Auntie May (again) that yes, you’re still single. Plus, it’s an awesome excuse to get the gang together and eat some tasty food. Here are a few tips to help you host a successful Friendmas.

Keep the guest list small

Yeah, it can be hard not to invite all your contacts when you’re getting pumped about Friendmas. But let’s face it, there’s some people you’d much rather be there than others. Try to limit the guest list to your closest friends – say, up to 5 to 10 people. It’s enough to be a party, but not so many that you can’t talk to everyone.

Location, location, location

Home is a good choice, but if that’s not an option, a local park will work just as well. Choose a place that has some undercover options so the weather can’t literally rain on your parade.

BYO it

Share the load this Friendmas – work out exactly what food and drink you need, and then let your guests know what you want them to bring. Just make sure that someone isn’t stuck bringing 10 kilos of prawns, while someone else only has to pick up a bottle of soda water.

Turn up the tunes

There are two types of people in the world: those who like Michael Buble Xmas songs, and liars. Create a festive playlist on Spotify that your friends can add to. You can’t go wrong with Mariah Carey and Wham!, but don’t forget other artists that rock for Christmas songs – like Bieber (truly). Add in some non-festive songs as well, because – let’s face it – there’s only so much jingle-belling anyone can handle.

Force some fun

Any excuse to bust out a board game, we say! But for real, they’re a good way to mix things up and for everyone to get to know each other better. Try classics like Cluedo, Taboo and Pictionary. Or even celebrity heads, if you want to go board-less. You could also try Cards Against Humanity if you want to turn things up a notch. If you don’t have any board games, there are heaps of free game apps everyone can get involved in, like Gartic Phone or Quiz Up.

Run a Secret Santa

Showing appreciating with gifts is one of the joys of Christmas, but it can be stressful feeling like you have to spend on everyone you know. Take the pressure off by running a Secret Santa and set a price limit. That way, you don't miss out on the giving and receiving process but can minimise the financial burden. You could even set challenges with gifts, for example, homemade gifts or edible gifts only.

Chill and enjoy

The worst part of hosting anything is getting stressed about wanting everything to go perfectly. Instead, try to accept that it may not be perfect, but it might just be good enough. Enjoy the company of your friends, play a few games, and bask in the knowledge that you’re now a Friendmas host.