How to Throw a Holiday Picnic Party

Holiday picnic parties are a tradition beloved by many people around the world, and are often held in place of standard indoor parties for companies, organizations, families and groups of neighbors. They're a great alternative to indoor parties for many reasons - they offer an exciting, unexpected twist and a chance to broaden your typical holiday party games and entertainment.

First, figure out your budget and decide upon a guest list based on how much money you want to spend. You may want to invite your child's class, your book club or friends from work. You could organize a block party, or invite family over in lieu of the usual holiday dinner. If you're planning to do a 'Secret Santa' gift exchange, make sure you have guests RSVP.

Unless you've got a lot of portable outdoor seating, the best way to hold a picnic party in your yard is to ask guests to bring along their own picnic blankets, folding chairs or other comfortable seating. If you're on a tight budget, ask them to either bring their own picnic baskets full of food for themselves and their families or to bring a potluck dish. If you like the idea of a potluck, you may want to think of a theme - for example, Italian or traditional Christmas fare.

If you'd like to provide all the food, you can go about it several ways: have a full meal, appetizers and drinks, or a dessert party. Dessert parties can be really fun - gingerbread houses, Christmas cookies, cranberry muffins, nut brittle and peppermint bark are just a few ideas for a delicious spread of sweets. You could even create a spectacular edible centerpiece such as a mini Christmas tree made from a Styrofoam base, toothpicks and sugary green and red gum drops. Have a beverage table set up in a central location with hot cocoa, cider, and other warm drinks. If you like, you could lay out a buffet of small finger foods or platters of delicious comfort food such as sliced ham, dinner rolls, mixed veggies, and glazed sweet potato slices.

Don't forget about the decorations - this is the surest way to get everyone in the holiday spirit. You can do this inexpensively with some twinkling lights, red bows and poinsettia plants. If you want to go all out, holiday yard decorations are bigger and cooler than ever this year - check out places like Target, Wal-Mart, K-Mart and other large discount chain stores for the best selection.

Of course, the most fun part of every holiday party is the activities. For an outdoor holiday picnic party, nearly anything goes! If you have an evergreen in your yard, you can have a tree-decorating party - have guests bring an ornament with them, or set up an area where they can make and decorate their own. For those who celebrate Christmas, a living nativity scene can be a really fun way to get kids involved - all you'd really need is colored fabric (for their clothing), some hay, a baby doll and perhaps some neighborhood pets to stand in for the barn animals. Spread some holiday cheer by taking a walk down nearby streets singing carols, or have a responsible adult with a pickup truck haul some seated and supervised youngsters around as they sing.

Get started planning your holiday picnic party as soon as possible, and enlist some friends or family members to help you out. Have fun, and enjoy these great times with the ones you love.