Start early with the holiday fun. Make getting together with others this season more interesting and remove all that stress that comes with getting ready for the big day. Plan on one or more little parties, this is so nice when you have family, friends and even co-workers who want to share time with you. We all know how crazy it is to try to get to everyones house for Christmas day.

A cookie exchange.
Example - If you have 6 guests, and each one makes a dozen cookies to bring to the party, each guest would go home with 2 cookies of each kind. This is a great way to have lots of cookies without all the work to take home. Each guest should also bring 1/2 a dozen to share the night of the party, and the hostest would supply the milk. What a yummy way to spend time together, talking or playing a game.

You could also have a cookie baking party if you have a big enough kitchen area for everyone to work together.

A tree trimming party.

This idea is great for those first timers (like newlyweds), who are going to put up their first Christmas tree. Ask the guests to bring something to put onto the tree, this way there will be meaning to each item given.

This is also a nice idea for those moving out on their own, and helps keep the cost down during the holidays.

What better way to enjoy good company, christmas music and munchies while you decorate a tree.

An Ornament Xchange party.

This is fun for everyone. First you need to make your invites to look like an ornament, you can even use a hole punch to put a hole in the ornament for them to hang the invite up. On the invite have each person that will attend gift wrap an ornament they will give away. You can put a cost limit on it, or have them make it; you can even tell them what it could be made of: like a cookie, or paper, or recycled items - you pick the theme.

Once everyone shows up, you can have some fun making ornaments too. Just put the supplies in the middle of the table and the chairs around so everyone can help themself and enjoy talking.

Then you can play a game with the ornaments they wrapped up. It's called: 'Twas the Night Before Christmas Gift game.

Directions:
Form a large circle.
Each person holds his or her own gift they wrapped.
Have one person recite the poem.
When the word RIGHT is read, each person passes their gift to the right; when the word LEFT is read pass the gifts to the left.
In a few places, both words appear in succession, this keeps it interesting.
When the poem ends, the gift each person holds is the gift he keeps.
If directions are followed correctly, no one ends up with the gift they brought.
(but if something goes wrong, just call out right or left again)

Poem:
'Twas the night before Christmas when RIGHT through the house not a creature was LEFT stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings were hung RIGHT by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be RIGHT there. The children were nestled RIGHT snug in their beds, while visions of sugar plums danced RIGHT in their heads. And mama in her kerchief and I in my cap had just settled RIGHT down for a long winter's nap; when RIGHT out on the LEFT of the lawn there rose such a clatter, I sprang RIGHT from my bed to see what was the matter. Away to the RIGHT window I LEFT like a flash, tore open the shutters and thew up the sash. The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow LEFT a luster of mid day objects RIGHT below. When what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer. When a little old driver, RIGHT lively and quick, I knew RIGHT away it must be St. Nick. More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, and he whistled and shouted and called them RIGHT by name "Now Dasher! Now Dancer! Now Prancer and Vixen! on Comet! On Cupit! On Donner and Blitzen! To the RIGHT top of the porch! To the LEFT top of the wall! Now dash away! Dash RIGHT away all! As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly when they meet RIGHT with on obstacle, mount RIGHT up to the sky. So up to the housetop the coursers they LEFT and flew with a sleigh full of toys and St. Nicholas too, and then in the twinkling I heard RIGHT on the roof, and prancing and pawing on each little LEFT and RIGHT hoof. As I drew in my head and was turning LEFT around, down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound. He was dressed all in fur RIGHT from his head to his LEFT foot, and his clothes were all LEFT tarnished with ashes and soot. A bundle of toys he had flung RIGHT on his back, and he looked like a peddler just opening his pack. His RIGHT and LEFT eyes - how they twinkled! His dimpes - how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! His droll little mouth was LEFT drawn up like a bow, and the beard LEFT on his chin was as white as the snow. The stump of a pipe he held RIGHT in his teeth, and the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath. He had a broad face and a round little belly that shook when he laughed like a bowl full of jelly. He was RIGHT chubby, a RIGHT jolly old elf, and I laughed when I saw him in spite of myself. A wink of his LEFT eye and a LEFT twist of his head soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread. He spoke not a word but went RIGHT to his work, and filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk. And laying his finger to the LEFT of his nose, and giving a nod, he LEFT - up the chimney he rose. He sprand RIGHT to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, and away they all LEFT like the down of a thistle. But I heard him explain e'er he LEFT out of sight, ''HAPPY CHRISTMAS to all and to all a good night."