The holiday season is a great time to reconnect with friends and family. Hosting a party doesn’t have to be a big production.  It can be relaxed and inexpensive or elaborate and formal, depending on your personal style and your own holiday traditions. Here are ten great ideas for your holiday party in Toronto.

1. Theme Party: Spice up your holiday party this season by making it a theme party. Try themes like Casino Night, Hawaiian Night, Victorian Christmas, Roaring 20s, or make up your own. Ask your guests to all come in costume. Try to select a menu and drinks in keeping with the theme. Tropical themes are all great fun in the midst of our winter season.

2. Boat Cruise: I’d be willing to bet that many of you don’t know that you can take a Christmas cruise in the Toronto harbour. Cruising in our winter wonderland is just spectacular. Don’t worry about the temperatures. All of the yachts are fully heated. Contact www.merrycruises.com for more information.

3. Caroling Party: Share the spirit of the season. Once your guests have gathered, head out for some caroling in your neighbourhood. If someone in the group plays a portable instrument like the guitar, even better.

4. Personal Chef: Hiring a personal chef is the ideal way to serve a magnificent sit-down dinner without any of the work. Consult the Canadian Personal Chef Alliance for personal chefs in your area by following the link below.

http://www.chefsearch.ca/

5. Christmas Scavenger Hunt: Scavenger hunts are fun for adults and children alike. And you’ll have as much fun creating the hunt as your guests will in participating.

6. Hire Entertainment: A great way to make your party a memorable occasion is by hiring entertainment – karaoke, fortune tellers, and hypnotists are some of the most popular. Follow the link below for some entertainers in Toronto.

http://www.buyitcanada.com/Toronto/Arts-Entertainment/Entertainers/

7. Charity Party: Gather all of your guests and go out to volunteer together at a mission or a soup kitchen. Or, ask everyone to bring a non-perishable food item which you can then take over to your local food bank. Or, bring a toy for a child in need and deliver it to one of many organizations in your area accepting donations.

8. Winter Activity Party: Go as a group and enjoy the holiday season outdoors by participating as a group in skating, tobogganing, or skiing. I’m sure that they’ll all appreciate the hot chocolate, cider, or mulled wine afterwards.

9. Murder Mystery Night: Enjoy a fun evening of murder and mayhem at home. Create your own game or buy one of the games available at many stores. Have everyone dress their part and serve an appropriate menu to enhance the game.

10. Open House Party: This tried and true holiday party is the most popular and the easiest to organize. There are no rules. Anything goes. Decide on the time, what you want to serve, prepare the guest list, send out the invitations, and voila – instant party.