With each holiday season comes the tradition of family reunions, school celebrations and parties with friends. During this hectic time, the idea of throwing your own party can be overwhelming, however, with these five tips, your holiday party will be simple to plan and an affair to remember.

* Send the party invitations out with plenty of notice. Schedules book up quickly during the holidays, so plan ahead to ensure a good turnout.

* Consider the tone and theme of your party when choosing an invitation and writing the text. Playful messages are great for children’s parties, while more traditional tones are appropriate for business and work functions. Services like Shutterfly make it easy and fun to create personalized invitations that match the style and tone of your party with a variety of styles, layouts and color combinations.

* Incorporate a festive activity for party guests. Create a winter wonderland in your living room with fake snow and Santa hats where guests could pose for silly pictures reminiscent of old holiday cards and portraits from your childhood. Or have guests bring a small gift to donate to a local charity.

* It’s all about the food. Include the party theme in the menu. Celebrate nostalgia with your favorite dishes from childhood or go international and serve holiday dishes from around the globe.

* Don’t forget to thank your guests. Make sure to have thank you cards on hand to acknowledge unexpected gestures and gifts.

And most importantly, have fun. If you’re having a good time, it will make it easier for your guests to cut loose and have fun.