Brought to you by Smirnoff Infusions

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

That means parties everywhere. Which we absolutely love. We're so excited for those Christmas nights out where we can properly celebrate with all of our friends. Though every good night out begins at home and our favourite way to start a Christmas party is to have our closest friends join us for a little Christmas drink and some festive tunes before we head into town. It's a great way to start the night off on a good, more intimate note, before joining the big celebratory fun in the bars. We want the house do to be as good as the rest of the night so here are a few tips to help get everyone in that party mood.

1. The perfect playlist

Of course, you should have some good Christmas bangers in there but make sure to throw a few non-Christmas tunes into the mix too. You don't want to feel like you're stuck in the supermarket with Christmas tunes playing on repeat. Keep the Christmas magic fresh and lively.

2. Christmassy bites

It's always a good idea to have something to eat before a night out but often people don't want to sit down for a whole dinner. A perfect compromise is to put together some fancy nibbles - we're thinking a fab grazing platter of antipasti, hummus, olives, and some cheese and crackers. The perfect accompaniment to a little tipple. Delectable. Then, of course, throw in some of the sweet stuff too. Something Christmassy works best. We suggest putting some ginger bikkies on a plate or slicing up a chocolate yule log. It's low-effort while also keeping with that Xmas theme.

3. The right drinks

Absolutely crucial for any get together, are we right? A good drink goes a long way - as long as you have top-quality refreshments, everyone will have a great time. Our favourite drinks at the moment are Smirnoff Infusions - they're delicious and easy to make, so makes hosting so much simpler. They come in two utterly delicious flavours - Orange, Grapefruit & Bitters and Raspberry, Rhubarb & Vanilla - plus they have 50 percent less calories than wine* (hurrah!). We always serve them with either soda water or light tonic water, some ice and a fruit garnish, and they are simply divine every time (probably because they're made with real fruit). If you haven't tried them already, we suggest you do asap. *87 kcals per 200ml serve for Raspberry, Rhubarb & Vanilla. 84 kcals per 200ml serve for Orange, Grapefruit & Bitters. 50ml Smirnoff Infusions with 150ml soda water. Average of 182 kcals per 200ml serve of white wine.

4. Sparkly decorations

This is a given. A Christmas party is not a Christmas party if the house is not covered in Christmas magic. Make sure you have your tree up and decorated, baubles hung around the house, wreaths upon the door, and all the rest. Christmas parties need decorations. End of.

5. Christmas-scented candles

Get that cinnamon scent wafting around the place by lighting up a Christmas-themed candle. If you don't like candles or have people joining you who can't be around them for health reasons, you could pick up some similarly scented incense. Or if all else fails, do a bit of Christmas baking and let the smell of that waft around the room for a while. Just remember to blow out those candles before heading out, people!

6. Secret Santa

If you have enough time and enough money (yeah, that goes pretty fast around this time of the year...), you might want to try organising a little Secret Santa and make your drinks the date for swapping gifts. It will give the evening that extra Chrismas buzz that you get from opening presents. Plus, some of the presents might come in useful at the party itself. (Smirnoff Infusions and chocolates, anyone?) Armed with these party-planning tips, you have no reason not to throw the best drinks of the year. So deck the halls! Brought to you by Smirnoff Infusions With less than 100 calories per serve and an ABV of 23 percent, Smirnoff Infusions is the perfect refreshing serve to enjoy this festive season. Available in two delicious flavours - Orange, Grapefruit & Bitters and Raspberry, Rhubarb & Vanilla - simply serve with soda or light tonic water, ice, and a fresh fruit garnish.