Throwing a festive Christmas party is one of the best ways to celebrate the season, but that doesn't mean that you have to break your budget to have fun. There are many different ways that you can celebrate affordably, so that you can ring in the New Year without worrying about debt. These Christmas party ideas will help you plan your bash, and will also help you stick to your budget.

The first thing that you need to do is decide who is going to attend. If you have a large family, then you may want to make sure that you ask for RSVPs, so that you won't waste money buying food and favors for anyone who isn't planning on attending. You will want to send your invitations at least two weeks in advance, so that you will know the exact number of people that you need to prepare for.

One of the best Christmas party ideas is to send email invitations to everyone who has internet access on your list, saving traditional invitations for anyone who can't be contacted via email. If you don't hear back from your email guests, then just give them a short call to see if they are planning on attending, or not.

A Christmas party is one of the places where you will expect great food, but when you are on a budget you may want to try something different than a traditional meal, especially if you have a large number of people coming over. One of the classic Christmas party ideas is to have a potluck, where each member of the group brings something to the party.

If you want to treat your guests, then you may want to choose another way to stay in your budget, and still have delicious food. If you are planning your party for a weekend, then you can always have a lunch party, where you can serve finger foods and drinks for much less than you could a dinner. Sliders with fresh vegetables and a dip are all excellent choices for a lunch party, especially if you have a decadent Christmas dessert to top it off.

Other Christmas party ideas focus around healthy food such as seasonal fruits and fresh veggies for a nice change of pace from traditional, calorie laden Christmas foods. While you may be tempted to buy fruit and veggie trays from your deli to save time, you will save money if you buy a festive tray for a few dollars and then prepare the foods yourself.

If you are having a low-key family Christmas party, then you can be extremely creative with the entertainment for the party. For kids, one of the best Christmas party ideas is to set up a small crafts table, where the little kids can make something to take home.