First of all, you need to determine WHO in the family will be invited. All of them, of course!

Next you need to determine WHERE the party will take place. We rent a hall in a central location to the family members in the area, this should be done as early as July so you will be sure to secure the hall for the Christmas party.

Then we choose the WHEN, date and time of the party, (you need to be a little flexable with the date), because of the rental of the hall. After the first year, if you like where the party is being held, you can book for the following year, and you have any date that you want. We tend to keep the party the Saturday the closest to Christmas, unless its Christmas Eve. Then we would have our party be the week before.

The head of each of the families(brothers and sisters) call their children to give them the information needed; DATE, TIME. PLACE and the particulars, food, drink, dessert and gift.

Next, each family that comes, brings a dish, a dessert, and something to drink. There is always enough food, even for the people who show up late.

As for the gift, we set a small $10 limit on it (that should fit most all budgets). If someone doesn't want to do the exchange, just don't bring a gift. It can be an ornament or whatever you want it to be, as long as you don't go over the limit and it has a christmas theme to it.

For the gift exchange, all the gifts go under the tree and at a designated time, after the meal and the singing and whatever else you choose to do,(we sometimes have a few solos or duets, and dancing of course) usually the youngest of the siblings in the family would be the first family to choose a gift for their family.

This is how our family has done our Christmas party for atleast 15 years. Our family is quite large, There are 8 children, 45 grandchildren, and 33 great-grandchildren. Everyone doesn't always show up, but they all know Where it is, When it is, and What to bring!