Think of a festive party and most people imagine a night filled with uproarious laughter with little groups of people dotted around various rooms engaging in lively exchanges or swapping anecdotes. In reality, most turn our rather differently.

Everyone spends the first hour politely finding out what other guests ‘do’ while they nod sagely and nibble peanuts. After that they stand around talking to the people they know, have a few drinks then make their excuses and go home.

It’s not what you want from your perfect party, start planning now for festive fun no-one will forget!

Once you’ve picked the time, date and venue – and checked that it doesn’t clash with any other big events your potential guest may want to go to – it’s time to give some thought to the smaller details.

Start by considering having a theme for the evening. Things often get going more quickly at themed parties because guests arrive with a great sense of anticipation, having put a little more thought into their own outfits and wondering what other people’s responses will be. Immediately, there are talking points to help break the ice.

The wackier your theme, the better. Popular ideas include a pantomime party where guests dress as the ugly sisters, charming princes, Cinders or Sleeping Beauty, or a corny Christmas pop songs party with people dressing up as a pop star who’s had a Christmas hit.

Even if you’re not going down the themed party route, why not ask your guests to wear something like a wig, an unusual hat or a mask? It’s a great ice-breaker.

Brainstorm some games with friends who are coming and who you know will inspire others to join in. If you’re not the only person ‘owning’ the party, it’s more likely that it will be a success.

With a bit of thought and forward planning, you can incorporate other elements to make your party stand out from the rest.

Hire, borrow or buy a karaoke machine to get the ‘singers’ in the crown on their feed, a bubble machine to get everyone in a lather or disco lighting to set the scene. A chocolate fountain rarely goes amiss too – but it could prove mess!

When it comes to your guest list, try to invite people who have things in common or that you know will get along on some level.

You probably won’t be able to invite everyone you know, so pick and choose a good group to match with the atmosphere you want to create.

Make sure you also invite enough people. After all, the aim of the party is to have fun, and you can’t create much of an atmosphere with a handful of guests. It’s inevitable that a number of people won’t show up, but if they do all come it’s a good thing.

Parties with a few too many people are usually more exciting than those with too few.

Next you need to decide on the food and drink. While you might prefer something some fancy, there’s a good reason why peanuts, crisps, vol au vents and mini sausages are popular party snacks – people can eat them while they’ve got a drink in their other hand. The most successful party food is always just one bite, so you can eat on the go.

Don’t stress yourself out making all the snacks from scratch. Supermarkets and high street stores are full of inexpensive, tasty treats that only need popping in the oven for a few minutes.

If you want your guests to bring a bottle, make sure to say so on the invite. You’ll still need to provide a selection of mixers and soft drinks as well as the odd bottle of wine for those who forgot to bring their own.

Also make sure to have lots of ice, napkins and rubbish bags in stock. Keep a list of what you need so you can designate something for guests to bring if they offer.

When it comes to music, cater for a broad taste. Don’t think that everything has to be a hit at the moment – everyone loves singing along to the ‘oldies’.

A group of people having fun can generate a lot of noise, so make sure your music system’s up to the task of coping, or borrow one that can.

Even civilised grow-ups like a game – especially after a few drinks – so why not set up a Twister and prepare some charades or Pictionary ideas to keep things on the go?

If you want to enjoy the party yourself – and who doesn’t – ask for help from friends and family.

This includes getting a few people to arrive early so they can help you to set up, and recruiting a small cleaning crew for the day after.

Last, but not least, try not to worry. If you’re having a ball, so will your guests. If things go wrong, they probably won’t even notice.