(If you’re entertaining, hopefully your home is larger than these.)

’Tis the season of holiday parties. You know the drill: fuzzy sweaters, too much wine, and hilarious white elephant gifts you bought for a dollar. What if this year is different from all the rest? Fortunately, we’ve got you covered with plenty of new ideas to brighten up your holiday gathering, especially if you don’t have much space to work with.

To get started, make sure to find the date that works best for you and your friends. Make sure to create your Facebook event or send out your invitations. (If you live in a dorm, you could ask your RA if you can put up some cute posters around the hall or in the bathroom to spread the word about your great event). Once that’s done, make sure to put together a list of ideas and things needed for the party. 

Interested in organizing a small gathering? Try planning a signature party, “Our Favorite Things.” All you have to do is think of one thing you love that’s inexpensive, buy five of the item, wrap each item individually, bring them to the party, draw names and those five people get your gift.

“If it’s a college-student type party, funds may be limited so the dollar store is a really great place to go to get a lot of party stuff,” Michelle Rowekamp, Volume One’s events and marketing coordinator. “Going there you can get everything that you need. I would definitely say the dollar store is the way to go.”

Interested in organizing a small gathering? Try planning Michelle’s signature party, “Our Favorite Things.” All you have to do is think of one thing you love that’s inexpensive, buy five of the item, wrap each item individually, bring them to the party, draw names and those five people get your gift. If you want to switch things up, try five different items or five things you’ve acquired. You could also plan a craft night where you make ornaments, signs, snowmen, and Christmas trees out of terra cotta. If you want to be really creative, have your group of friends pull up 20 Christmas Writing Prompts (check out minds-in-bloom.com) online and write Christmas stories or poems for each other. 

If you are interested in hosting a large soiree, try planning a “Multiple Locations” party. All you have to do is gather your neighbors (in your apartment or in your neighborhood), arrange for each apartment or house to have its own focus (such as appetizers, the main course, board games, a karaoke machine, desserts, or beverages) and have your guests circulate through locations. 

Once the party is over, there’s no time to be sad. Instead, make sure to post all of the pictures you took on Facebook, Instagram, or other social platforms and tag your guests, making sure to thank them for attending your party. 

“Let everyone see what a good time you guys had, and maybe it could be a tradition that you start with your group of friends,” Rowekamp said. “Figure what you want to do this year and maybe it could grow into something bigger or something you could have again in the future.”