If you’re one of the many people hosting a holiday party this December, it’s time to start thinking about invitations. Between cocktail events, family dinners, ugly sweater parties and Secret Santas, people get invited to a lot of things over the holiday season. So how do you get your guests excited about your event and make your invitation stand out above the rest?

We’ve narrowed down some key tips, from the obvious, like don’t send invites at the last minute, to the not-necessarily-obvious. Read on for easy ways to make your Christmas party one that can’t be missed.

Do:

1.  Match your invitation to the style of the party

The look and feel of the invite will give guests an idea of what to expect, in terms of formal vs. informal, traditional vs. modern, etc.

2.  Include all the relevant details

It goes without saying that you should list the date, time, location, host, etc. But don’t forget other key information, such as whether there’s a dress code (ugly sweaters, anyone?!)

6 Christmas Party Invitations Do's and Don’ts

3.  Use Smilebox’s RSVP tracker

Getting a clear head count is critical to planning the right quantity of food and drinks. It’s especially helpful for planning Secret Santa parties, or any event where you’ll be giving out goodie bags at the end.

Don’t:

4.  Send out your invitation last-minute

It’s the holiday season, people! If you want guests to fit your holiday gathering into their busy December schedules, you gotta get those invites out at least 3-4 weeks in advance.

5.  Be vague about who is invited

Don’t want kids or plus-ones at your party? That’s your prerogative, but you should be clear about it upfront—without sounding tacky. You can simply list the names of the people invited, or go a more direct route: “This is an adults-only party,” for example.

6.  Pick a boring design

It’s Christmas! The most festive time of the year—and your invitation should be, too. Choose a template and text that excites people and makes them want to attend. And don’t forget to proofread; there’s nothing like a glaring typo to turn an invite from class to pass.

Need an eye-catching design for your Christmas party invitation? Look no further than the Smilebox collection of festive holiday templates. Plus, they all come with a built-in RSVP feature, so you can easily track guest attendance, send reminders, and more. Click here to start now!