The holiday season is approaching and that means it's party time! And now that you're settled into your new place, why not throw a party of your own? A great way to have a low-stress holiday party (there's no such thing a no-stress party - don't let anyone tell you otherwise) is to have a nice, relaxed "open house" to show off your place. It allows people to drop by whenever (you can even intentionally stagger the arrival times of your guests to ensure you're never overwhelmed with visitors) and you can keep a steady flow of people coming to help reduce the 'people overload' factor.

Arrangements
Make sure there is enough space for traffic to flow through your home and that there are enough places for guests to sit, especially if you'll be serving food that requires more than fingers to eat (more on this later).

Decor
An easy way to provide the holiday "spirit" is to use candles. They provide a nice glowing warmth that can really help set a mood. As open flame is involved, please be mindful of the placement so the candles won't be near your guests' clothing or placed where they may cause a fire.

Food
Make it easy on yourself - get food that can be consumed at room temperature. This way, you're not constantly in the kitchen heating or reheating snacks for your guests. Guests can eat any time they like and you can spend time mingling rather than cooking. Foods like vegetables, cheeses, and breads allow your guests to eat with one hand while they're mingling and won't require you to have as much seating as they would need if two hands were required to eat your fine fare.

Atmosphere
Most importantly, make your party festive, fun, and relaxing. Put on some nice background music and enjoy the company of your guests. It's your party and while you can cry if you want to, the best parties are when you are having as much fun as your guests. A little planning ahead can ensure you have a good time at your own party.