Plan a Fun, Festive... and CHEAP Christmas Party.

It's once again that time of year to deck the halls and celebrate with a joyous family and friends get-together. However, if the idea of hosting an expensive, impressive party seems great,
but it's not in your budget, you can easily opt for something a little less conventional, but just as festive. With a little planning and a little input from your guests, you surely can come up with some innovative ideas for hosting a home, school or office party, holiday decorating, thoughtful gift giving, and much, much more.

One idea is to turn the age-old potluck party into a fresh new idea for the holidays. Whether it's a tried and true traditional menu or a Christmas smorgasbord, hosting a potluck can be a money saving, stress-free way to go, so you can concentrate on the finer things in life, like surrounding yourself with people you care about the most.

A potluck party helps you share the expense, share the work and share in your friend's

An average adult consumes 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat over the course of a traditional holiday feast, according to the Calorie Control Council. It's hard to resist turkey or ham with all the trimmings - and for many, the holidays aren't complete without a plateful of fruitcake.

But a good meal doesn't have to be so calorie-laden.

"It's easy to add a little more nutrition to the classic staples by substituting lower-fat or lower-calorie ingredients," says dietitian Kim Galeaz. "You are in the perfect position to introduce kids to these healthier options at an early age."

To curb the calorie counts for your family this season, try these tweaks on traditional holiday fare.

Lean and green. Once you've added cream soup, butter, cheese, and fried onions, you've defeated whatever healthy intentions you had for your green-bean casserole. To lighten it up, use reduced-fat cream of mushroom soup and light butter. Then, add more vegetables than the recipe might call for - extra green

I've never been a huge fan of eggnog, but I've definitely enjoyed some other festive drinks during the holiday season. They warm you up when the temperatures are low and give you a bit of a twinkle in your eye.

But, how much of an impact do these holiday delights have on our waistlines? Some not so much, and others, well, a lot. Holiday drinks can be full of sugar and, many, high in fat. Although the below chart isn't an exhaustive list of cocktails, it gives you an idea of those that are healthier and those that are less so. Those made with cream, half-and-half, or sugary ingredients are the worst offenders. Those that are more basic tend to be the lesser of evils.

Drinks rated 5 stars are the healthiest options, when looking at calories, fat, and carbohydrate intake (sugars). Those that are rated with 1 star are the worst for you. As you can see, unfortunately, most of the season's yummiest drinks are naughty.

By Suzan Colon

"You're not going to have a Christmas tree?" Even over the cell phone, my mother's shock was palpable. My family has never been particularly religious, but for us, not putting up a tree during the holidays is as close to an act of sacrilege as we can get.

This was last year, when I'd been laid off in early fall, and then watched the economy slide into the abyss, taking people's jobs and homes, their children's college educations and retirement plans with it. By December, I was scared to spend money on anything other than food and rent. A Christmas tree suddenly seemed extravagant.

My mother didn't want to hear about it. "You have to have a tree," she insisted. "We've always had Christmas trees, whether we could afford one or not." Or whether we had space for one in our tiny apartment, or whether we had a stand to fit the tree or a man with a saw to cut the trunk down. On one such occasion, my then-single mother hacked at a tree trunk with a Ginsu steak knife. (The

Who says healthy gifts have to be boring? Our list of top-sellers will surprise and please any fitness nut on your list!

Shred SledWhy Skate When You Can Shred? Imagine the combined sensation of skateboarding, snowboarding, and surfing, and you'll have a good idea of what the Shred Sled is all about. Reaching for the Dramamine? That's okay, you'll never get a chance to ride it anyway, since the daredevil in your life is likely to grab hold of this amazing caster board and never let go. ($119.00) Buy Shred Sled's caster board here.

Road ID - Personal Identification Gear To WearIdentification To Go. Sometimes outdoor enthusiasts do meet with misadventures. That's why helmets, elbow pads and life vests are so important, after all. But personal identification gear, such as the Road ID, is just as critical. If there's an accident, a readily visible ID tag, complete with emergency contact information and medical needs, could make the difference between life and death. ($19.99) Buy Road ID's ID Bracelet and ID tag here.

I've always been a big fan of giving "experiences" like spa days as a gift for the holidays. Why? Because (at least in NYC) unless your giftee asks specifically she doesn't need or have room for more stuff. Instead, treat her to an hour she probably wouldn't buy for herself. After the jump, see my top six tips for gifting a spa treatment.


1. No gift certificates? Charge it! Sure, giving a gift certificate is the easiest way to give a spa day, but sometimes your escape-of-choice just doesn't offer 'em. If this is the case pick a day when you know your friend is free (for example, the day she promised to help you prep for your holiday party) and call the spa to explain. Ask if you can have them keep your credit card on file and charge for the treatment and gratuity when said friend comes in.

Related: The truth about winter-skin myths.

2. A tip about tipping. See if there's a 'gratuity free' spa in your area. DevaSpa in New York City includes the tip in the treatment price so you can

You've just treated your family to a spectacular feast on Christmas Eve--the next morning, you may not feel like cooking. Keep your delicious holiday rolling on Christmas Day with comforting, festive brunch recipes that can be made the day before. Your only worry now? Keeping the coffee pot full.

For the recipe for make-ahead chocolate chip scones, click here.

For the recipe for make-ahead grapefruit cups with wine syrup, click here.

Related: Bon Appétit's 6 Best Brunch Menus

More from Bon Appétit:

• 27 Holiday Party Appetizers

• Bon Appétit's 25 Best Christmas Menus

• 31 Winter Cocktails

• Bon Appétit's 31 Best Cookies

• 31 Show-Stopping Holiday Desserts

By Lisa Arcella

Bethenny Frankel is probably best known for her tell-it-like-it-is style on the Bravo reality show The Real Housewives of New York City. But the 39-year-old first-time mom-to-be is also a successful natural food chef and entrepreneur who has taught many people how to stay slim. As any woman knows, that's especially challenging during the holiday season, when temptation is lurking around every corner. But Bethenny says, fear not! There are plenty of easy ways to keep those yuletide calories at bay.

"Bingeing at this time of year is very common," she says. "People indulge a little bit, get anxiety about it and decide to destroy themselves because they've already been 'bad.' The only unbreakable rule I have is never to binge. You can have a cookie or a few bites of cake or a piece of pizza and it will never make you fat. The 'beat yourself up' mentality will cause you to binge and that will make you fat." Frankel adds, "I have friends who worry about vinaigrette