Here are a few tips to entertaining at your home while maintaining a professional demeanor.

1. Send invitations – Social media is a great channel to communicate to your audience. But it is not the place to invite people to your intimate event. Print invitations are always a plus for holiday invites, but if time (and budget are short), it is also appropriate to use an online invitation such as Evite.com or Pingg.com. An invitation allows for an RSVP so that you can properly plan your refreshments and space-plan your home.

2. Serve finger foods – Canapés and hors d’oeuvres are simple and no-hassle. Bite-size items and finger foods make conversation and mingling easier tasks. Your guests can still walk around without having to juggle a plate and full-service utensils. Besides, it can be awkward to try to carry on a conversation while you struggle to cut into a piece of steak or chicken.

3. Serve alcohol with discretion – Although this is a “party,” keep in mind that your invited guests are still business connections and not your close personal friends and family. The beauty of holiday entertaining is that you can serve creative punches and pitchers of simple concoctions (or traditional drinks like eggnog or cider) without having to hire a bartender. Serve the pre-made drinks in a punch bowl or in elegant glass pitchers so that guests can serve themselves. Have several selections of wine, and make sure to have non-alcoholic beverages, including coffee and/or tea.

4. Leave out the name-tags – This is a relaxed event. The purpose of entertaining at your home is that you are bringing your connections together for fun—not to talk about business. Your guests will be in a fun mood and may not feel like “talking shop.” Hire a Santa or carolers to really evoke the sense of the holidays. Do a white elephant gift exchange or pass out holiday-themed gift favors. Consider it a business mixer without a business agenda.

5. Be festive! It is a holiday party after all. Get your guests in the mood by setting out your favorite and beautiful holiday-time decorations. Red, greThe holidays are such a magical time of year, but it can also be an extremely hectic time. For entrepreneurs and small businesses, it is an ideal time to connect with clients and colleagues and to reach out to potential customers. With a festive mood already in the air, opening your home to host a business holiday party can be a wonderful way to “meet and greet” with your associates in a less formal environment.

Here are a few tips to entertaining at your home while maintaining a professional demeanor.

1. Send invitations – Social media is a great channel to communicate to your audience. But it is not the place to invite people to your intimate event. Print invitations are always a plus for holiday invites, but if time (and budget are short), it is also appropriate to use an online invitation such as Evite.com or Pingg.com. An invitation allows for an RSVP so that you can properly plan your refreshments and space-plan your home.

2. Serve finger foods – Canapés and hors d’oeuvres are simple and no-hassle. Bite-size items and finger foods make conversation and mingling easier tasks. Your guests can still walk around without having to juggle a plate and full-service utensils. Besides, it can be awkward to try to carry on a conversation while you struggle to cut into a piece of steak or chicken.

3. Serve alcohol with discretion – Although this is a “party,” keep in mind that your invited guests are still business connections and not your close personal friends and family. The beauty of holiday entertaining is that you can serve creative punches and pitchers of simple concoctions (or traditional drinks like eggnog or cider) without having to hire a bartender. Serve the pre-made drinks in a punch bowl or in elegant glass pitchers so that guests can serve themselves. Have several selections of wine, and make sure to have non-alcoholic beverages, including coffee and/or tea.

4. Leave out the name-tags – This is a relaxed event. The purpose of entertaining at your home is that you are bringing your connections together for fun—not to talk about business. Your guests will be in a fun mood and may not feel like “talking shop.” Hire a Santa or carolers to really evoke the sense of the holidays. Do a white elephant gift exchange or pass out holiday-themed gift favors. Consider it a business mixer without a business agenda.

5. Be festive! It is a holiday party after all. Get your guests in the mood by setting out your favorite and beautiful holiday-time decorations. Red, green, and tinsel are no longer de rigueur. Think about how department stores decorate. Real (or plastic) fruit in bowls, candles, topiaries, shrubbery, flowers, and classic Christmas decorations can be combined to create a beautiful setting. Hook up your iPod to speakers and play holiday music and winter-themed songs.

Holiday entertaining does not have to be tense and stressful. The key to business entertaining at home is to keep it simple and low-key. Keep it light and fun, but memorable for your guests. They will be inclined to stay in business with you because you cared enough to connect and open your home during the holidays. That’s the human touch we all appreciate.en, and tinsel are no longer de rigueur. Think about how department stores decorate. Real (or plastic) fruit in bowls, candles, topiaries, shrubbery, flowers, and classic Christmas decorations can be combined to create a beautiful setting. Hook up your iPod to speakers and play holiday music and winter-themed songs.

Holiday entertaining does not have to be tense and stressful. The key to business entertaining at home is to keep it simple and low-key. Keep it light and fun, but memorable for your guests. They will be inclined to stay in business with you because you cared enough to connect and open your home during the holidays. That’s the human touch we all appreciate.