The best dates, deals and places get booked up quickly so you need to act fast

Get your Christmas off to a cracking start by planning your party nights out well in advance. The same goes for your Christmas lunches too! Argyll and Bute schools close for Christmas on Friday December 20 and you will not be popular if you book a Christmas lunch or after work drinks party on that day. This is why getting organised as soon as possible is so important. In the run up to Christmas people’s diaries start to fill up very quickly; the best bet is to use the party for work as an event which opens, rather than closes the party season.

So it is a good idea to have a couple of alternative dates to send round in an email or pin up on the notice board. There are lots of school concerts and parties to factor in; Argyll is a very sociable place.

Another idea which is becoming very popular is ‘layering’ your party, be it for work, a club or a large gathering of friends. Plan to meet for drinks after work or early in the evening and then go on for a meal with drinks afterwards. That way people with other commitments that night can come to one or all of the night’s fun as and when suits them.

This is also a great way to include everyone. Mums and dads can go for the first part of the evening, or go home from work and return later. This layered approach also helps people who live out of town, or those who might be on a tight budget and would prefer not to go out for the whole evening. Remember that a Christmas party can also include a trip to the cinema or a concert or dance – and there are plenty on offer this Christmas.