With the festive season fast approaching, many of us will be making arrangements to travel abroad or visit our families over the Christmas period – but, before we jet off to be with our loved-ones, Christmas is also a time where we get to catch up with friends, and exchange presents and good wishes at a pre-Christmas party.

If you’re putting together your own Christmas party occasion for friends, then one thing you’ll want to get right are your invites. People’s time, especially at this time of year, is valuable to say the least – and dodgy-looking party invitations won’t do your attendance levels any favors.

Here are some basic do’s and don’ts when it comes to designing your party invitations:

Do… incorporate your own theme

Think of an interesting signature theme for your party – be it Christmas-themed fancy dress, Christmas jumpers only, or a Secret Santa – and be sure work this into your invitation. A unique theme will work as a great ice-breaker for your guests and give a memorable edge to your party, and make your invitation more interesting.

Don’t… use a cliché image

Just running with a picture of a reindeer or a holly branch on your invite is a definite no-no. Although images like these are great for getting people in the Christmas mood, there’s a good chance your party invitation will get lost in the shuffle if it looks like every other invitation or Christmas card out there! Take some time to think about your design, and be different.

Do… write your message with care

Just like your image, you want your written message to be punchy and interesting – try not to be too formal, and be humorous.

Don’t… forget to ask people to RSVP

It’s important to have a good idea of how many people are coming so you can get supplies and drinks together in advance. So, ensure your guests RSVP, and make it easy for them. You might even enclose a self-addressed postcard with a tick-box.

Do… use quality materials

To best accentuate the efforts you’ve put into your design, make sure to use quality card and colour ink cartridges when printing your invite. If you’re using a photo as part of your design, be certain that your equipment can cope with the resolution, or else you might end up with pixelated images.

Don’t… get your guests’ details wrong

It’s easy when compiling invitations en masse to get names mixed up or put someone’s invitation in the wrong envelope. Before you send them out, check you’ve got the right details for all your invitees, and take care not to mix up names and addresses.

 Adam works for Cartridge Monkey, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of Canon Ink Cartridges.