Hosting a party can bring about a great deal of stress. You may find this true for any kind of party, but it seems to be particularly true for a party thrown around the holidays. For some reason, the holidays are a time when parties aspire to be a little grander; they need to have tastier food, more elegant alcohol, and those who are hosting it need to wear red and call each other by names like "Dearest."

While a holiday party is something you will likely want to throw well (hoping to impress your friends, your relatives, and your next door neighbor whose front lawn animatronics nativity scene makes your decorations look inferior), you will also want to save some room on your credit cards for all your holiday shopping.

This may seem to pose a bit of a problem, as if you are forced to make the choice of throwing a great party or buying presents for your children, children who — as they contact social services and attempt to get on Oprah — probably won't be too forgiving if the holiday season finds you empty handed.

Throwing a great party doesn't have to drain your bank account. There are ways to have a party that is both festive and frugal. Because alcohol is generally one of the priciest party expenses, buying wisely is the first step in throwing a party that will leave both your social circle and your children still talking to you.

Have a Variety
Some people are under the impression that hosting a party involves purchasing the most expensive wine they can find, wine that would impress even the most seasoned connoisseur. However, when it comes down to it, the price of wine is not nearly as important as the variety.

Holiday parties typically consist of a large spread of food. From the pâté to the cheese balls, the months of November and December are like a giant buffet. Because of this, it's important to cover your bases and purchase wine that is adaptable, wine that all types of food consider easy to get along with. The simplest way to do this is to cover all your bases by purchasing both red wine and white wine.

For red wine, Merlots, Shiraz, and Cabernets are all good choices, with white wine's best bet being Chardonnay, though a nice Alsatian Riesling is also a great choice. While there are certain vintages that are expensive, it's relatively easy to find bottles that aren't extremely high priced. With some searching, or asking the clerk at the local liquor store for help, you can buy red and white wines that won't take away your ability to go holiday shopping, leaving you, ultimately, to holiday shoplift instead.

Serve White Zinfandel
When choosing a wine to serve at a party, White Zinfandel is an extremely popular choice. This is simply because people drink it up. A chilled beverage, White Zinfandel is light, sweet, and low in alcohol content, which makes it a popular choice for folks who are driving. One of the least inexpensive, with many bottles costing around five dollars, White Zinfandel is a preferred choice of many party hosts everywhere.