IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SAN MIGUEL FLAVORED BEER

We’re tired. We’re tired of going to half-assed parties. We’re fine with the last-minute informal invite—this isn’t a wedding—but we don’t have the time for parties that make us feel awkward. This isn’t going to be part of our IG stories.

So we sought out to do something by making a guide of what every chill house party needs. This guide isn’t just for the holidays, no, but it is the season for holiday parties. You might have forgotten your mistakes from last year’s parties, but this year…this year you’re going to make it right. And the first step is to make sure you’re stocked with the things that every party needs.

Here is a very short definitive list of the essentials when it comes to holiday parties, based on our experience:

Ice Service

It’s really just ice, but let’s call it something fancy because it is the most important thing you need when you’re throwing a party. You want your friends to stay, and committing the sin of having warm beer is just like committing the sin of having no drinks at all. Do not throw a party if you don’t have any ice coz nothing beats fresh, iced cold beer drank straight from the bottle. Either get an ice chest and fill it with bags of ice from your local store, or do it Filipino style and prepare the bags yourself and leave it in your freezer. Gauge how much ice you need based on previous experience and have it ready and available throughout the party.

Decent speakers + A playlist

Whether it’s ‘80s jams for your titas to jam to or top 40 hits for your pre-teen siblings, you NEED a playlist. Make your own if you trust your own taste, check streaming channels, or ask your music savvy friends. Make sure the tempo matches the atmosphere you want to create for your party, but generally you don’t want to put people to sleep, and you don’t want to play anything that’s going to overpower the situation. If you can’t hear yourself over the music, it’s probably too upbeat—unless you want that. And it goes without saying that you need a decent sound system for everyone to hear these jams properly. Don’t be the party that plays things off your laptop–or worse, your phone.

SOME FOOD

Party chow isn’t really that tricky. They should already have had some dinner. Have some chips and crackers on the ready for snacking. If you’re so inclined to have whatever’s in the fridge up for grabs throughout the party, then so be it. What’s important is that you have something people can have aside from alcohol.

Good beer

“Good” beer is subjective, of course. While having a variety of options are available, it’s best to appeal to the common denominator for everyone–literally everyone of legal drinking age—attending the party, it’s best to be copious amounts of something everyone would like to drink. Just like music, the drinks should follow the vibe of the party. Looking for something the whole Barkada would enjoy? Get San Miguel Flavored Beer. Ideal for socializing. Serve cold (thanks to #1).

Cleanup!

The very last thing you would want to happen after a party is to not have the proper tools needed to clean the mess you’ve made. This isn’t a rager; some friends who’ve stayed until the very end might want to help out. Paper towels, disinfectant spray, and trash bags are the bare essentials of what you need.