Even Kim Kardashian sticks to a budget when it comes to party planning — unlike her husband, Kanye West, whom she reportedly forced to scale back the family’s Christmas Eve bash.
Sunday’s episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians documented the party, which Kardashian and West hosted for the first time last year after Kris Jenner passed the baton to them. The star-studded party, which transformed their $60 million compound into a winter wonderland, is estimated to have cost about $1.3 million — after Kardashian made some budget cuts.
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“The Christmas Eve party, I mentioned it to Kanye so of course he came up with these wild ideas,” Kardashian said during Sunday’s episode. “It’s definitely over the top.”
When she found out West had gone “over the budget,” she stepped in. “I really need you to not be upset, but this is so inappropriate that it’s so much money for a party for one night,” Kardashian, 38, told West, 42, over the phone. “Finances stress me out more than anything in life, so just know that. … The Christmas party is going to change. For one night, for a few hours, and I want to kick everyone out? We can’t do this. We have to cut so much of that.”
“First of all, we can’t put snow in the street … and we do not need an ice skating rink,” she continued. “I don’t want to ruin our whole landscaping. I literally will cancel the whole party.”
She also struggled with a tricky situation as to whether or not to invite Caitlyn Jenner, who mom Kris Jenner and the Kardashians have been mostly estranged from since her transition. The 69-year-old is still close with daughters Kendall and Kylie Jenner, but a rift was caused with the rest of the family following the publication of her memoir.
“After Caitlyn transitioned it was really hard on my mom,” Kardashian said in Sunday’s episode. “They had a big falling out over the way that Caitlyn handled her story about my mom in her book. I just felt like that was so unfair so I completely understand how my mom feels and I’ve always backed my mom and supported my mom. But at the same time, it’s Kendall and Kylie’s dad.”
Although Kris gave the green light for Caitlyn to receive an invite, Khloe Kardashian wasn’t happy and confronted Kim, who admitted she may have made a mistake.
“I just never should have invited her. I thought I was doing the right thing,” she said. “I just wanted the peace.”
“But what about Mom’s peace? Who wants Mom’s peace?” Khloé, 34, said. “Because that’s what matters. Do we care about Caitlyn’s peace? When she’s never cared about ours? … We don’t want our Mom to be uncomfortable at her own party. And yes, it is Mom’s party. She created it. I just don’t know why anyone would want to put their mom through that. I think it just sucks.”
“It sucks. I made a big f—ing mistake, so what do I do?” Kim said. “Do I disinvite Caitlyn?”
“This is what’s going to happen,” Khloé said. “Just say, ‘Hey Cait, I’m so sorry but I jumped the gun. I don’t want my mom uncomfortable at her own party. I hope you can understand. There’s no hard feelings.’ Make it super nice and be there for Mom, too, when we expect her to be there for us.”
Ultimately, however, Kris advised her daughters to let the situation be.
“I would never do that to Kendall and Kylie, just like I would never do it to you,” she said. “I promise you, I’m fine. Just let it go. Vodka is my friend.”
Kim quickly learned from the experience that party planning isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. “This is not how I thought it would be, taking over this party,” she confessed. “I wanted everyone to have fun, I wanted it to be a good time, but between Khloé mad at me, Kanye mad at me — like, everyone’s mad at me and it’s just not worth the stress.”
But in the end, she and West “were able to make some changes,” which included getting rid of the ice skating rink.
“I had to let go and just say, ‘Alright, this is at your house, this is how you want it,’” she said, adding that the party was a smash hit.
“I was so drunk. And I never get drunk!” she admitted. “It was on. Everyone was drunk. I think Khloé stayed dancing all night long. … It was honestly the best night.”
“It’s just so much fun that we have the best mix of family, friends,” she said. “I completely respect and have a newfound appreciation for all of the parties that my mom has thrown us over the years. There’s so much work into this.”
