Christmas is right around the corner, so it's time to start planning your holiday party! From themes to party favors, this guide is here to help you visualize, plan, and execute an unforgettable holiday party!
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Christmas Party Themes
Add a little something extra to your holiday party by choosing a specific theme. Themes allow your guests to tap into their creative sides. It also creates conversation starters and encourages socialization, which leads to an all-around good time.
Ugly Sweater Christmas Party
A pretty common Christmas party theme, the Ugly Sweater Christmas Party is still fun nonetheless. It's always hilarious to see how creative people get with their sweaters. Some people will keep it simple with an ugly wool knit, whereas others will take it up a notch and add literal bells and whistles. With an Ugly Sweater Christmas Party, you can even turn it into a contest of sorts. For example, the ugliest sweater wins a gift card!
Santa's Workshop Christmas Party
A more generic idea, a Santa's Workshop Christmas Party theme encourages everyone to dress up in Christmas-themed garb. You can dress as Santa, Mrs. Claus, elves, or even the reindeer! But it doesn't end there! You can dress up as a present, a candy cane, an angel, or anything else you can think of, as long as it's relevant to Santa's Workshop or the North Pole!
Masquerade Christmas Party
For a fancier, formal Christmas party, consider a Christmas-themed masquerade party. Encourage guests to wear Christmas-themed masks and dress in their most beautiful dresses and tuxedos. Just be sure to encourage them to wear Christmas colors, like red, green, and of course, silver and gold!
Christmas Party Decorating Ideas
Your outdoor lights and your Christmas tree are usually at the forefront of your holiday decor. If that's all you choose to work with this year, then make sure they're both breathtaking. Otherwise, you'll want to implement some other decorative items.
Since you want to host an unforgettable Christmas party, you want your decorations to wow your guests. From tableware to your mistletoe, everything should be "merry and bright." This doesn't, however, mean that you have to spend a fortune, nor does it mean you'll be doing dishes for years to come!
As a matter of fact, many party supply stores carry disposable Christmas tableware that pulls your theme together while reducing the mess. You can find napkins, plastic glassware (including wine glasses), saucers, plates, and bowls at your local dollar store.
Also, finding inspiration for centerpieces is as easy as logging onto Pinterest.
If you want something quick and easy, check out the brief tutorial below.
Glittery Christmas Tree Table Decorations
- Take several empty paper towel rolls and cut along the side so that they can be rolled flat.
- Roll one out and then roll it back up so that the end comes to a point (a cone shape). Secure with tape.
- Cut off the bottom end straight so that it can stand on its own.
- Paint the cone white and allow to dry.
- Brush a layer of Mod Podge on the bottom of the cone. Dip into loose glitter and shake off the excess.
- Secure the glitter with a top layer of Mod Podge and allow to dry. Repeat with the remaining rolls.
- Place on your tabletop.
Here are some of my favorite easy DIY Christmas decorations:
- DIY Christmas Ornament Lantern
- DIY Snowflake Decorations
- Popsicle Stick Snowflake Wall Decor
- Snowman Front Door Decor
- Easy Candy Cane Centerpiece
One of the easiest ways to decorate without doing too much is to hang lighted garland around doorways. In combination with pine-scented wax melts or candles, it creates a warm, cozy, Christmas-y environment that helps get people into the holiday spirit. Other ideas include nutcrackers, tinsel, and of course, a strategically placed mistletoe.
Christmas Party Food Ideas
While many of us enjoy putting together a feast for our friends and loved ones, some of us prefer a more laid-back kind of holiday meal. Fortunately, when it comes to food for the holidays, the options are virtually endless. Whether you're creating a meal fit for a king or just sticking to appetizers, you can still ensure that your guests are well fed.
A typical Christmas meal usually consists of meat, such as turkey, ham, or goose, and sides such as pasta, potatoes, vegetables, cranberry sauce, and so on. Eggnog and wine are common drinks, as well as hot chocolate. It could be completely different for your family; it really depends on culture and traditions.
If you'd rather do less work and skip the big meal this Christmas, there are many of appetizers that will still have your guests licking their lips. Cookies, cheese ball, dips, veggie trays, roasted nuts, and meatballs are easy, delicious options that don't require too much effort or time.
Christmas Party Games
Pass the Present
"Pass The Present" requires a bit of preparation. You can choose to purchase the presents yourself, or you can request that each guest bring a generic present to add to the "pot." Presents should be gender-neutral and can be used by nearly anyone. Gift cards, candy, and things of the sort are encouraged.
To play, you'll need at least five players and one person to control the music.
Everyone who is playing will gather in a circle. The person controlling the music should be facing away from the group. He will choose a present from the "pot." The present is then passed to one of the players. The "music person" will then start the music. As the music plays, the present is to be passed around the room. When the "music person" stops the music, whoever is holding the present gets to keep what's inside.
Note: It's usually best to have the person who brought the gift that's being passed around be the "music person." This prevents them from winning their own gift. You can switch people as needed.
Gingerbread House Contest
For this game, you'll need several gingerbread house kits. Alternatively
In this game, you'll need several gingerbread house kits—or you can create your own gingerbread house from scratch! You can follow a basic gingerbread recipe and use gingerbread house molds to make all of the pieces you need. There are also gingerbread house cookie cutters if you prefer that method over molds.
Then, all you'll need is a station complete with frosting, candies, gumdrops, and peppermints to decorate your very own gingerbread houses.
To play, everyone has a "kit" (or all the pieces they need to create a house) and a specific amount of time to put a house together. Between ten and fifteen minutes is usually a sufficient amount of time. At the end, you'll have a separate person or group judge the houses and the winner receives a small gift.
Other Christmas game ideas include "Guess That Movie" where you use quotes from famous Christmas movies. The same can be done for song lyrics in a game called, "Guess The Carol."
Christmas Party Activities
Ornament Making Station
You can purchase dozens of clear ornaments for cheap at your local dollar store. Alternatively, you can create salt dough ornaments ahead of time and just allow children decorate those.
Set up a station with the clear ornaments or salt-dough and fill it with paint, glitter, glue, and other decorative items. Create an area for the children to place the ornaments while they dry, and maybe even have paper bags that they can decorate and put them in to give away as gifts to loved ones.
Christmas Cookie Decorating Station
Similar to the gingerbread station, you can set up an area with premade cookies for children to decorate. Fill the area with plain cookies, frosting, sprinkles, and more.
Christmas Coloring Station
For younger children, a coloring station is always a great place for them to show off their creative side. Find Christmas printable coloring pages and set up a station with markers, crayons, and colored pencils.
DIY Secret Santa Shop
Head to your local $1 store and pick up $30 worth of little knick-knacks to create your own "Secret Santa Shop" where the children can "shop" for their parents and friends. Everything in the gift shop will be free, so be sure to place more than one of each item so that children do not fight over them. This is a fun way to let your children be involved in the gift giving.
Christmas Party Party Favors
'Tis the season of giving, so why not give your guests party favors to remember the most epic Christmas party of the year?Small Candles
You can purchase small candles for as low as $8 each online. Tie ribbon around the top, attach a candy cane, and you have an easy, desirable party favor!
Mini Christmas Ornaments
Another easy, inexpensive Christmas party favor are ornaments. You can customize ornaments or just buy a standard ornament and write the date of your Christmas party on the back. That way, it will be remembered for years to come.
Having an unforgettable Christmas party is more than just decorations, food, and games. In fact, the most important thing about these parties is coming together with friends and loved ones and creating memories that will last a life time.
I hope that this year, you have the chance to be with the ones that you hold near and dear to your heart. May your Christmas be merry and your New Year be full of beautiful beginnings!
Happy Holidays!
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