Christmas Party Ideas  

Christmas is the ultimate time for get-togethers!

Whether you are hosting a Christmas party for friends, family, co-workers or neighbours, it is the ultimate time to show off your hosting skills! Christmas parties are a cinch because they have an inherent theme to them – the holidays. But, if you’re feeling adventurous, why not add a twist on the traditional theme?   

A Christmas Masquerade 

Hosting a mysterious holiday masquerade party is a fantastic way to add an element of mystique to your evening! Invite guests well in advance and include “semi formal masquerade” on your invitations. Let them know about local shops that sell masks, or point them in the right direction with a few website suggestions. It is a good idea to have a bowl of simple masks by the door in case anyone shows up sans-mask. Helium balloons, mistletoe, and dark lighting will add to your evening!  

A Holiday Dress Up Party 

Love Halloween? Throw a costume party to get everyone really in the spirit! Just like if you’re throwing a masquerade, you’ll want to let guests know well before the party so they can get their costumes together. If you’re hosting, consider dressing up as Santa and Mrs. Claus! Have your camera ready to take lots of photos as you greet everyone from the three wise men to Frosty the Snowman! Careful- people tend to have more fun when they are in costume! 

A Family Festivity 

Christmas parties aren’t limited to adults-only soirées! Why not host a family-friendly neighbourhood event? Choose a Saturday or Sunday afternoon in the weeks leading up to Christmas, and plan a fun outdoor activity that everyone can do together, such as tobogganing. Once everyone has come in from the cold, serve hot chocolate, coffee, and cake.  If someone in your group knows how to play piano, bring back childhood memories – and make new ones – by singing some holiday carols.  

Christmas in Jamaica! 

Wishing for warmer weather? Throwing a Caribbean themed holiday party will put your guests in the mood to party! Tell people to come clad in their favourite bikini tops and Hawaiian print shirts, and greet your guests at the door with a dab of zinc for their noses and a lei around their necks! For this theme, it’s all about the music – create a playlist of reggae themed Christmas music and make sure there is room to dance!  Serve coronas with a twist of lime and Caribbean cocktails.  

Retro Cocktail Night 

Host a swingin’ 50s style cocktail party to get your friends into the classic Christmas spirit.  The key here is to serve lots of traditional appetizers, such as devilled eggs with the yolks dyed red and green, and a pineapple adorned ham. With lots of big band music and traditional cocktail dresses, you’ll be the swankiest joint in town! 

Merry Whatever!

If your circle of guests includes people from different religious and cultural backgrounds, consider hosting a “Merry Whatever” party!  Combine elements of Kwanza, Christmas, Hanukah, and cultural elements from all over the world to create a worldwide cultural experience! Include a trivia game to get guests in the spirit. Play lots of music from all over the world and serve cultural dishes – you can even ask guests to bring something from their own background! 

No Theme Can Be a Good Theme! 

If you’re not into hosting a themed event, just throw a good ol’ fashioned kitchen party! Have guests bring appetizers, gather around the Christmas tree, and bask in the glow of the season. Adding a few games always adds to the evening. Have everyone bring a gift (setting a price limit is a good idea) to put under the tree; then be sure they take one home, too!  Or, stick the name of a Christmas character on everyone’s back when they arrive – they need to figure out who they are by asking questions to the other guests.  This is a great way to get guests mingling.  

Hosting a Christmas party is the ultimate gift to your loved ones. Give yourself lots of time to prepare in the days leading up to your event, and don’t be afraid to ask friends to pitch in! When will you need the most help? Probably the day after – “A friend will ask if she can help before the party – a best friend will be there cleaning up after the party!”

Games to play with Christmas Gifts

If you're  having a family get together during the holiday season, after Christmas Day, then playing the "unwanted present game" can be a fun time as well as recycling gifts successfully.

Everyone brings a wrapped present, one that they received but don't really want.  Numbers are put in a hat, from one through to the number of people in the room, and everyone draws a number.

Starting with number one, a present is chosen and opened.  If the person likes the gift, they keep it and the next person choose their gift.

If, however, they would like a gift that's already been opened by someone in the room, they can take that present and then that person gets to open a new gift.

This game can really be a riot - with no-one secure in keeping their treasure until all the parcels are opened!

Festive Ideas for Kids

Here's some ideas if you're organising a children's party whether for your
class group, church kids or family and friends this festive season:-

Christmas Party Invitations For Children

Have you run out of cool ideas for Christmas party invitations your child can
send to his/her friends?  Here are some fresh ideas you and your child might
enjoy.

Christmas Party Invitation In A Bottle

Materials: one small, plastic water bottle for each invitation, holiday stickers,
one first class stamp for each bottle, plain white labels, return address labels,
confetti (Xmas themed), red paper, felt pens, one wrapped, candy stick per
bottle, small plastic items related to Xmas that are small enough to fit through
the neck of the bottle.

Wash the bottles and let them dry.  Create your party invitation on the red
paper or on a computer.  It should be no wider than the bottle is tall.  Fill the
bottle 1/3 full of Xmas confetti.  Put in several plastic Xmas items if you have
them.  
Wrap your invitation around the candy stick and slip them into the bottle.  Put
on the bottle top.  Put a stamp on the bottle.  Put your return address label
on it.  Write your guest’s name and address on a white label and stick it on
the bottle.  
Put on a few Xmas stickers.  When the bottle moves, the confetti and plastic
items will swirl around; they’re supposed to.  The bottles may be sent through
the regular mail to your guests.

Christmas Party Invitation From A Grocery Bag

Materials:  brown, grocery bags (one per invitation), pencil, scissors, pinking
shears, hole punch, fat, red yarn, old holiday cards or pictures cut from
magazines, glue, crayons or poster paints, black felt pen, pencil, white paper,
computer (optional), party favors (see instructions for suggestions).

These invitations are hand-deliverable only, because of their size.  Acquire
one brown, paper grocery bag for each invitation.   The bag is going to be a
Christmas stocking -shaped.  Draw a stocking shape on the bag (the adult
should probably do this).  

Use pinking shears to cut out the stocking, giving it a scalloped edge.  You
will have two pieces.  Use a hole punch and punch holes all around the
stocking, except for the top.  The holes should be two inches apart, about 1”
from the edges.  

Using fat, red yarn, “sew” the two pieces together, weaving in and out of the
holes.  Tie the thread at the beginning and end.  Decorate the bag with
holiday pictures from old Christmas cards or magazines or draw snowmen,
bells, stars, trees, presents, etc. with crayons or paint.  

Put the guest’s name on the “stocking” with the felt pen.  Inside the “stocking”
put your invitation, written on paper or created on your computer.  Also put in
a couple of party favors such as:  crayons, a holiday cookie (wrapped in
plastic), a lollipop, your picture, or a favor from a party store (plastic ring,
etc.).  
Be sure your favors can’t fall out.  

Useful Resources

More office party ideas -