Favorite Holiday Party Ideas

Need holiday party ideas? The holiday season is a fun time to throw a party because of the holiday cheer in the air and all the cute décor and themes you can incorporate. Hosting a gathering is also helpful for guests to slow down and step away from the hectic schedule this season.

Here are some of my favorite holiday party ideas that can be combined into one party or be the sole focus of your party.

Cookie Exchange/Contest

Ask guests to bring a dozen or two of their favorite homemade recipes and swap away! Have festive bags, tins, or Tupperware ready to fill. Feeling competitive? Make it a cookie contest with a secret vote. See our cookie party here.

Cookie Decorating

Bake sugar cookies (gingerbread people, Christmas trees, and stockings would be fun shapes) and prepare (or ask guests to bring) colorful toppings and frosting to decorate the cookies.

Movie Night + Themed Foods

There are plenty of great Christmas movies to choose from and My personal favorite would be Elf. You could pair the movie with the themed food of spaghetti for dinner (maple syrup optional) and plenty of candy canes. Or how about watching Die Hard and making some yippee-ki-yay burgers?

Gift Exchange

Whether it includes gifts people would find useful or crazy and funny White Elephant gifts, a gift exchange is an entertaining element to add to a party. Be sure to set a dollar amount. For example, ask guests to spend up to $20. You could even ask for themed gifts and each person could bring an ornament, book, piece of jewelry, or pair of socks.

A spin on this is the Favorite Things tradition. Set a budget for each gift, $5-20. Every person brings three of their gift. There are two ways to pick the gifts:

• Guests wrap their gifts before arriving. Everyone puts their name in a hat three times. The names you draw are the gifts you’re taking home.
• Don’t wrap the gifts. Set all the gifts out and have guests choose their favorite three.

Gingerbread House Decorating

Similar to a cookie decorating party, this edible DIY will possibly result in the cutest gingerbread village ever. Have everyone bring a kit from the store (for the ease of building) or go old school and buy a bunch of graham crackers, frosting, and colorful candy.

Give Back

Get your friends together and give back this season. Try volunteering at your local food pantry, buying gifts for a child at the Angel Tree at the mall, caroling at your local nursing home, or writing cards for people in the hospital. See more ways to give back here.

Craft Party

Pinterest is your best friend when it comes to holiday and Christmas craft ideas. Plus, crafting can double as gift-making! Try making ornaments or snow globes. See my holiday craft party here where we made cookie mixes to gift.

Potluck

Get into the holiday spirit with festive food. Ask guests to make and bring their favorite appetizer. Don’t forget a bottle of wine or other favorite beverage.

Fondue Party

Warm up this season with a traditional Asian hot pot dinner with a savory broth or try a cheese or chocolate fondue.

Hot Chocolate Bar

Baby, it’s cold outside! Treat your guests with a hot chocolate bar complete with toppings like marshmallows, cinnamon sticks, peppermint sticks, Irish cream, and several kinds of chocolate.

Holiday Sweater Party

Another fun party element is the infamous holiday sweater. Head to your local thrift store early for the best selection! Want to make the party extra easy? Have everyone meet up at your favorite restaurant for brunch or go ice skating.

Have a happy holiday season!

What’s your favorite holiday party idea I haven’t mentioned here OR which one of these ideas will you do?

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