Welcome to our selection of the top 49 very best Christmas party ideas. If you are looking for inspiration for a theme for your Xmas party this festive holiday season you may well find the perfect idea here.
49 Best Christmas Party Ideas and Themes for the Holiday Season
Let us waste no time in looking at our selection of the 49 best Christmas party ideas that could make your festive holiday party the best ever.
1 – Invite a Surprise Santa
It can hardly be a surprise that the number one idea out of our 49 best Christmas party ideas is based around good old Santa Claus.
Excite the little ones at your gathering by turning a casual party into an unforgettable experience with a surprise visit from Santa! Enlist someone to don the iconic red suit, distribute charming stocking stuffers, and engage in heartwarming conversations about Christmas wishes. Capture the joy with your camera for lasting memories.
2 – Host a Game Night
Transform your space into a haven of laughter and camaraderie with a delightful game night. From Christmas trivia to classic card games and beloved board games from your childhood, create an atmosphere of relaxed fun. Elevate the experience with a selection of snacks and drinks for a truly enjoyable time.
3 – Go Caroling
Bring your friends and family together for a joyful neighborhood caroling escapade. Spread festive cheer through the streets, and afterward, return to your home for a sophisticated cocktail party or a delightful dinner to unwind and savor the holiday spirit.
4 – Make Cookie Plates for Santa
Encourage the younger ones to express their creativity by crafting personalized cookie plates for Santa. Whether they choose to decorate the plates as a craft project or assemble ready-made treats, the joy will be palpable. Assist them in composing heartfelt letters to the jolly old man, adding an extra touch of holiday magic!
5 – Host a Retro Christmas Party
Experience the enchantment of bygone Christmas traditions with a retro-themed celebration. Delight in classics like Jell-O desserts, adorned with vintage ornaments and bottlebrush trees that bring a nostalgic and joyful ambiance to your festive gathering.
6 – Host a Make-Your-Own-Wreath Party
Engage your guests in a creative endeavor by hosting a Make-Your-Own-Wreath Party. Provide materials for crafting stunning DIY wreaths, perfect for adorning doors or mantels. This hands-on activity not only adds a personal touch to your decor but also offers a thoughtful item that guests can take home or regift.
7 – Write Your Christmas Cards
Express your holiday sentiments in a meaningful way by setting up a holiday card crafting station. Gather everything needed to create beautiful Christmas cards, making it an enjoyable activity for both kids and adults. Unsure of what to write? Explore our collection of Christmas card messages for heartfelt inspiration.
8 – Enjoy a Mulled Wine Tasting
No celebration is complete without a comforting and sweet beverage. Mulled wine embodies the festive spirit with its blend of classic holiday flavors, including allspice berries, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and fresh ginger slices. Consider gifting each guest the spices and the recipe, allowing them to recreate the warm and delightful experience at home!
9 – Host a Secret Santa
Gather your closest friends and secretly assign everyone a person to buy a gift for. Then, host them at your home for a surprising gift exchange! Set a price limit, so there are some parameters.
10 – Make Your Own SantaCon
Create a festive SantaCon right at home, inspired by the iconic event in New York where participants don various Santa costumes. Host a hyperlocal SantaCon gathering for a unique and spirited celebration.
11 – Enjoy a Christmas Brunch
Indulge in the joy of a Christmas brunch, whether you opt for a grand feast on Christmas Day or host a pre-Christmas weekend gathering. Bring your loved ones together for the most delightful meal, featuring Ree’s tempting dishes such as her eggs Benedict strata or her renowned cinnamon rolls.
12 – Host a Gift Wrapping Party
Transform the annual task of gift wrapping into an enjoyable event by hosting a party. Invite friends over and provide a variety of wrapping paper, gift tags, bows, and ribbons. Turn it into a festive affair, complete with a glass or two of bubbly, making the process as enjoyable as the presents themselves!
13 – Have a Bonfire
Embrace the winter chill with a delightful bonfire when the weather outside is less than delightful. Cozy up with friends, whip up batches of hot chocolate, and enjoy the warmth of a crackling fire.
14 – Make Delicious Appetizers
Elevate your holiday festivities by hosting a cocktail party featuring delectable Christmas appetizers and holiday cocktails. Set the mood with a jazzy Christmas soundtrack and the Yule Log channel on your TV, creating a festive ambiance for your guests.
15 – Decorate Your Tree
Gather your friends and family for a festive night of decking the halls with Christmas tree decorations. Express your gratitude with small bites and Christmas cocktails as you work together to untangle those string lights in no time.
16 – Throw a Christmas Tea Party
If your taste leans towards Christmas elegance, then this theme is perfect for you! Extend invitations to your dear ones for a sophisticated afternoon tea party brimming with seasonal teas, Christmas snacks, and holiday desserts.
17 – Host a Christmas Themed Mystery Dinner
The allure of mysterious events isn’t confined to Halloween. Organize a Christmas-themed murder mystery dinner using entertaining game kits inspired by office holiday parties and ugly Christmas sweaters.
18 – Throw an Après Ski Party
Experience après ski-themed festivities without hitting the slopes. Adorn your space with faux fur blankets, plaid pillows, and rustic accents, urging your guests to don their favorite cozy staples. Serve up mulled cider, bourbon hot chocolate, and other winter cocktails for a warm and inviting atmosphere.
19 – Make Your Own Ornaments
Elevate your Christmas crafting with a themed party by setting up a DIY ornament station enjoyable for both kids and adults. Opt for a specific design, such as the wood slice ornament from Lemon & Thistle, or let creativity flow by providing supplies for a personalized touch.
20 – Serve a Traditional Christmas Dinner
Elevate your Christmas feast this year with an impressive main course, such as the classic Beef Wellington, turning your gathering into an elegant affair. Encourage guests to dress up, adding a touch of sophistication to the celebration.
21 – Play a White Elephant Game
No Christmas party is complete without presents! Inject fun into the festivities by generating creative white elephant gift ideas that will have your friends and family laughing heartily. Uncertain about the rules? Each guest brings a gift placed in a pile, and as the game unfolds, participants choose whether to steal a present or select a new one from the pile based on their assigned number.
22 – Party Like It’s Christmas in July
If you find yourself yearning for the warmth of summer and beach vibes, throw a unique reverse Christmas in July party. Surprise your friends with this unconventional idea and encourage them to wear vibrant and tropical attire for a lively and spirited celebration.
23 – Collect Toys to Donate
Spread the holiday spirit of giving by inviting each guest to contribute a gift for donation. Whether it’s for a local church or shelter’s toy drive or a well-known organization like Toys for Tots, this simple gesture allows everyone to give back during the festive season.
24 – DIY Christmas Crafts
Bring together your artistic companions for an afternoon of unleashing your creative energy! Collaborate on crafting one or two Christmas-themed projects, like these DIY Christmas goodie bags featured on the blog Home Made by Carmona.
25 – Dress Up Your Pets
Engage your furry companions in the festive spirit by adorning your dogs with Christmas attire for a memorable holiday paw-ty!
26 – Set Up a Hot Chocolate Bar
Elevate your hot chocolate experience by offering a lavish array of toppings to your guests. Mini marshmallows, hot fudge, and festive syrups like peppermint will transform each cup of cocoa into a delicious and indulgent treat.
27 – Make a Wintery Punch
Capture the essence of the season with a holiday punch featuring seasonal flavors. Consider trying a party-ready winter sangria that’s effortlessly delightful.
28 – Create a Gorgeous Cheese Board
Enhance your Christmas gathering with an Instagram-worthy cheese board that’s almost too beautiful to devour. Elevate the visual and gastronomic appeal of your party with this delightful addition.
29 – Write Letters to Santa
If you’re hosting a Christmas party for multiple families, bring the children together to compose letters to Santa as a group activity. Provide them with adorable stickers and crayons to embellish their letters once they’ve finished.
30 – Enforce a Pajama Dress Code
Make your gathering memorable by implementing a pajama dress code for attendees of all ages. Transform your event into the coziest party ever with everyone donning their favorite Christmas pajamas. Complement the relaxed atmosphere with hot chocolate and an array of sweets.
31 – Wow Guests With a Chocolate Fountain
Elevate your dessert game by investing in a chocolate fountain or fondue pot – a decision that might just be the highlight of your hosting endeavors. Guests will sing your praises when you unveil this delectable treat.
32 – Have a Cookie Decorating Contest
Organize a lively competition by providing various cookie shapes and decorative items. Witness the creativity flow as participants showcase their most artistic Christmas cookie decorating ideas. It’s a festive and engaging activity, like decorating these adorable cowboy boots!
33 – Host a Movie Marathon
Prior to the event, have guests submit their favorite holiday films for a night of festive viewing. Alternatively, create a background ambiance with a loop of the best Christmas movies playing at the party, allowing attendees the option to sit back and enjoy the cinematic cheer.
34 – Make a Signature Cocktail
Delight your guests with a personalized alcoholic concoction by crafting a signature cocktail for the evening. If you’re in need of inspiration, consider giving this flavorful muddled raspberry vodka drink a try.
35 – Make DIY Hot Chocolate Mixes
Allow your guests to create their own personalized hot chocolate mix to take home as a charming favor. Simply set up a table with various mixes and toppings, and let them unleash their creativity.
36 – Sing Christmas Karaoke
Nothing gets guest to love a party like a good old fashioned sing song. This is jus tone reason why this is possibly one of the best Christmas party ideas ever. Celebrate the holiday with a lively session (or two) of karaoke, featuring a repertoire of classic Christmas carols and contemporary hits.
37 – Have an Ornament Swap
Infuse the Christmas spirit into your gathering with an ornament swap instead of the traditional white elephant game. Apply similar rules, but this time, each participant goes home with a delightful ornament.
38 – Throw an Ugly Christmas Sweater Party
Embrace the joy of an Ugly Christmas Sweater Party, where friends gather to showcase the most outrageously festive outfits. It’s a timeless and entertaining tradition that never loses its charm.
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39 – Decorate Gingerbread Houses
Encourage kids to showcase their creative flair by setting up gingerbread house kits. Consider having an anonymous vote to determine whose gingerbread house reigns supreme in creativity and design.
40 – Play Minute to Win It Games
Infuse laughter into your party by organizing entertaining Minute to Win It games. From classics like “pin the nose on Rudolph” to a whimsical reindeer ring toss, these silly games are sure to have everyone in stitches.
41 – Throw a Costume Party
Transform Christmas into a costume extravaganza! Invite guests to don their favorite Christmas characters’ attire, providing a festive twist to the typical ugly sweater party. Picture Buddy the Elf, Cindy Lou Who, and perhaps even Old St. Nick adding an extra dose of fun to the celebration.
42 – Make Mulled Cider
While eggnog and hot chocolate often take the holiday spotlight, a pot of mulled cider can be a delightful addition to your party. Elevate the experience by offering options to spike it with bourbon, brandy, or both.
43 – Have a Tropical Party
Give your Christmas celebration a tropical twist this year with frozen drinks, vibrant leis, and inflatable palm trees adorned with Christmas lights. Embrace the unexpected with this unique and lively theme.
44 – Read a Christmas Story
After everyone has comfortably settled in with their eggnog and cookie-laden plates, entertain the gathering with a Christmas story. Enlist a captivating narrator who can bring the tale to life by reading classics such as “Twas the Night Before Christmas” or “The Polar Express.”
45 – Create a Party Hashtag
Ensure all the photos and selfies from your Christmas party are neatly organized by inventing a lively and personalized hashtag for your event.
46 – Swap Cookies
Host a delightful cookie swap, especially if your party falls a few days before Christmas. This way, everyone can enjoy a generous assortment of cookies to serve on Christmas Day. If you are looking for the best Christmas party ideas for a last minute bash then this could be just the theme you are looking for.
47 – Throw a Christmas Potluck
Simplify your holiday preparations by organizing a potluck dinner instead of spending the entire week cooking and baking. Encourage friends to contribute traditional family holiday dishes to share with everyone.
48 – Decorate With Wrapping Paper
Put leftover wrapping paper to creative use if you find yourself with more than you need for gift wrapping. An effortless idea is to adorn your front door like a present, instantly immersing guests in the festive spirit before they even step inside.
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49 – Hang Mistletoe
No Christmas party is complete, certainly not one of the best Christmas party ideas, without mistletoe. Whether or not you adhere to the plant’s traditions, hanging mistletoe is always a fun and festive gesture at any holiday gathering.
