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If you are a lover of all things retro and looking for ideas for your next Christmas party you are in the right place. Welcome to our guide on how to throw a retro Christmas party.

How to Throw a Retro Christmas Party – The Ultimate Guide

In this guide on how to how to throw a retro Christmas party we will look at every aspect of what is needed. This includes ideas and inspiration for party decorations, tableware, food, games, music, party favors and much more.

What is a Retro Christmas Party

A blast from Christmas pasts, a retro Christmas party transports guests back in time to decades like the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, or 1980s for some throwback festive fun. So ring in the season with nostalgic style, kitschy decor, and good old-fashioned holiday cheer.

No matter the decade, a retro Christmas party calls everyone to rejoice in nostalgia and yuletide memories of the good ol’ days. It’s the most wonderful time of the year – with a vintage twist!

Retro Christmas Party Decorations

The first thing to consider when working out how to throw a retro Christmas party is to decide which decade you will be focusing on.

Here are some classic retro decorating ideas to make your Christmas party a blast from the past. We have sorted these ideas in to decades:

1950s Decor

Aluminum Christmas trees with color wheel spotlights
Poinsettia and silver tinsel garlands – Buy Here
Flocked artificial trees in pastel colors like pink, turquoise
Ornaments with mid-century modern design
Inflatable reindeer and Santas – Buy Here

1960s Decor

Bubble lights strung across walls and ceilings – Buy Here
Fiber optic trees in psychedelic colors – Buy Here
Shiny bright ornaments and glittery garlands – Buy Here
Paper chains and homemade pop art style decorations

1970s Decor

Faux wood paneling backdrop with wreaths – Buy Here
Macrame plant hangers and beaded curtains
Gold glitter trees and multicolor lights – Buy Here
Kitschy felt Santas and snowmen

1980s Decor

Neon and holographic plastic trees – Buy Here
Rainbow mini light strands around window frames
Ornate glass bulb ornaments and velvet bows – Buy Here
Inflatable snow globes and Santas – Buy Here

Retro Christmas Party Food

When figuring our how to throw a retro Christmas party you should select food for your menu based on the decade you have chosen to focus on. Of course if you have chosen to focus on a range of decades you can choose a selection of food from each decade.

Here are some fun retro recipes and foods to serve at a blast-from-the-past Christmas party:

1950s

Deviled eggs
Chicken a la king in pastry shells
Baked ham with pineapple rings
Jellied cranberry salad
Pink champagne punch

1960s

Fondue pots with bread and veggies for dipping
Cheese balls with crackers
Crockpot meatballs in grape jelly/ketchup sauce
Rumaki (chicken livers and water chestnuts wrapped in bacon)

1970s

Swedish meatballs over egg noodles
Fondue pots filled with melted chocolate
Seven layer salad (with mayo, lettuce, peas, hard boiled eggs etc.)
Homemade eggnog

1980s

Bacon and cheddar potato skins
Microwave mug cakes
Holiday Jell-O molds with whipped cream
Little smokies sausages baked in grape jelly & chili sauce

Don’t forget some festive pops of color, sprinkles, and crushed candy canes for a perfect retro party.

Check out this range off Christmas party tableware by clicking here.

Retro Christmas Party Games

Here are some fun, nostalgic game ideas perfect for a retro Christmas party:

1950s Party Games

Telephone Pictionary – guests whisper a Christmas word to draw down the line
Who Am I? – place a Christmas character name sticker on guests’ backs for guessing

1960s Party Games

The Name Game – sing rhyming song using guests’ names
Limbo – see how low guests can go under a holiday limbo stick

1970s Party Games

Ding Dong Dash – take turns ringing the doorbell and running away
Balloon Stomp – pop numbered balloons tied around guests’ ankles

1980s Party Games

Pin the Bow on the Gifts Game
Guess how much tinsel is in the Jar

Nostalgic Group Games

Dance Off contests doing retro moves like The Twist or Robot
Christmas carol karaoke
Holiday movie & TV trivia

Retro Christmas Party Music

Here’s a festive playlist filled with Christmas hits through the decades to get guests dancing at a retro holiday party:

1950s

“Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” – Brenda Lee
“Jingle Bell Rock” – Bobby Helms
“Winter Wonderland” – The Andrews Sisters

1960s

“Little Saint Nick” – The Beach Boys
“Do You Hear What I Hear?” – Andy Williams
“Christmas Time is Here” – Vince Guaraldi Trio

1970s

“Wonderful Christmastime” – Paul McCartney & Wings
“Merry Christmas Darling” – The Carpenters
“Little Drummer Boy” – Joan Jett & the Blackhearts

1980s

“Last Christmas” – Wham!
“All I Want for Christmas is You” – Vince Vance and the Valiants
“The Christmas Song” – Hall & Oates

Party Perennials

“Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” – Dean Martin
“Santa Claus is Coming to Town” – The Jackson 5

Have guests make song requests and keep the nostalgic music marathoning as they rock retro holiday style!

Your best option for music if you are to throw a Retro Christmas Party is Amazon Music. You will never ever be without the perfect song at your fingertips for any party you throw. You can check out the best deals for Amazon Music by clicking here.

Retro Christmas Party Favors

Before we look at ideas for items you can use as Christmas party favors make sure you have a good supply of Christmas themed party favor bags. You can check them out and buy them here.

Here are some fun retro holiday favor ideas perfect for guests at a blast-from-the-past Christmas party:

1950s Party Favors

Candy cigarettes
Wax soda pop lip balm
Mini 45 records with holiday tunes
Poodle skirts and scarves
Socks hop knit dice keychains

1960s Party Favors

Go-go boots keychains
Peace sign pins
Hippie bead necklaces
Mini transistor radios
Plush Beatles dolls

1970s Party Favors

Disco ball ornaments
Fake sideburns and mustaches
Smiley face bounce balls
Mini 8-track tapes
Leis and plastic flower hair clips

1980s Party Favors

Jelly bracelets
Neon wayfarer sunglasses
Popped collar headbands
Mixed cassette tape pins
Leg warmers and fingerless glove sets

The nostalgic treats let guests take home fun favors with vintage holiday charm! Everyone will totally dig these gnarly Christmas party keepsakes.

What to Wear to a Retro Christmas Party

A retro Christmas party is the perfect opportunity to channel festive fashions from decades past. Here are some ideas for what to wear to embody retro holiday style:

Women can don swing dresses with petticoats, gloves and pearl clip earrings for a 1950s look. Opt for a velvet minidress and go-go boots to take on the 1960s. Bring back 1970s flair with a pantsuit, crop top, and platform shoes. And rock 80s glam with leggings, off-the-shoulder tops, and statement accessories.

Men can sport a white dress shirt and suspenders or bold plaids and wide ties for 50’s Rat Pack vibes. Groove into the 60s psychedelic era with bell bottoms, a fringe vest, and neon hues. Make it shagadelic 70s style with leisure suits, button downs, gold chains, and sideburns. Top off your 1980s aesthetic with pastels, Members Only jackets, and popped collars.

Groups or couples can coordinate tacky Christmas sweaters from specific decades. Accessorize with Santa hats, garland boas, and other silly seasonal finery fitting for an ugly Christmas sweater party too.

Raid vintage stores or your family’s old closet treasures to source authentic retro apparel. The more festive sparkle, loud colors, wild patterns and far out style, the merrier your fashion will shine at this Christmas party throwback extravaganza!

Check out more Christmas party ideas and guides here.