A Christmas party is a wonderful way to celebrate the holiday season with friends, family, or colleagues. Here are some ideas to inspire your festive gathering:
Make a Charcuterie Tree
Charcuterie is quintessential party food because it’s easy to set up and always a crowd-pleaser. However, you can make yours stand out by building it in the shape of a Christmas tree. Add in a few rosemary sprigs along the edges to complete the look.
Make Ugly Sweater Photo Props
Ugly Christmas sweater parties need to be documented. Set up a photo booth and provide kitschy photo props with witty on-theme phrases.
DIY Ugly Christmas Sweaters
Another fun activity for an ugly Christmas sweater party is decorating mini ugly Christmas sweaters. This is a craft for all ages, so get both the kids and the adults involved and see who can make the ugliest one. Hang them up and use them as additional decor during the party
Decorate a Bar Cart
If you’re short on counter space at your Christmas party, turn to your bar cart. A bar cart makes the perfect spot for a hot cocoa station. For an adult’s only party, add a flavored liqueur to the cart for a fun twist.
Decorate the Front Entrance
Your front door will immediately set the tone for your Christmas party. If you really want to leave a lasting impression on your guests, consider hanging a festive garland above your door and a matching one on your staircase railing.
Follow a Gingerbread Theme
When looking for decor inspiration, look no further than a gingerbread house and other great gingerbread-themed decor pieces. Colorful felt garland, candy shapes, and pastel hues all fall into this theme. Plus, you can make gingerbread people and houses as an activity even the adults will love.
Create an Outdoor Photo Op
If you’re throwing your Christmas party during the day, one of the best places to set up a photo spot is outside. The natural light will make for great photos. A big wreath on a backyard wall, fence, or door will do the trick.
Use Rustic Foraged Pinecones
If you want to channel a woodsy Christmas style, place a few pinecones around your house. These budget-friendly items will create festive decor and also add a subtle pine smell to your home.
Decorate With Bells and Bows
Adding small decorative details to your place settings will go a long way in making your party feel special and well-planned. A bow with a bell is an adorable touch that will look great in the photos your guests take of their food.
Use Budget-Friendly Balloons
To create a magical and memorable Christmas party experience, look no further than balloons. If you’re a DIYer, you can buy your balloons in bulk for an affordable price and string them together. Hang some gold tinsel garlands for an extra dose of bling.
Outfit a Porch Seating Area
Holiday parties can get a little crowded. To encourage guests to disperse, set up separate seating areas all around your house. If the weather is a bit warmer, you can make your porch swing look extra cozy by adding some Christmas throw pillows, or break out an outdoor heater if you’ve got one.
Set Up Themed Play Stations
To keep kids entertained while the adults chatter, be sure to have plenty of collaborative play areas set up. A play hot cocoa bar doubles as decor and toys.
Style Your Buffet Table
Instead of lining all of your food up on one singular level on a buffet table, add visual interest by adding height. Place some of the food on risers, and you may even be able to fit a mini Christmas tree on there as well.
Decorate a Kids’ Table
If you’re throwing a family-friendly Christmas party, reserve a special table for the kiddos. Bottlebrush trees and balloons are non-breakable decor pieces that are perfect for this purpose.
Set Up a Cocoa Bar
Another way to lure guests outside is with an outdoor hot cocoa, mulled wine, or mulled cider bar. Light a bonfire nearby, and they won’t mind the winter chill one bit. (You can use a slow cooker to keep mulled drinks warm.)
Decorate With Honeycomb
Honeycomb paper decor is a classic party choice. But if you really want to make a statement, add heaps of them to a single area, such as your fireplace, and encourage guests to use it as a photo-op spot.
Lean Into Modern Decor
When decorating for your holiday party, embrace your personal style. If you enjoy decorating with funky shapes and bold colors, why not pull out your colorful glass coupes and make red jello in a wavy mold?
Pair Blue and White
Another holiday color scheme to consider is blue and white. It evokes a cool and icy feeling that’s fitting for winter. You can even set the party up in an outdoor igloo to fit the snowy theme.
Craft Cute Christmas Mice
If there will be several kids at your party, set up a party favor craft station. These velvet mice with candy canes as tails make adorable ornaments for your guests to take home. Even without any kids in attendance, they make great decorative accents that can be added to the buffet or amongst the batch cocktails.
Opt for Adorable Disposables
Christmas is a time when we’ve all got growing to-do lists. You can save yourself the trouble of dishes by opting for disposable plates and cups, and you don’t have to sacrifice aesthetics in the process. Make the choice more eco-friendly by opting for compostable plates (and then taking them to a friend or garden club that composts).
Garnish Your Cocktails
To encourage your guests to get in the spirit of Christmas, don’t forget to offer them some spirits. Any cocktail can become a Christmas cocktail with the right garnish. For cocktails that feature spices and bitters, you can sweeten the rim with sugar or edible glitter and top it with star anise.
Keep It Subtle
A cozy dinner party with friends doesn’t require a ton of decorations. You can take a minimal approach and simply light a couple of Christmas-themed taper candles and put a green arrangement on the table.
Adorn Your Chandeliers
When looking for spots around your home to add Christmas cheer before your party, just look up. If you have chandeliers in your home, add some evergreen garland and Christmas ornaments. A chandelier is also a conspicuous spot to hide some mistletoe.
Embrace a Toy Theme
Toys are an important part of Christmas. Choosing one iconic toy and then centering your theme around it will make your decor choices easy. This Care Bear Christmas party is a great example. Plus, you can turn the event into a toy drive and ask guests to bring a toy donation.
Choose a Color Scheme
Straying from the traditional red-and-green color scheme is a great way to keep things fresh. Think gumdrops and candy canes, and try out a pink-and-red color scheme. Plus, you can reuse some of your decor for a Valentine’s Day party.
Display Seasonal Mugs
If you have a vintage or favorite collection of Christmas mugs, your Christmas party is a great time to display them. Place them near your hot cocoa bar for use or just for show. They can even be cocktail glasses—why not?
Make Angel Ornaments
Christmas party crafts don’t necessarily have to be colorful. Understated neutrals can be a hit and will match with anyone’s Christmas decor. Patterned craft paper, tissue paper, wood beads, and string are all you need.
Spruce Up Your Buffet
Your party’s beverage station is typically a popular spot, so consider putting a little extra effort into decorating it. If you have a clear drink decanter, add raspberries and mint leaves. They not only taste delicious in water but also look super festive. Candy-striped paper straws and green bottles of sparkling water can also be functional decor accessories.
Set Up Outside
If you live in a region where it’s still sunny and warm in December, take the party outside. This is a great idea if you plan on offering a bit of a messy activity for little ones, such as gingerbread house decorating.
Embellish a Vase
A beautiful arrangement deserves a beautiful vase. Elevate a basic glass vase by simply adding a festive ribbon with an ornament. While you’re at it, tie an ornament or two to any wall sconces or porch lights.
Sweeten Table Settings
Gingerbread cookies tucked inside cloth napkins make a beautiful and easy place-setting accessory. Your guests can even munch on them before dinner since dessert before dinner is absolutely allowed at Christmastime.
Choose Oversized Ornaments
Oversized ornaments make for excellent holiday porch decor whether you’re hosting a party or not. However, they have the same look as balloons, so we say they’re an extra great choice for a Christmas party.
Make Paper Snowflakes
Christmas party decor doesn’t have to be expensive. Dozens of DIY paper snowflakes make a big impact on a small budget.
Hang Paper Snowflakes
Once you make your paper snowflakes, you’ve got several options on where to put them. While paper snowflakes may not last on your porch for the entire season, consider hanging them up for the evening of your party to make an extra special entrance for your guests.
Try Chair Wreaths
For holiday dinner parties, focus your decorating efforts around the table. Aside from decorating your tabletop, give your chairs some extra pizzazz. Here, Maria Sadowski of Life Stylishly adorned the back of her dining room chairs with wreaths.
Create a Winter Wonderland
When guests walk into your party, greet them with a winter wonderland. All it takes is some budget-friendly paper snowflakes and twinkle lights to evoke those warm and fuzzy feelings.
Make a Simple Floral Installation
An over-the-table arbor is an affordable one-time investment that you can reuse for dinner parties during any season. For Christmas, you can decorate it with evergreen garland and red foliage.
Set Up Fireside Snacks
A cozy fire is like a magnet for guests. Since people naturally want to sit by it, convert your coffee table into a snack buffet for easy access. Just be sure if the snacks are going to be especially close to the fire, they won’t melt in the heat.
Try a Summer Christmas Theme
A quirky theme is one way to set your Christmas party apart from the crowd. We love a summer-meets-Christmas theme for a Christmas-in-July party, but it’s also fitting if you live in a warmer climate.
Fold Tree Napkins
Fancy napkin folds are actually much simpler than they seem, and a Christmas party is a prime opportunity to try out a Christmas tree fold.
Make Candy Party Favors
Mini glass jars filled with colorful old-fashioned candy make great party favors for a sugarplum fairy tea party. Stack them on a cake stand, and they will double as party decor.
Try a Santa Centerpiece
Rather than a vase of flowers, get a little creative with your centerpiece. If you happen to own a pair of Santa-chic boots, give them a new life for a day and fill them with cut poinsettias and evergreen stems. If you don’t want to risk harming your favorite pair of red or green shoes, opt for faux greenery instead.
Have a Christmas Tea Party
We absolutely love this Christmas tea party set up by Life is a Party. It should inspire you to bust out the fine china to serve your tea and finger foods.
Commission a Balloon Tree
We’ve been seeing a rise in popularity of balloon-shaped Christmas trees, and we can see why. The addition of candy canes and a cute little gingerbread man makes this one an extra great example.
Stage a Still Life
When looking for inspiration for your holiday table set up, look to a Dutch still life. This rule applies to any dinner party in general, but for Christmas, think of scattered chestnuts, winter fruits, and an ornament or two on the table. This kind of arrangement would look great on really any empty surface.
Choose a Book Theme
Alice in Wonderland and Christmas are both whimsical by nature. Pair the two and host a Christmas in Wonderland party. When staging the table, defy gravity a bit and let your taper candles rest a little crooked, and maybe even hang a small teapot and cup from the ceiling. If you want the crooked candles to glow, go for LED ones rather than risk a tipping flame.
Fashion a Pegboard Tree
There are so many clever ways to use a peg board, and here’s another. Simply take a peg board and tuck magnolia leaves into the holes in the shape of a Christmas tree. Don’t forget to add garland for added color and texture.
Make Dessert Characters
A Christmas party is a great opportunity to embrace your inner child. These adorable snowmen and reindeer desserts practically beg you to play with your food.
Add Food Coloring
If you really want to serve picture-perfect hot cocoa to your guests, add a few drops of food coloring to a batch of white hot chocolate. Make sure to serve it in clear mugs to show it off.
Lay Table Garlands
Christmas garlands aren’t just for your mantel or doorways. For a classic Christmas table setting, lay a strand across the center of your dining table and tuck in some pinecones and taper candles.