As the self-appointed Type A planner friend with a birthday conveniently near Christmas, I’ve fully embraced December as my party-planning season. I love designing festive fliers, curating a perfect holiday playlist, planning delicious snacks with my mom, and finding the cutest outfit. But most of all, I love finding the ultimate holiday party theme. Finding the ultimate theme makes everything about planning so much easier. Whether you’re hosting a birthday–Christmas crossover celebration or a themed night with the girls, here are three holiday party themes I’ve loved hosting.
1- “Let It Snow!”
“Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful. And since we’ve no place to go, join us for INDOOR snow!” In Texas, it might be rare to see snow falling from the sky. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t get creative and make it snow inside. Plus, it makes for a cute party theme!
For the party, try to stick to white decorations and snacks that resemble snow. When I hosted this party, my mom and I made a snowy charcuterie board with white cheese balls, marshmallows, and white chocolate Lindor truffles.
The party should feel cozy, so invite guests to wear their favorite Christmas pajamas. If you’re really going for a cozy vibe, crafts and movies are the best option. My friends and I made paper snowflakes and watched a Christmas movie. Try choosing a movie that fits the wintry vibe to make the theme immersive. My personal suggestions include “Frosty the Snowman,” “The Polar Express,” or “Frozen”— maybe not a Christmas movie, but it still counts!
As an alternative idea, this theme works as a get-to-know-you party. If you’re introducing multiple friends, you could have a “snowball fight” icebreaker. Take some white paper, write down a fun fact, crumple the paper into a ball, and have guests toss the balls at the same time. Then, have everyone guess which fact belongs to whom. The cozy pajamas and wintery decor help guests relax and can create a welcoming atmosphere for meeting new people.
There is ‘snow’ way guests will forget this cozy party. It’s guaranteed to be a hit!
2- “Mocking” Around the Christmas Tree
If you’re looking for a more formal party, this is the theme for you.
Guests should come in cocktail attire—bonus points if outfits are in a Christmas color palette. The event should be decked with classic Christmas decor and a traditional holiday playlist. After all, the title references the iconic Christmas song by Brenda Lee. What is more classic Christmas than that?
Offer classic finger foods like chips and dips, vegetable or fruit trays, and tea sandwiches.
Of course, the key to the theme is the holiday mocktails. Serving drinks inspired by the holiday spirit is chic and original. If you need drink recipe suggestions, GlazedGlamor offers 20 holiday mocktail ideas that are delicious and adorable. To keep things simple, consider offering just a couple of signature drinks—maybe one red and one green.
“Mocking” Around the Christmas Tree is a timeless, aesthetic theme. Plus, your photos will turn out effortlessly classy and Christmassy.
3- The Great Christmas Bakeoff
For a more intimate gathering, consider hosting a holiday bakeoff.
For this theme, invite a few friends to participate in a thrilling, delicious challenge and encourage some friendly competition.
Divide your friends into teams (or invite couples for a festive date-night challenge). Then, challenge guests to bake their best Christmas cookies! Cookies will be graded on three components: taste, decorations, and creativity. Ask guests to come with a recipe and a plan to dazzle judges. Guests must provide their own ingredients, edible decorations, and anything else needed for creative presentation– this will keep the costs relatively cheap for you as the host!
Adding a time limit can build the excitement and make the challenge feel like a real bake-off. Set specific times and guidelines for making, baking, decorating, and presentation. Then, have a panel of judges blindly react to the cookies. In years past, my favorite judges were my friend’s parents. It was a priceless surprise, and everyone was happy to participate! Be sure to keep recipes anonymous to avoid any “unintentional” bias.
May the best baker win, and don’t forget to sample each recipe when it’s over!
Bonus Tip:
Partiful is my favorite app for the holiday season. It offers easy-to-use invitation templates that simplify party planning and make communicating with guests effortless. Each digital invite includes space for important details like dates, addresses, dress code, and food plans. Invitations can be sent through text, and guests can RSVP directly in the app. Partiful also tracks attendees automatically, so you don’t have to manage a guest list yourself. Plus, guests can respond with a GIF and see who else is attending, so even RSVPs are fun and memorable!
’Tis the season for the best parties of the year! With this guide, your theme is sure to be festive, fun, and unforgettable!