Christmas party activities aren't usually high on a holiday party planner's list--give your guests a festive atmosphere, and plenty of tasty food and drink, and people can usually be counted on to amuse themselves.
However, every so often, it's nice to have a purpose to get together.
On the other hand, perhaps you have a wide variety of guests who aren't as familiar with each other as they are with you.
It never hurts to have some activities at hand to guide the festivities or break the ice.
Centering your party around seasonally-appropriate activities can give direction to your guests and encourage a sense of camaraderie.
Caroling Nothing seems to inspire holiday spirit quite like a session of holiday caroling.
The season is also an inspiring time for giving.
Organize your holiday party around a session of neighborhood caroling, collecting canned food or donations for a local charity, followed by hot cocoa or hot toddies afterwards.
You and your guests can enjoy each other's company and do a good deed for the local food pantry at the same time.
Holiday Decorating It might seem like putting the cart before the horse, but organizing your Christmas party activities around home décor can be exciting and fun in its own right.
A casual get-together with family and friends that centers around decorating a home inspires closeness.
Especially if you have newlywed friends or family, or friends/family with a new home.
Help them warm their new home with helping hands.
• Prepare or bring bowls of popcorn, cranberries or flora and encourage guests to string garlands for tree decorating.
• Set up a station with glass ornaments and paints and invite guests to paint a personalized message on the ornaments for the hosts or guests of honor (be sure to remind everyone to put the year on the ornament, so the memories stay crisp and fresh!).
• Spread out rolls or sheets of blank gift wrap along with craft items such as glitter glue, holiday stamps, and stickers for guests to make unique, handmade gift wrappings for holiday presents.
This activity is especially popular with the younger set at family-friendly parties! It's always interesting to learn something new, especially in a fun and relaxed setting like a party.
Include a new and interesting skill in your party activities.
Host a wreath or garland-making party.
Your local nursery or craft store should have loose pine boughs, holly branches, pine cones, and other festive Yuletide décor items available, and there are many craft instructions ranging from the simple to the professional-decorator level available.
Send your guests home with a holiday decoration of their own! Food and Drinks Activities Instead of simply mixing drinks for your guests, why not organize a drink-mixing lesson and let everyone join in the fun? Prepare recipe cards in advance and make sure you have enough for multiple amateur bartenders to participate at one time.
In the lead-up to the holidays, everyone can get a little busy with holiday baking.
Join your friends and help spread the work by hosting a cookie exchange.
Invite each guest to bring cookies they've baked or bought, and exchange your cookies so that everyone goes home with a variety of baked goods to set out for the holidays.
Encourage your guests to also bring the recipes for their home-baked creations and everyone will go home with both tasty treats and something new to add to their own kitchens! Christmas party activities add another layer of fun to any holiday party, and can turn entertaining during a customarily stressful time into something relaxing and enjoyable for both guests and hosts.