84 Christmas party ideas for every holiday get-together.

Christmas party theme ideas to set the stage.

In general, Christmas party decoration ideas fall into two camps. Either they’re color-coded and all follow one strict look, or they’re a hodge-podge of nostalgic ornaments and haphazard strings of lights that instantly say “Christmas.”

This year, consider these new Christmas party theme ideas to shake things up. Some of these borrow from traditional decoration, but with a niche spin. Others are completely novel. Take your pick and see how impressed everyone will be with your decorations this year.

Throw an edible gift exchange.

This theme allows everyone to share a favorite holiday treat. Decide whether you want the actual exchange to be white elephant style or secret Santa, or a full-fledged potluck.

Host a retro Christmas party.

With an aluminum tree and homemade paper chains, this theme is easy and fun. Consider making a poster of a classic Christmas personality, printing it, and framing it. Set it on a tripod next to the front door to greet everyone who comes in.

Have a Christmas bonfire.

If you host a bonfire, the core activity could be as simple as roasting s’mores. Make them with peppermint cookies instead of graham crackers, and set up a mulled wine station to keep everyone extra toasty.

Host a Christmas tea party.

Think about setting up a Chai bar to favor the spicy and sweet varieties of tea that are perfect for Christmastime.

An occasion for ornaments.

Your whole theme can revolve around ornaments. You could host an ornament swap, or set up a craft party where everyone makes ornaments together.

Decorate your whole place with wrapping paper.

Picture it: your framed photos all covered in wrapping paper. Put extra wrapping paper over the windows. The theme, which you could proudly display across a banner, would be: “It’s all a gift.”

Organize a madrigal dinner.

Madrigal dinners are extraordinary experiences. They borrow from the fashion and feasts of Renaissance-era nobility, immersing guests in pageantry, music, and outstanding food.

Create a winter wonderland.

You can do this indoors or out. Homes with outdoor kitchens or seating can be set up with lights in the yard with small potted trees and strategically-placed heaters. Indoor wonderlands can be made with faux snow and snow-like décor.

Share the gift of giving back.

Make a party of donating time together at a local food bank, or host a party where all gifts given are donations in other guests’ names.

Throw a carol karaoke party.

Host a carol karaoke party at home or at a local karaoke bar. This Christmas theme idea definitely calls for custom posters and banners in the decorations. These are easy to make in Adobe Express — no experience required.

Timeless Christmas movies.

Guests come dressed as favorite characters from classic Christmas movies, and a montage of favorite scenes can play in the background.

Set up Santa’s workshop.

Set up craft tables so guests can make crafty things to give as gifts. Everyone comes with miscellaneous materials, and everyone leaves with gifts wrapped and ready to give away.

Work Christmas party ideas to wrap the year.

Company Christmas party ideas are also symbolic end-of-year celebrations. These occasions to get together infuse joy into the end of the fiscal calendar, and teams gather in the best of spirits.

Still, work Christmas party ideas tend to be the same old again and again. To boost engagement and host an even more rewarding holiday party this year, take your pick of these party ideas. Don’t forget to send out flyers and invitations that announce your new theme in style.

Card writing and gift wrapping party.

Provide Christmas cards, wrapping paper, tape, ribbon, and other wrapping goodies. Organize a gathering with loads of table space. Spend time together writing cards and wrapping gifts. See what everyone learns about one another based on the gifts they’re giving to loved ones.

Set up a wreath-making party.

The office can be converted into a wreath-making workshop, too. Provide snacks and beverages to keep everyone’s creative energy up. Check out some of these Christmas party food ideas to get started.

Host the simplest gift exchange.

The two best models of gift-giving in the workplace are secret Santa and white elephant gift exchanges. Each has a different vibe, so choose whether you want the personalized feel of secret Santa or the funny white elephant feel.

Organize a cookie decorating contest.

For the competitive teams, get everyone together to see who has the best cookie decorating skills. Offer multiple awards, like “most creative cookie,” “best Santa cookie,” “most ornate cookie,” and more.

Have an ornament “show and tell.”

Many tree ornaments have sweet stories behind them. Pick your favorites and have everyone at the office do the same. Take turns sharing stories — about holiday memories of yesteryear, handmade ornaments, and more.

Don’t just wear ugly sweaters, make them.

The ugly sweater party is the go-to work Christmas party idea. Many offices have taken it a step further and made a competition of who comes wearing the ugliest. This year, try making ugly sweaters together instead. Provide hot glue guns, embroidered patches, sequins, cotton balls, and yarn, then see what everyone comes up with.

Host a themed Christmas potluck.

Over the holiday season, the breakroom is always filled with goodies people have brought in. This year, give the potluck a more specific theme, like “1950s Christmas food” or “futuristic Christmas food.”

Play holiday jeopardy.

Divvy up some holiday questions and see who scores the most points. Question categories can range from “Christmas movie trivia” to “holiday dish ingredients” and more.

Celebrate with worldly traditions.

Host a holiday work party with seasonal traditions from around the world. Not only is Christmas celebrated differently elsewhere, but there are more seasonal festivities to include, too, like Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Bodhi Day, Las Posadas, and more.

Host a masquerade ball.

You’ll see who has black-tie-level attire stuffed in their closets if you host a masquerade ball. Have a meal catered in for this event and be sure to provide extra masks at the door.

Have a festive scavenger hunt.

Hide gifts and hints around the office and set everyone on a scavenger hunt. Offer prizes to all winners.

Host a Christmas cooking class.

Instead of the typical cookie class, offer a cooking class. Hire a professional to help the team make a full-fledged Christmas dinner, then sit down to enjoy it together.

Christmas party ideas for adults, from fun outfits to games.

Christmas typically brings family gatherings to mind, but that’s not the case for every Christmas party. Whether you have a late dinner planned for after the kids go off to bed, or a Christmas party between friends, there are occasions when Christmas parties are more fun with adult-centric themes.

This list has the adults-only Christmas party outfit ideas and Christmas party game ideas that will make for memorable occasions — not to mention some excellent photo-ops.

Host a mulled wine tasting.

Holidays year-round are celebrated with good meals and wine-tastings, but in the spirit of Christmas, switch this up for a mulled wine tasting instead.

Set up your own “SantaCon.”

This isn’t to suggest that you rent the whole Convention Center for a popular “con.” Just ask attendees to each come dressed as Santa, then see who wears it best. This party idea makes for fun pictures (and photo collages) later. Get attendees on board by sending a fun invitation or announcement.

Set up a chocolate fountain.

Take advantage of an “adults-only” event by setting up the delicacies that no one wants little ones’ fingers in, like an elaborate chocolate fountain.

Have a weekend brunch Christmas party.

For busy adults juggling family and work commitments all month, host a weekend Christmas brunch party instead to maximize attendance.

Decorate with strategically-placed mistletoe.

If you’re hosting a party for friends where a lot of people are single, make it a mistletoe party and see if Cupid’s arrow strikes.

Host a Christmas mixology class.

Everyone’s repertoire of delicious concoctions could use some festive additions. Host a mixology class that focuses on drinks with cinnamon, nutmeg, gloves, ginger, and allspice.

Play “who am I.”

Write the names of Christmas personalities (like characters from movies and books, figures like Santa, or singers with famous Christmas albums) on index cards. As people arrive, pin one name on each guest’s back. During the party, everyone asks “yes” or “no” questions to try and discern whose name is pinned on their backs.

Host a red carpet event.

Roll out the red carpet to complement all that garland and invite guests to come in their black-tie best. This elegant theme adds a touch of glamour and provides an excuse to get dressed up.

Play a holiday-themed “never have I ever.”

Turn the classic game into a holiday-themed revelation. Use prompts like, “never have I ever regifted something,” or “never have I ever fibbed to get out of a holiday event.” Learn what everyone else is guilty of doing, and you’re guaranteed to get a laugh.

Have a Christmas cook-off.

Organize a competition to see who can bake the best cookies or make the best stuffing based on a surprise holiday ingredient. Imagine what peppermint would do to casserole, or what cranberry sauce would do to your favorite cookies. Who can make it work best?

Host a dramatic reading.

Choose a favorite Christmas classic and consider taking turns reading aloud. You could even ask guests to come as certain characters.

Don’t forget to create your own Christmas party hashtag.

Whatever Christmas party theme you choose, make your own hashtag and ask everyone to use it on their social media posts and Instagram stories. You can easily collect all photos that way and send attendees a great photo collage after the event.

Family Christmas party ideas for multigenerational celebrations.

A raucous Christmas party between friends is one thing, but family Christmas party ideas have to appeal to everyone from Grandma to baby Janelle. For many people, Christmas is a family ordeal, and the generations-old traditions are half the magic. Still, it’s fun to shake things up sometimes.

Discover which of these family Christmas party ideas might spark a new sort of magic. Be sure to get family members on board and excited about new ideas when you send out your invitations and Christmas letters. Who knows? Maybe you’re about to introduce a new tradition that will stick.

Invite a surprise Santa.

When Santa shows up unexpectedly, it’s to the delight of children and to the surprise of adults. You can cast someone with Santa-like qualities, or a surprise out-of-town guest who no one knew would be able to attend.

Have a holiday game night.

The best thing about a holiday game night is that you can have games for different age groups spread out across separate tables. Kids Christmas party ideas almost always include at least a few board games to play together.

Host a pancake breakfast Christmas party.

Why not get together for breakfast instead? Pick a day and host a Christmas pancake party. Include fun new ingredients, like crushed candy canes, cinnamon, and cranberries.

Make cookie plates for Santa.

If everyone brings their favorite cookies to this event, you can make a party out of putting cookie plates together. Everyone goes home with a plate perfectly prepared for Santa.

Host a pajama Christmas party.

If everyone comes in pajamas, you can bet it will be a cozy gathering. This Christmas theme is especially delightful when hosted in a home with a big fireplace.

Go ice skating together.

Take the party to a local skating rink, equipped with snacks, thermoses of hot chocolate, and felty blankets to snuggle under between runs across the ice.

Host a fondue Christmas party.

For a fresh take on family-style eating, turn this year’s holiday meal into a fondue. Start with a cheese fondue, then move to the hot oil fondue to cook meat and veggies. Wrap up with a delicious chocolate fondue, and everyone will go to bed happy.

Host a tree decorating dinner.

When a Christmas party is just for immediate family, there’s a special magic to making an event of decorating the tree together. Set out chocolates and cookies, and help each other open boxes, sort ornaments, and string up lights.

Have a gingerbread house decorating party.

Christmas cookies are great, but gingerbread houses require a special finesse. They’re much easier to make with help, too. Between holding walls up to decorating the roof, gingerbread house making could make for the perfect family holiday party this year.

Host an eggnog Christmas party.

Set up a delicious eggnog bar to accompany a holiday meal. Set out the classic toppings like cinnamon and nutmeg, then add some surprises like honey drizzle, candied pecans, crushed gingerbread cookies, and spiced whipped cream.

Go singing Christmas carols.

You could also sing Christmas carols at home or go knocking on doors. If you do go public, it might be a good idea to practice a few rounds together at home, first.

Host a classic Christmas movie night.

Christmas party invitation ideas that deliver more than words.

The perfect holiday sentiment can be sent with a personalized Christmas party invitation or card. If you’ve taken on a new Christmas party theme this year, or are asking guests to come in costume, or with certain foods, your invitation is what tells them what to expect.

Christmas announcements, flyers, letters, and invitations are all delivery methods to consider. Whatever you make, be sure to highlight the time, date, location, and whether people have to RSVP. To get people excited about your proposed party, pick your favorite of these Christmas party invitation ideas.

Holly designs.

If there’s one go-to graphic to adorn a holiday card, it’s holly. Green, spikey holly is wonderfully versatile, meaning you can use it to adorn the corners of an invitation or as a wreath around key information.

Focus on the food.

For a food-focused Christmas party, you can use imagery of the menu on your invitation. Imagine how many more people will come to your Christmas pancake party if you include a delectable picture of pancakes on your card.

Ornaments galore.

You could use little drawings of ornaments, or take pictures of some of your own. Decorate your Christmas invitation with enough baubles, and it will instantly say, “Christmas.”

A moving clip of a Christmas movie.

If you’re sending a virtual Christmas invitation, you can play with movement. For example, add a clip from an old Christmas movie or add an image of soft-falling snow in the background.

Icon invitation.

To help people pick out the important information, pick an icon to go with each key point. For example, a little calendar can go next to the party date. A tiny spoon could go next to whatever food guests need to bring.

Make it glow like a string of lights.

Whether you use iridescent ink on a printed Christmas card or neon colors in a virtual flyer, adding the glow effect reminiscent of Christmas lights is a great way to decorate your Christmas invitations.

Offer ideas on the flipside.

For the Christmas parties that do ask a little more of guests (like coming dressed as movie characters or brining a dish), help guests with a list of ideas or examples on the backside of your invitations.

Winter wonderland designs.

Christmas invitations have a timeless look with winter wonderland elements like snowflakes, snow-covered trees, and more.

So many ugly sweaters.

Add some ugly sweater images to your Christmas invitation, and it will instantly take on a light-hearted look.

Digital slideshow of holiday photos.

Another idea for virtual Christmas invitations is to include a slideshow of holiday pictures from previous years. This stirs nostalgia, making more people turn up for the event.

Nutcracker themes.

It’s hard to get more festive — or cuter — than with a nutcracker theme for your Christmas invitation.

The naked tree.

An invitation with a naked Christmas tree, standing alone with bare branches, sends one clear message to recipients: “it isn’t Christmas until you’re here and we spend time together.”

Virtual Christmas party ideas that cover any distance.

It’s not 2020 anymore, but virtual Christmas party ideas are still important for businesses, families, and friends who are spread out. These Christmas party ideas revolve around activities that give everyone something to watch or focus on together during a call.

Virtual parties require a special kind of structure, and these virtual Christmas party ideas give you a dozen places to start.

Decorate your trees together.

Everyone can set their phones or tablets up where there’s a good view of their trees, then spend the time together decorate while everyone else does the same. Occasional chatter will come in as friends admire others’ ornaments and lights.

Create a Christmas-themed murder mystery dinner.

With a little planning, a fun “merry murder mystery” dinner can unfold over a virtual Christmas party. There are murder mystery templates you can look up, or you can dream up your own.

Play Christmas movie charades.

Split up into two teams, then take turns acting out key scenes from Christmas movie favorites. Be sure to get some screenshots of fun moments to share and tag people in on the social media posts.

Try a beach Christmas theme.

Instead of Christmas in July, host a July beach party at Christmas. A virtual party is one no one has to leave the house for, so everyone can show up in their best beach wear.

Read a Christmas story together.

Open up a digital copy of a fabled Christmas tale, like Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, then take turns reading passages.

Host a holiday trivia night.

The host comes prepped to this party with a list of holiday trivia, from Christmas movies to artists with hit Christmas albums. Everyone answers trivia questions and learns something fun along the way.

Have a virtual Christmas slideshow.

The holidays are a photo-heavy time of year, so it’s easy to ask attendees to show up with some favorite pictures from years past. Then, everyone takes turns sharing their screen to talk about them.

Play a scavenger hunt — through friends’ photos.

If everyone in attendance is connected on the same social network, try a scavenger hunt — through people’s photos. It will be a riot to find a photo “where someone on the call is at least 10 years younger,” or “where at least three people in attendance are pictured.”

Play yuletide Pictionary.

Set up a call with a screen-share feature and play Christmas-themed Pictionary. See who’s the best at drawing reindeer or a big cup of eggnog, and have a good laugh while you share.

Host a virtual holiday light tour.

Ask attendees to take a tour around their cities before the event to take pictures of the best holiday lights they find. Then, on the call, take turns showing photos and videos of extravagant yard displays.

Have an online talent show.

Everyone comes prepared to show off a talent. Maybe they read poetry aloud, or pull out their guitars, or sing for all to hear.

Host a Christmas concert.

You can hire talent, too. Set up a concert at a location where one attendee will be present, then broadcast the show on your virtual party for everyone else to enjoy.

Christmas birthday party ideas for the “lucky” ones with holiday birthdays.

Everyone knows someone who grew up with “happy-merry-birthday-Christmas” gifts. Some people love having a holiday birthday, but others feel forgotten as would-be guests get sidetracked with holiday plans.

For a fresh shake on Christmas birthday party ideas to make sure everyone’s happy this year, pick your favorite from this list. Then, see how magical the next birthday party can be this year — not in spite of Christmas, but because of it.

Set up a deluxe hot chocolate bar.

Lean into the holiday spirit and make something extra sweet with a deluxe hot chocolate bar. Include toppings like crushed pretzels, peanut butter swirl, crushed candy canes, or even a little bourbon.

Host a winter picnic (indoors or out).

Depending on the weather where the birthday takes place, a wintery picnic could be accompanied by fluffy blankets and a bonfire. Alternatively, an indoor picnic could feature slippers and a fireplace.

Throw a “pamper” Christmas birthday party.

Set up a DIY spa and invite friends and family to stop in for a pampering retreat. Between holiday plans, everyone will benefit from a quick face mask or warm foot soak. This is a great birthday party idea for any time of year.

Make your own escape-room challenge.

With a little preparation, think about what puzzles and mysteries could be woven together for a homemade escape room. The more the puzzles have to do with the birthday person, the better.

Hire a holiday comedian.

Get professional help making fun of all the holiday fuss by hiring a local comedian to come in for some birthday entertainment.

Host a winter outdoor adventure day.

Combine activities like sledding, ice skating, snowshoeing, and more in an epic winter birthday outing. Be sure to finish with some hot drinks.

Throw a “Grinchmas party.”

If the birthday person is a little bitter about being born in the Christmas season, throw a Grinchmas party with Grinch-themed decorations and Whoville food.

Have a dance-a-thon.

Put on your favorite list of holiday tunes and get people dancing. This feels like a real party in no time.

Throw a plaid party.

A party where everyone comes dressed in plaid will feel appropriately seasonal, without overshadowing the birthday with something exclusively Christmas-y. Party decorations can be plaid, too, including tablecloths, napkins, and banners.

Host a cabin getaway.

Rent a cabin for a getaway wherever the winter landscape is prettiest. Bring plenty of warm drinks and enjoy a relaxing birthday retreat.

Throw a winter pajama and movie night party.

Have friends over for a movie night (whether a Christmas movie or not) and insist that everyone come in pajamas. It will feel cozy without making it overtly holiday-centric.

Set up the best a holiday dessert bar.

Instead of birthday cake, set up the best holiday dessert bar you can imagine. Ask everyone to bring something decadent. Who needs dinner when you can have three rounds of dessert?