40 Best Christmas Party Ideas to Celebrate the Holiday Season

Set up some gingerbread house kits for kids and adults alike to show off their creative side. Have various candies set out for them to decorate any way they wish. You can even have an anonymous vote to see whose house is best for a prize!

Expecting little ones at your gathering? Host a laid-back party with an extra touch of magic—invite Santa! Have someone dress up as the jolly man himself to pass out small gifts and chat about wish lists. Keep a camera handy to capture those priceless, joy-filled moments.

Old-fashioned Christmas traditions bring such warmth and nostalgia. Whip up retro treats like Jell-O desserts, deck the halls with vintage ornaments and bottlebrush trees, and fill the air with timeless holiday tunes for that classic festive charm.

Guests of all ages will adore this festive gathering where everyone sports their favorite Christmas pajamas. Serve up rich hot chocolate and plenty of sweet treats to create the ultimate cozy, holiday hangout.

If wrapping gifts feels like a chore, turn it into a festive get-together! Invite friends over, set out plenty of wrapping paper, tags, ribbons, and bows, and make an afternoon of it. A little music—and a glass of bubbly—will make the task a blast.

You might groan at the thought of another ugly Christmas sweater party, but you have to admit they are so much fun. Gathering your friends 'round to see who can produce the most garish outfit all in the name of festive cheer? It'll never get old.

Hosting a cookie swap is a great idea, especially if your party is a few days before Christmas. This way, everyone can have a big platter of cookies to serve on Christmas Day. (And don't forget to leave a few out for Santa.)

Gather your friends and secretly assign everyone a person to buy a gift for. Then, host them at your home for a surprising gift exchange! Set a price limit, so there are reasonable budget parameters and no one over- or under-buys.

Really get into the holiday spirit by hosting a Christmas-themed mixologist class. Choose a variety of Christmas cocktails and let them mix, shake, and stir for a merry night. You can serve some appetizers and other nibbles so they have something to soak up all of the libations, too.

Divide your friends or family into teams and compete in a series of games. Think: "Pin the nose on Rudolph” or a reindeer ring toss. The team with the most points at the end of the competition wins a holiday prize!

Round up your friends and family and make a night of putting up your Christmas tree decorations. (You can thank them with small bites and Christmas cocktails!) Those string lights will be untangled in no time.

If you're having a few families over for your Christmas party, gather the kids around to write letters to Santa together. Give them cute stickers and crayons to decorate their letters when they're done.

What's a party without something sweet and warm to sip? Mulled wine is so festive with classic holiday flavors: allspice berries, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and fresh ginger slices. You can even gift everyone spices and the recipe to bring home with them!

Get the Mulled Wine recipe.

There are so many ways to show your loved ones you care during Christmas time, but cards are arguably the best. Set up a holiday card crafting station. It's great for kids and adults alike! And if you don’t know what to write, check out our Christmas card messages.

Christmas trivia, old fashioned card games, all those board games you played as kids―any and all games are welcome! It allows everyone to just have a relaxed day of fun. All you have to do is add some snacks and drinks for a merry ol' time.

Give everyone an activity that they can take home or gift to someone else. There are tons of DIY wreaths that look gorgeous hung on your door or over your mantel.

You may have heard of SantaCon in New York, where everyone dresses up as different versions of Santa. Host a hyperlocal SantaCon at your house!

Whether you cook a big brunch on Christmas Day like Ree does, or you host one at your house the weekend before, gathering your loved ones for the most delicious meal of all will be so much fun. Add Ree's eggs Benedict strata or her famous cinnamon rolls to the menu.