Ah the holidays, so merry! So bright! If planning your Christmas party has you feeling more stressed than cheery, never fear. We have Christmas party themes you haven’t heard before, so you can be the person whose invites actually receive an RSVP. Whether you’re a pet lover, a Netflix-loving foodie, or just looking for a Christmas party theme totally out of the box, we have an idea for you.
All great party hosts know that one of the best gifts you can give the people you love is the opportunity to have a great time together. Christmas party memories can last a lifetime. With these theme ideas, you’re sure to leave people dying to come back to your place next year.
1. The “Great Christmas Baking Show” Theme
Do you have any wanna-be chefs in your life? Maybe you just want a shot at showing off your mad skills in the kitchen. Either way, who doesn’t love an excuse to get together for a party that revolves around Christmas goodies and good ol’ competition? Recruit your best baking friends to be your “contestants” and then invite your friends who burn toast to be the “judges.” You can assign prizes for the best-themed goodies, the best-decorated cookies, and of course the best tasting pastries. Don’t forget to have a crown on hand for your judges to place on the head of the best amateur Christmas baker.
2. Peppermint “Bark” Party
Are you a dog person? If you answered “yes,” you probably have a lot of friends with their own furry friends who would love to partake in the Christmas festivities. If you have old Christmas decorations you’re looking to reuse, this is a perfect opportunity. Just throw in some paw print decorations to compliment your Christmas-themed ones. Your human friends can help you whip up a batch of these adorable candy cane dog treats while the pups play by the fire (or in your yard). Don’t forget to grab some cute boxes and ribbon so everyone can wrap up a “doggy bag” of their dog biscuits to take home.
3. Christmas at the Cattery Party
While cats probably wouldn’t enjoy being dragged to your lame, human Christmas party, that doesn’t mean cat ladies don’t like to party, right? Grab some cute cat toys to hide throughout your house and give each person a cat-sized stocking when they walk in. Then gather everyone for a toy hunt; afterward, everyone will go home with a stocking full of toys for their cat to look at disdainfully on Christmas morning. Play “pin the scarf on the kitty” and make sure to have red and green glitter for people to sprinkle on their complimentary cat ears.
4. Duck the Halls Party
If you don’t throw a Christmas party that makes people yell “Go Ducks!” when they walk in, do you even live in Eugene? Green is even part of the team’s color scheme! Plus, who wouldn’t show up to a party that promises both game-day snack fare, as well as the traditional holiday baked goods? Have a “duck gear” fashion show where the winner (by popular vote) wins game tickets to a University of Oregon sporting event.
5. Elf on the Shelf Party
The world is in love with the mischievous little elves that show up on our shelves around Christmas time, so it seems fitting to have a whole party themed around these little guys. The dress code involves red footie pajamas, of course. The decor should be elf-themed. You can make up some elf-sized snacks. Don’t forget to sprinkle some mischief around the house by including some of your own elves up to no good in your decorations.
6. Krampus Party
This one is for all the rebels who love to get together and party but don’t want to label it a “holiday” party in the midst of December. If you don’t know the story of Krampus, there are plenty of movies to rent that you can show to your guests about the tales of his origin. Because Krampus’ style is scaring the little children who have misbehaved, rather than rewarding the good ones with presents, you can use some of your leftover creepy decorating skills from Halloween.
7. The Procrastinator’s Christmas Party
Maybe you don’t have time in your schedule to host your Christmas party until late in December this year. Or perhaps you, yourself, are a procrastinator. Never fear, once your decorations are up, set up gift-making stations where people can make easy DIYs like essential oil scrubs. Lay out some cute wrapping paper and invite your fellow procrastinators to celebrate with you right before the holiday.
8. Cocktails at Christmas Party
Instead of inviting your friends over for the traditional smorgasbord of baked goods, invite them over to sample some tasty holiday cocktails. You can find plenty of themed cocktail ideas online. Bonus points: put together a cocktail kit for a guest to take home with them. This is also the type of party where a White Elephant gift exchange promises to be extra fun!
9. Reindeer Flights Christmas Party
Reindeer work so hard on Christmas; they deserve to be the stars of our Christmas party themes once in a while. Decorate your house like it’s a whimsical wonderland and then roll out the beverages. While the adults try all the seasonal samples from the local breweries (get it, FLIGHTS?), have the kiddos make some bags of reindeer food (A.K.A. candy) to take home.
10. Trivia Nights Christmas Party
Game night plus Christmas party? Yes, please. Invite guests to bring a gift to place under the tree. Each time someone wins a round of trivia, they get to pick out a present! You get bonus points for creating your own Christmas-themed trivia questions.
Whether you use one of these Christmas party themes or create your very own, you’ll need themed decorations. Stop by and see us for all your party needs. We love hearing about people’s creative party ideas. We’ll happily help you put together everything you need to rock around your Christmas tree this season!
