The holiday season is finally here, and it’s time to start planning some holiday parties with friends. Whether this is your first time throwing a holiday party, or you’re just having a hard time coming up with some ideas, you’ve come to the right place. Here are six ways you can take your next holiday party to the next level.
1. Decide on a Theme
Starting off with a theme is a great idea for Holiday Party planning because it gives your imagination a starting point. Once you decide on a theme, your mind will start flooding with possibilities. Once you decide on a theme, you’ll have a better idea of how you want to decorate your space, and you could even encourage guests to dress up to fit the theme for a costume contest.
Here are a few examples of holiday party themes:
- Tacky Christmas
- Vintage Christmas
- Winter Wonderland (all white)
- Christmas Movies
2. Create a Photo Booth Area
Rent a photo booth that prints out strips of photos and stickers for your friends to take home with them. Most photo booth companies will also provide an assortment of costume and dress-up accessories. Be sure to tell them the theme of your Holiday Party so they can bring items that match your theme.
If you’re on a budget, create your own photo booth area by hanging a plain white sheet or even wrapping paper as the backdrop and have people take their own photos on phones or Polaroid cameras.
3. Provide Small Holiday Party Favors
Having party favors for your Holiday Party guests will help make the party feel special. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy or expensive. You could bake a few holiday treats so everyone leaves with a small bag of baked goodies, or you could do something inexpensive like make a playlist of holiday tunes or offer seasonal candles, soaps, or lip balms for your guests to enjoy throughout the holiday season.
4. Have a Vaping Station
Set up a vaping station in a corner next to a window or even on an outside patio or balcony, if weather and space allow. Location really matters when setting up a vaping station at a party, as you want to choose an area that will be out of the major pathway.
Pick up some vape supplies and accessories, both for yourself and also for any friends who have never tried vaping and don’t know where to start.
5. Offer a Hot Cocoa Bar with Adult Beverages
Everybody usually has a bar set up at their holiday party. But let’s elevate this party in a memorable way by setting up a hot cocoa bar for grownups. There are tons of hot cocoa varieties out there. And when you throw in a full bar on top of it, the possibilities are endless.
Here are ingredients you’ll want to stock up on for your hot cocoa bar:
- Variety of Cocoa mixes (milk chocolate, white chocolate, dark chocolate, vegan chocolate)
- Variety of milk (skim milk, low-fat milk, half and half, soy milk, oat milk)
- Variety of coffee creamers (vanilla, caramel, mocha, peppermint, pumpkin spice)
- Variety of alcohol (rum, whiskey, vodka, and liqueurs)
6. Have Live Music or Karaoke with Holiday Tunes
Your holiday party wouldn’t be complete without holiday music. If you’re on a limited budget, you can do karaoke or simply make your own playlist of holiday songs, and if you have the budget, hiring live music will make your party hard to forget.
You could also hire musicians from the musical program at a local college or high school as they will be able to provide seasonal music but probably fit a smaller budget. Your guests will enjoy singing and dancing to however you choose to play the holiday tunes.
Whether this is your very first holiday party, or you’re a seasoned vet, there are bound to be some ideas you can use right here. Read through this list again and pick one or more of these tips to elevate your holiday party to the next level. Happy Holidays!
