Christmas Party Ideas and Advice

With the arrival of darker evenings, a definite chill in the air and twinkling lights decorating high streets everywhere, Christmas is well on its way – bringing with it a season of festivities, feasts and dancing. If you’re getting guest-ready this holiday season, we’re here to help! Whether you’re planning a drinks party, dinner and a Christmas movie with friends or a big family get together, our Christmas party ideas are full of tips and inspiration.

From Christmas party games for all the family to table settings and decorations, take the stress out of hosting at home with this simple guide.

The guests

Perhaps the most important step when it comes to organising a successful Christmas party at home is choosing and inviting your guests! For a smaller Christmas dinner party, opt for people that have something in common to get the conversation flowing. If you’re holding a larger celebration, inviting people from different groups, as well as family members, is a great way to get the people you care about most together in one place.

It’s worth thinking about the size and layout of your home – how many people can you comfortably accommodate? Consider your dining area, seating options and where people will sleep if they’re coming a long way (sofa beds are a great option here).

The theme

Though not essential, introducing a theme to your Christmas dinner party will always add an extra element of fun. A few good theme ideas for festive parties include 1920s glamour, your favourite Christmas movie or even a best of British celebration (fancy dress optional!). For a slightly more subtle theme, why not choose a colour scheme for the party? Keep this consistent across your decorations, lights and tableware and the evening is guaranteed to be a showstopper.

The invitations

Following on from the above, invitations are a great way to give your guests a taste of what the evening has in store for them. If you have a theme planned, make sure you let your guests know about it! This is a great chance to get your partygoers excited, so go all out – think glitter, faux snow and seasonal illustrations. Handmade cards are a lovely personal touch so get your craft materials out if you have time to spare.

Remember to give your guests plenty of notice to ensure that everyone can make it.

A little extra help: Welcome your guests by making a simple but effective handmade bauble wreath to hang on the front door?

The Christmas party decorations

Time to deck the halls – this is where the fun really begins! If you’ve chosen a theme, this will guide your Christmas decoration choices. For a cohesive look, stick to a chosen colour palette. If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to Christmas party ideas for decorations, take a look at our four top festive interior trends – do you prefer Country Gathering, Elegance, Refined Nature or the glitz and glamour of Party Nights? From a contemporary twist on a winter wonderland to more traditional Christmas colours, the options are endless!

Divide your decorations into four key groups: lighting, festive foliage, Christmas ornaments and candles and lanterns to create a cosy atmosphere. By opting for a range of different decoration types, you can ensure that your space feels thoroughly festive.

A little extra help: For more inspiration, take a look at our 10 ideas for decorating your home at Christmas.

The drinks

Few things conjure up that festive feeling like a Christmassy drink. From hot chocolates to warming cocktails and mulled wine, ensure that you have drinks at the ready to welcome your guests with. If you’re after wow-factor, it’s worth investing in bar accessories for the festive season. An attractive array of wine coolers, cocktail shakers and ice buckets will help you and your guests to enjoy your drinks in style. Similarly, it’s important to consider your glassware. A set of matching cocktail glasses, tumblers or champagne flutes will create a lovely feeling of festive splendour.

The food

When planning the food for your party, consider the number of guests and style of celebration you’re holding. For large numbers of people, a selection of canapes presented on stylish serveware always goes down a treat and can be prepared ahead of time – leaving you to enjoy the festivities.

If you’re looking for tasty crowd-pleasers, take a look at these recipes for a delicious butternut squash, cavolo nero and goat’s cheese tart, a white chocolate and marmalade loaf, or the ultimate brownies. The key is to focus on great ingredients and find recipes that don’t require mountains of work at the last minute.

A little extra help: Make sure you haven’t forgotten anything by checking out our guide to preparing for guests at Christmas.

The table

The dining table is often the centrepiece when hosting a holiday party at home – whether you’re all sitting down to eat or using it to display Christmassy canapes and drinks. Create the perfect Christmas themed tablescape by decorating with garlands, fairylights, festive floral arrangements and candles.

If you’re sitting down to eat, it’s worth investing in some special Christmassy tableware that you’ll be able to bring out year after year.

A little extra help: If you want to create a statement centrepiece, take a look at these Christmas table decoration ideas.

The Christmas party games

No party is complete without entertainment of some sort, and a festive dinner party lends itself particularly well to a little organised fun! Whether it’s a carol concert organised by the kids, a simple team game (when in doubt, charades is guaranteed to bring out some healthy competition) or after dinner dancing, this time of year is brilliant for bringing out the fun side in everyone. If you want to continue this playfulness into your outdoor decorations, a festive inflatable will bring a smile to everyone’s faces.

And there we have it, our top Christmas party ideas to help you plan an evening to remember! If you’re hosting a Christmas party at home this year, make sure to share your festive tablescapes and decoration ideas with us @Homebase_UK.