A Season to Remember
Fun Holiday Party Ideas…
The true magic of the holiday season has nothing to do with fancy gifts in elaborate packaging. Perfectly wrapped presents are wonderful to give and receive, but the best gift to share with your loved ones is quality time. Those polished, store-bought baubles – as shiny and radiant as they are – could never compare to the handprint or glued pasta ornament your child made in preschool, or the tiny, dog-eared paper frame that holds your childhood photo, dangling from a fresh-cut tree. It’s the smell of cookies baking, the art of stringing together the perfect popcorn garland, and finding just the right branch to string your twinkling lights on. It’s singing carols together and watching those classic holiday movies that always manage to bring a tear to your eye. The joy of honoring traditions with family and friends – or making new ones as you go along – is what makes the magic of the holiday season come to life.
This year, find a unique way to truly celebrate the holidays with the people you love. Whether it’s reliving old traditions with your immediate family, taking a unique approach to a holiday party with friends or seizing an opportunity to connect with perfect strangers, we hope this list of fun ways to celebrate will inspire you to find the shiniest part of the holidays. Hint: it’s love!
The Folks that Bake Together Stay Together
Baking together is a bonding experience. Invite your friends to bring their favorite recipe and ingredients to the table and share your kitchen as you make your most prized holiday treats together. Make sure there is enough finished product for all partygoers to enjoy some of each recipe. New friendships are sure to be made, and everyone is likely to go home with a new holiday recipe to try. Remember: calories don’t count during the holidays. You can worry about that in January.
Host an Hors d’Oeuvres-Only Party
Sure, main courses are all well and good, but let’s face it – sometimes, we wish we could just get full on delicious finger foods! Why not make appetizers the highlight of your holiday party? Skip the big sit-down dinner and have your guests bring their favorite quick bites to share. Have guests cast their vote for their favorite (it can’t be their own!) and have a prize for the winner.
Family Sleepover, Anyone?
Welcome a few of your favorite families over to enjoy good food, a holiday movie, board games, ghost stories or a good old-fashioned dance party! This family-friendly approach to fun means everyone can enjoy quality time for the holidays. Bring sleeping bags, blankets, pillows and air mattresses, and a favorite food and beverage to share.
Adult Sleepover, Anyone?
Need a kid-free night? We can’t blame you. Bring your coziest pjs, fluffy socks and a bottle of your favorite beverage to share. Whether it’s a bottle of red, spiked egg nog, a hot toddy or your favorite cocktail, the designated driver can have the night off. Throw in a white elephant gift exchange for good measure. The first one asleep makes breakfast for everyone in the morning!
Caroling, Caroling Through the Town
Love to sing? Gather a few like minds and share some sweet sounds in a park or along a trail. Plan to visit neighbors who would enjoy a serenade. Consider it a flash mob for vocalists. Bonus points if you welcome the small (or large) crowd that may gather to join you. There’s magic in singing those carols that have made so many smile through the years.
Host an Ornament-Making Party
Let your inner crafter take the reins on this one. Pull together some odds and ends from your craft supply stash and welcome your friends to do the same. Have a few foundational items to start with – like fillable ornaments, miniature picture frames or pinecones – and have a community pile of paintbrushes, scissors and glue on hand for everyone to use. Play some music in the background, pour some wine, hot chocolate or apple cider, and let creativity, conversation and laughter take over.
Host an International Food Fest
Invite your friends to make (or bring) a dish that honors their family roots. Have guests share the name of the dish they brought, the country of origin and when they first ate it or learned to make it. Sharing stories is a way of making the world beautifully small. Good food and good conversation are the gateway to new friendships.
Season every dish and moment with a little more love. Wishing you and yours a holiday season full of light, laughter and loved ones.
