Holiday Party Plans

The holiday season is a perfect time to enjoy the company of those you love, which is why most of us throw some kind of holiday get together to get everybody in the same place at the same time.  You may have a long-established holiday tradition for getting everybody together this time of year, but in case you are stumped on ideas for entertaining your guests this season; here are some brilliant holiday party ideas to consider:

• The classic ‘white elephant’ concept is one that I’ve enjoyed both as a kid AND an adult. As if you didn’t already know; a white elephant party is a gift exchange where everybody attending buys something fairly inexpensive and wraps it up for a yet-to-be-determined recipient. Such gifts can be hilarious, useful, gadget-esque, or even destined for a lifetime of dust collection never to move from your closet shelf. Whatever the characteristic of your gift, you’re sure to get a good laugh or two along with everybody else which is what makes this holiday party theme so popular!
• Another gift-related idea is a post-holiday gift exchange party. Everybody gets gifts that don’t exactly fit us. The classic proverb rings true though, one mans trash is another mans treasure. This idea is self explanatory; move aside the guilt of gift disowning, gather your unwanted presents and hope for the best. To make this idea work best, keeping the gifts wrapped is a must. Each gift barer is assigned a number, which is jotted onto a small scrap of paper and tossed into a hat. As each gift is presented, a number is drawn and onlookers watch as the new recipient reacts to their replacement gift. Again; this is a gift party sure to insight widespread laughter and good times. You may come home with your new most prized possession; who knows?
• The holidays are an excellent time to give in to gluttony temptations as well, so a holiday pot-luck is a brilliant way to enjoy the company of your favorite people. Just prepare your favorite dish or beverages and bring them for everybody to consume and enjoy. This is a really interesting get together as everybody seems to have his or her traditional holiday snacks or entrees, some of which are rather addicting!
• My personal favorite is the ever popular ‘tacky holiday sweater party’. I used to get a custom knitted sweater from my grandmother at Christmas every year. Why she would assume that such a ridiculous article of clothing would be something a cool kid like me would enjoy; I have no idea. Nonetheless; she faithfully showed off her intricate knitting skills every year with a vibrant one-of-a-kind (literally!) Christmas sweater. The gesture was very moving, and the funny thing is; she was successful in her efforts to make a gift I would enjoy. I used to love sporting my outrageous granny-sweater to crack up my friends during the holidays. The holiday sweater party should have been my grandmothers and my idea! Another simple concept; just throw on your grandmother’s best knitted work, (or purchase one at a thrift store if your granny isn’t as thoughtful as mine!) and you’re ready to party! You’ll be warm, and holding your sides from violent laughter all night! The tacky holiday sweater party is loads of fun and gives grandma a reason to bust out her crochet gear for you each year. Take pictures to show her how much you love her and her gift and you’ll be sporting a new sweater every year! Your grandmother may even live longer from the fuel of satisfaction she gets from your love of her moving gift.
• Lastly; for those that have a friend or loved one who is unlucky enough to be moving during the holidays, throwing a holiday house-warming party is an excellent way to alleviate some of the stress they may be shouldering, and a way to get everybody together during the holidays. Moving is not fun, but with your help, your friends who are moving during the holidays can enjoy the season much more than they could otherwise.

Whatever holiday party plans you have this year, just have fun with it.  Hopefully these ideas get your party gears moving.  There are endless possibilities for your holiday party endeavors, and you may just birth a new holiday party tradition!  Happy holidays everybody!