9 alternative holiday party ideas to celebrate the season your way
As the year comes to an end, it’s a great time to start planning holiday parties that bring friends and family together—and there’s no wrong way to celebrate. While classic holiday parties, like traditional Christmas feasts and seasonal cocktail soirées, may get all the love in December, there are so many unique types of gatherings that capture the joy and excitement of the holidays, with a bit of an unconventional twist. Show off your creative side with these non-traditional holiday party ideas to spice up your season.
Unique fall gatherings
The air is getting crisper, the leaves are falling, and pumpkin spice flavoring is nearly everywhere you look. This can only mean one thing: autumn has arrived in full force. While fall is best known for Thanksgiving dinners and pumpkin-carving parties, there are plenty of other ways to take advantage of sweater weather with the people you love—and of course, plenty of pie.
Pies and pours
A pies and pours party, as you may have guessed, celebrates everyone’s favorite fall dessert: pie—and the delicious drinks that go with it. Invite friends and family to bring their favorite pies, whether they’re fruity, savory, or somewhere in between, along with a drink that complements their pie’s flavors. Consider pairings like pumpkin pie with a piping hot batch of spiked cider, or cherry pie with a freshly uncorked whiskey. Your home will be filled with the smells—and sips—of the season, for a night that will leave guests with full hearts and fuller bellies.
Friendsgiving potluck
A casual, friendly twist on a classic Thanksgiving Day feast, a Friendsgiving potluck brings together your found family and a variety of delicious food. Set the table with décor featuring autumnal colors like deep orange, yellow, and maroon. Prepare the main course, like a classic turkey, ham, or even a filling pasta dish. Then, invite your guests to bring their own side dishes, appetizers, or desserts. When you send Friendsgiving invitations with Paperless Post, you can share a sign-up spreadsheet with a Links Block and use the Guest Questions feature to ask about any dietary restrictions or allergies—so everyone can enjoy their tastiest Friendsgiving yet.
Fireside s’mores
If you have access to a backyard or fire pit, consider hosting a bonfire featuring everyone’s favorite outdoor treat—s’mores. After safely setting up a blaze and a few comfortable seats, lay out a collection of ingredients: graham crackers, chocolate bars, and of course, marshmallows. You can even add some optional extras like peanut butter, chocolate sauce, sprinkles, and anything else you need to assemble the perfect cozy dessert. Don’t forget to provide metal skewers or sticks to hold everything together while the marshmallows roast over the fire. Put on some festive seasonal music, lay out some cozy blankets for guests to wrap themselves in, and let the bonfire commence!
Non-traditional holiday parties
The colder months are full of holiday gatherings that make everyone feel jolly and bright. Whether you’re browsing unique Christmas party ideas, hosting a Hanukkah get-together with friends, or just looking to think outside of the box with some more unconventional winter celebrations, there are plenty of ways to come together this holiday season to embrace those magical moments.
Laid-back Friendsmas
Combine the festive fun of Christmas and the comforting joy of spending time with found family with a relaxing Friendsmas party. Hang your stockings by the chimney with care, set out milk and cookies, and open your doors to the people who filled your year with laughter. All you’ll need to host this non-traditional holiday party is a few shared drinks, some candles for a cozy ambiance, and a deliciously easy dinner: take-out food from your favorite local spot. Set a comfortable and casual dress code—or even make it an ugly sweater party. Friendsmas can be anything you want: turn the night into a Secret Santa gift swap, a cookie exchange, or just a low-key Christmas movie marathon featuring all your childhood favorites.
Cozy Chrismukkah
If you or your friends celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah, there’s no better way to bring everyone together than a lighthearted Chrismukkah party. Take elements from both traditions to create the perfect celebratory combination! Blend Hanukkah practices, like lighting the menorah, with classic Christmas elements like tree decorating or caroling, to create a custom Chrismukkah party that represents what makes both holidays special. Make it a latke and libations party with freshly fried treats and a few bottles of bubbly. Have a nosh or two while you play your favorite Christmas tunes, or host a lively dreidel tournament under the glow of the tree to keep the competitive spirit going well into the night. Don’t forget to leave out freshly baked cookies for Santa—maybe he’ll even enjoy some gelt along with them.
Favorite things party
A favorite things party is a unique holiday party idea that puts a twist on the classic gift exchange. While White Elephant or Secret Santa gift swap parties are great ways to unwrap joy with friends, a favorite things party allows you to share a little piece of yourself with everyone you love. Invite each guest to bring small gifts, or a favorite thing, that represents something unique to them. For example, they can bring a must-have hair product they keep in their beauty rotation, a favorite book they think everyone should read, or a special coffee brand they can’t start their day without.
A favorite things gift swap is a sweet, heartwarming way to show people who you are, what you love, and give everyone a little something special to take home. Make sure guests know to bring enough of their favorite thing to share with the whole party, and set a gift budget so everyone knows how much to spend, depending on how many guests you’re expecting. Your guests will end the night knowing something new about each other—and with a bag full of fun, meaningful goodies.
Activity ideas to spice up any winter gathering
Sharing gifts and sipping warm drinks will always be classic holiday gathering staples, but you can also add a few unique activities to your party agenda to liven things up. Consider incorporating these collaborative activities into your next winter fête to make the festivities even more memorable.
Decorate cookies
Satisfy that sweet tooth and bring extra joy to your holiday get-together with a cookie decorating party. Invite guests to bring their favorite sweet treats for a cookie exchange, or provide the cookies yourself and have everyone decorate to their liking using frosting, sprinkles, and any topping of your choosing. This gathering goes great with gingerbread, sugar cookies, or if you’re not up for baking a batch, feel free to buy a few dozen from the store and set them out on your fanciest plate…we promise we won’t tell.
Go caroling
Polish off those vocal cords and celebrate all the melodies of the holiday season with an evening of caroling. “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” and “O Holy Night” are tried and true favorites that everyone can sing along to, but don’t be afraid to step into the 21st century with more modern tunes like “Santa, Tell Me” by Ariana Grande or “Christmas Tree Farm” by Taylor Swift. Print out the lyrics, have guests read them off their phones, or if you’re feeling really confident, belt out the lyrics from memory. You can also turn it into a holiday karaoke sing-along! By the end of the night, everyone will feel like a holiday season superstar.
Trim the tree
There’s nothing that gets everybody into the holiday spirit quite like a tree trimming party. Untangle those lights, lay out your favorite ornaments, and put on some holiday tunes to get everyone in a jovial mood as they gather around the tree, sip some eggnog, and work together to create something beautiful.
Celebrate the holiday season your way with Paperless Post
No matter how you celebrate the holidays, there are so many ways to create unique moments of festive joy. Whether it’s an off-the-beaten-path Christmas movie night, a cozy s’more and pajama party, or a friendly dreidel tournament, Paperless Post is here to help you gather for any unforgettable celebration. Send a formal invitation for your family feast, or a fun invite to bring the group chat over for game night. There’s no wrong way to spend the winter months as long as you’re with the people you love most.