The holiday season is the perfect time to celebrate with friends and colleagues. But why stop at the holidays? Any time of year is a good time to spend with loved ones. Whether the goal is to eat and be merry, scrapbook those old pictures, raise awareness for a charity, or chill out after a hectic week, there are many reasons to host/attend a good holiday party for adults.
Food and Drink Christmas Party Ideas
Try any of the following holiday and Christmas party ideas for adults with a food theme:
- Cookie swap - Come with one type of cookie, leave with many!
- Pie tasting party - Perfect for Thanksgiving.
- Online recipe swap - Don’t forget long distance friends. Host an online recipe swap and make some new contacts too!
- Wine tasting - Great for couples, this party may be just what the doctor ordered.
- Beer brewing party - Many breweries will host adult birthday parties or work group gatherings. Choose a favorite brew from the menu and concoct a batch to take home!
- Pot luck recipe tasting - Want to try a new recipe out? Why not let friends taste-test it first.
- Dips and chips contest - The host provides the chips and guests bring the dips to this fun-filled food judging party. Everyone casts a vote for her favorite.
Charitable Holiday Gatherings
There's no better time of year than the holidays to be charitable. Check out these great holiday party ideas for adults for charity:
- Adopt-a-family - Contact a local Good Neighbor organization and adopt a family in need. Ask friends to help purchase, gather, and wrap items for delivery.
- Letters to soldiers party - Provide some hot cider or cocoa, holiday music, pens and paper and let guests express their deepest thanks to the men and women risking their lives overseas.
- Charity basket assembly - Make beautiful baskets full of toys, nonperishable food items, paper products, pet items, or anything else that might be in need around the holidays (or any day).
Craft Themed Holiday Decorating Parties
Love arts and crafts? Then why not host a crafty holiday party for your adult friends? Any one of the following craft themes would be perfect for the holiday season:
- Scrapbooking party - Dust off the shoebox full of holiday, vacation, or other photos to bring to this gathering.
- Holiday card-making party - Get some nice paper, inkpads and stamps, ribbons, and markers and have fun creating holiday, birthday, or seasonal greeting cards for loved ones.
- Ornament party - Provide an example and spend a few hours crafting with friends.
- Tea and tree - Host an afternoon tea party and enlist the help of friends to decorate a Christmas tree.
- Green yard decorating - Decorate an outdoor eco-friendly tree or snowman with friends for nature’s little critters.
Gift Themed Christmas Party Ideas
Instead of just exchanging the same old gifts, a party host may want to try a special gift themed holiday party, like one of the ideas below:
- White elephant swap - Bring your tackiest, unused items to this entertaining holiday party.
- Book review or swap - Read a classic holiday novel such as A Christmas Carol and attend a book party. Or, host a book gift exchange.
- Toy swap for kids - Have toys in good condition that the children are sick of? Bring them to this Christmas gift swap and come home with “new” toys for the kids: they’ll never suspect a thing!
- Family photo day - Know a good photographer? Invite him or her as a special guest and provide a holiday photo service for couples or families.
- Sexy teddy exchange - Got books, games, nighties, or mugs with sexy sayings? This is a wildly entertaining gift exchange for adults.
Relaxing Holiday Gatherings
Not in the mood to scramble during the holiday season? Try hosting a more relaxing holiday party for adults. Try one of these holiday party ideas:
- Classic Christmas movie night - Relaxing with a touching Christmas film after working hard or shopping is the perfect way to spend an evening with friends.
- Massage/pamper party - Recruit a massage therapist and offer massages to party guests for a cheaper fee.
Take a moment to enjoy important adult friendships during the holidays or any day. Host a social gathering or suggest a good party theme idea to another and help out with the arrangements. Get re-acquainted with old friends and make some new ones this Christmas, New Year's or any other time of the year.
Karen Plumley - Karen Plumley is a writer specializing in parenting and education. She works for Parenting NH and the Hippo, NH's most widely read ...
