I Need Christmas Party Ideas!!!

[simonkodousek]

Hi Everyone!

Well, I'm having my 1st annual Christmas party next Friday (the 12th) and I need some creative ideas for what to do and how to decorate so I'm counting on my beloved crew of DIS'ers.

I'm hosting the party with my best friend and both her and I love tacky holiday stuff. We've already planned the food and beverage stuff and some of the activities, but we're stumped on how to decorate.

The party will be held in my finished basement which has a dining area, a living area (with a gigantic TV) and a bar... don't get any ideas Mindy!

We'll definitely be putting up a Christmas tree with blinking multi-colored lights and tacky ornaments. I was also thinking of wrapping lights and garland around this column thing in the middle of the room, and maybe putting lights and garland on the banister and around the bar.

What do ya'll think of hanging those home-made paper snowflakes from the ceiling?

If anybody could offer opinions, thoughts, or advice, they would be appreciated!

Thanks,
Simon

BTW, there will be roughly 15-20 people at the party.

 

[UrsulasShadow]

Do you have access to pine and fir trees? Cut a few boughs, and either make bouquets out of them tied up with pretty Christmas ribbon, or lash them onto that column and string lights onto them (fresh cut boughs smell nice, too). Don't forget paper chains, stringing popcorn and cranberries into garlands!

Play Rudolph, Frosty, Grinch movies on the TV.

Lock the bar.

 

[simonkodousek]

That's a really great idea Mindy! Thanks! I'm going to see if we can get some boughs later today or tomorrow.

The bar has already been cleared of all alcoholic beverages which have been replaced with soda, energy drinks, and eggnog.

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

What kind of lighting do you have in the room? Are there any bulbs you can swap out with red and/or green light bulbs? You can usually find them fairly inexpensive at places like Target or Walmart.

 

[simonkodousek]

What kind of lighting do you have in the room? Are there any bulbs you can swap out with red and/or green light bulbs? You can usually find them fairly inexpensive at places like Target or Walmart.

We have recessed lights with dimmers. I'm not 100% sure that they fit the normal bulbs, but I'll check and then go to Wal-Mart and search for the colored bulbs. Great idea!

 

[grizbuzz]

Here are my ideas:

-Do you have a dollar store in your area? They are usually good places to get cheap, tacky holiday decorations. Santa hats, elf hats and lots of other stuff.
-Cookie Decorating Contest: set up station to decorate cookies. Can have a contest for best one.
-Ornament Decorating Contest: see above
-Caroling: Give everyone a candle and words to Christmas songs and go to the neighbors with some songs

Here are some activity ideas, if you still can still get hold of guests:
-FunUgly Shirt/Sweater Contest: ask people to wear funnest/uglies shirt/sweater in holiday spirit (in eye of beholder as to whether it is fun or just plain ugly

-White Elephant Gift Giving: Each person brings a new or used outlandish gift (say $10 maximum) to the party. At the party, everyone grabs a number. First number opens a gift. Next number either selects an unopened gift or nabs a gift that someone has already opened and then have to get a new unopened gift. Any particular gift can only be nabbed two times (so it sticks with third person who gets it). I think those are the rules. They can be modified to however suits you and guests.

-Toys for Tots: Everyone brings a toy to donate to local charity

 

[klam_chowder]

Don't forget the mistletoe!

cheers,

 

[OKW Lover]

Do you have access to pine and fir trees? Cut a few boughs, and either make bouquets out of them tied up with pretty Christmas ribbon, or lash them onto that column and string lights onto them (fresh cut boughs smell nice, too). Don't forget paper chains, stringing popcorn and cranberries into garlands!

Play Rudolph, Frosty, Grinch movies on the TV.

Lock the bar.

Great ideas Mindy. You must work in a garden shop or something.

Or perhaps a bar.

 

[simonkodousek]

There are all great ideas everyone! I'm writing them down in my party planning notebook as we 'speak.'