by Robyn Burnett

Tired of your traditional holiday party? Looking for ways to bring some magic back into the season? Try adding a theme! It’s a great way to get into the holiday spirit as well as exchange gifts, learn new traditions and more. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Secret Santa Stocking Party
This idea works well if you have lots of friends who want to exchange gifts, but not break the bank. Come up with a set dollar amount to spend on contents, then get your guests to pick up a stocking (found at most dollar stores) and fill it up with fun goodies such as a holiday CD, chocolates, or a gift certificate. When guests arrive, place all the stockings under the tree. As the evening goes on, have everyone pick a number from a Santa hat. Number 1 gets to pick the first stocking (no peeking!) and it goes from there. Everyone has a merry time and goes home with a gift!

Cookie Exchange
What better way to get into the holiday spirit than by baking? Everyone has their own fun family holiday cookie recipe. Get your guests to bring a tin of their favorites and set up an exchange at your party. Or make a whole range of holiday cookies, and rather than a wine tasting evening, have a cookie tasting challenge. The person who can guess the correct amount of cookies goes home with the cookies of their choice.

A Classic Christmas
This theme works well when you’re looking to throw a family party. Create mulled wine for the adults (mulled cider for the kids) and set up a little crafts table where the children can make their own special ornaments. Try some classic Christmas clapping games, or if you have the space, dancing! Modify classic party games such as Pin the Tail on the Donkey to fit a holiday theme. Create gingerbread men that the children can decorate themselves. Or go one step further and have the kids all decorate a gingerbread house. As the evening goes on, the adults can take turns reading classic holiday tales to their captive (and hopefully sleepy!) audience.

Tree Trimming Party
Similar to the Classic Christmas party, all of your guests bring special ornaments and help you decorate your holiday tree. A variation on this includes having your guests write a special wish on a colored holiday card which has a ribbon poked through. Once done, hang all the cards on the tree. Then, as your guests are leaving, have them take one of the cards with them so they have their own special holiday wish.

Here We Come a Wassailing
Why have your party take place indoors when you can go out carol singing? Find a charity you’d like to support, and take your merriment on the road as you sing from door to door and wish your neighbours good cheer. When you’re done, head back to the house for some warming hot chocolate and tasty nibblies.

Toys for Toddlers ‘Tis the season for giving, and why not help out families in need? Ask your guests to bring either a toy, or a food item that can then be delivered to one of many charities that is looking for donations around the holidays. There are also opportunities to sponsor a family which would allow your guests to bring toys specific to the ages of the kids in the family you are sponsoring.

International Holiday Party Turkey, Santa, stuffing and stockings aren’t universal. Why not adopt another culture for the holidays? Serve Swedish glögg and saffron cake, and have a Saint Lucia procession. Or go Mexican, serve chocolate caliente and bring out a festive piñata to strike! Consider a cultural holiday potluck, asking your friends to bring a dish symbolic of their own ethnic background. It’s a great way to celebrate both the holidays and multiculturalism.

Christmas Cocktail Hour Candy cane martinis anyone? How about some spiked eggnog? What about a Midori Grinch or a Scroogedriver? Keep the nibbles in the red, white and green categories (and green olives with pimentos in martinis do count!). Christmas doesn’t have to just be for kids. Get the adults out for a sophisticated evening of conversation, sexy holiday cocktails and festive frivolity. Just make sure that mistletoe doesn’t get too much action, or you may make Santa’s naughty list!