Engaging Holiday Party Activities

Holiday Photobooth

The best holiday party entertainment has guests’ minds racing with the holiday spirit—one of magic, intrigue and giving. You have probably thought of the popular Christmas trivia and creative cookie decorating activities. Now let your imagination continue to soar, inspired by these unique holiday party ideas from our event planners.

Holiday Party Activities

Top Holiday Party Ideas

Holiday Party Activities That Inspire Exploration

There are lots of ways to facilitate a great flow through your holiday party space. Holiday menus with various food stations are a fantastic strategy, and so are scavenger hunt-inspired games. Here are some fun activities that will have guests searching all over your space:

  • Find that guest: When guests arrive, give them a sheet with a series of statements about guests and ask them to try to fill in all the names. First one to get them all right wins a holiday prize.
  • Hidden treasures gift exchange: There are so many variations of the classic white elephant gift exchange. To encourage guests to start exploring your holiday party space, try a game of “hidden presents.”
    • How it works: Ask each guest to bring a present. Upon arrival, have them hide it and give them a notecard to write a clue about its location. At dinner, they will give the clue sheet to another guest, and then the search is on!
  • Holiday photo booths: Set up a photo booth at entry with a map to indicate where all the other photo booths are scattered throughout your holiday party space. When they take their final photo at the exit, let them print out all their memories as a collage photo.

Holiday Photobooth

Energetic Holiday Party Games

Once guests have had a chance to mix and mingle and maybe enjoy a signature cocktail or two, give them a way to burn off some of their energy. To get them moving, you could stage a dance floor with red and green lights and holiday music. But to get them more than moving—to get them racing—coordinate these festive challenges:

  • Penguin race: Guests will waddle like a penguin in a big rush when they race with an elastic band around their legs.
  • Race to fill your stocking: Line up a series of stockings across the room and give guests a bag of candy canes. Ready, set, go put a candy cane in your stocking. And then another, and another…first one to get 10 candy canes in their stocking wins!
  • Santa hat sack race: Paint burlap bags like Santa hats and guests will be hopping away to victory and a prize.

Fill Your Stocking Race

Holiday Arts and Crafts That Give Back

Your guests will feel anything but alone at your holiday party. And they will feel extra grateful to be surrounded by so many wonderful people when they are reminded that others are not so fortunate. Being a family business tightly connected to our Lewiston community, we know how good it feels to help others. And your guests can enjoy this same wonderful feeling when you facilitate one of these charitable holiday party activities:

  • Christmas cards: Guests take some time to sit down, relax, and write a heartfelt message in cards being sent to a nursing home. To encourage them to take their time and enjoy the moment, we suggest setting up a custom hot chocolate bar nearby.
  • Stuff a bear: Kids love to make their own teddy bear. And they will be all smiles when they write their name on the to/from card that hangs around his neck to indicate that he is for a child in need.
  • Wrap it up: Ask guests to bring a present to wrap and donate to a homeless shelter. With plenty of fun wrapping paper, ribbon and bows, they will have fun with this act of good cheer.
  • Gingerbread house coloring: Set out papers with the outline of gingerbread houses and give kids crayons to color in and decorate them as they see fit. From a tipsy chimney to a snowflake front door, it’s all up to them. At the exit, have a bin where they can drop off their “masterpiece” to go to a charitable home building organization. At the same time, parents can make a monetary donation if they like.

Christmas Card Making Holiday Party Activity

From planning your activities to designing your custom menu, we make holiday party planning fun and simple. To ensure guests have a memorable experience at your gathering, contact us online or give us a call at 208.743.0179.

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