Host a Legendary Holiday Party

Written By Bill Himbaugh

The holiday season is the perfect time to gather friends, family, and loved ones together to celebrate. Whether you're hosting a casual gathering or a festive extravaganza, planning a holiday party can be both exciting and overwhelming. However, with a little bit of creativity and preparation, you can throw an event everyone will remember. Here’s your step-by-step guide to hosting the ultimate holiday party, covering themes, activities, guest lists, invitations, signature drinks, music, and more.

Choose a Theme to Set the Tone

The first step in planning your holiday party is to decide on a theme. A solid theme can set the tone for the entire event, help with decorations, and guide your choices for food, drinks, and entertainment. Here are a few popular ideas:

  • Winter Wonderland: Think snowflakes, sparkling lights, icy blue and white décor, and cozy vibes. You can decorate with faux snow, and hang twinkling fairy lights.

  • Ugly Sweater Party: Invite guests to wear their most outrageous holiday sweaters. Decorate with colorful garlands, oversized ornaments, and kitschy holiday decorations..

  • Classic Christmas: For a traditional holiday vibe, opt for red and green décor, a beautifully decorated Christmas tree, and a spread of classic Christmas treats.

  • New Year's Eve Bash: Ring in the New Year with Music, Lights, sparkling champagne, a fancy dress code, and midnight countdowns. Incorporate gold, silver, and black in your décor to create a festive atmosphere.

  • Holiday Movie Marathon: Whether you are a fan of White Christmas and A Miracle on 34th Street, or welcome the season with Die Hard and Gremlins (all Christmas movies!) celebrate with a projector and screen, have popcorn ready, and encourage guests to come dressed as their favorite characters.


Set the Mood with Signature Drinks

No holiday party is complete without some festive beverages, and a signature drink is a great way to tie the theme of your party together. You can offer both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options to cater to all your guests. Here are some signature drink ideas based on different themes:

Plan Fun Activities

While food, drinks, and music are essential, activities can be the most memorable part of your holiday party. Offering fun, interactive experiences will keep guests entertained and make your party stand out. Here are some activity ideas:

Curate the Perfect Holiday Playlist

Music makes the mood and can make or break your party. Rent a pro sound system to wow your guests and curate a playlist that matches the theme of your event . Consider mixing some classic holiday tunes with upbeat tracks for a fun atmosphere. Here’s a breakdown of what you could include:

Set the Scene

Decorations bring the theme to life and create a festive mood. Here are some ideas for transforming your home into a holiday wonderland:

  • Lighting: Up lights can instantly make any space feel magical. Put them in the corners or on the walls to get the best effect. If you’re going for a Winter Wonderland theme, focus on icy blue or white lights. or classic red and green.

  • Table Settings: Whether you’re serving food buffet-style or a sit-down dinner, add some holiday-themed table settings. Think red and green linens, gold chargers, festive napkin rings, and even holiday-themed plates and glassware.

  • Holiday Scents: Set the mood with holiday scents using candles, diffusers, or simmer pots with ingredients like cinnamon sticks, orange peels, and cloves. These smells can transport your guests straight into the holiday spirit.

A Festive Feast

No party is complete without delicious food. A holiday buffet is a great way to keep things casual, while a plated dinner adds a touch of elegance. Some crowd-pleasing options include:

  • Appetizers: Cheese platters, shrimp cocktail, deviled eggs, stuffed mushrooms, and cranberry brie bites are festive and easy to serve.

  • Main Course: For a sit-down meal, think roast turkey, glazed ham, or a vegetarian option like stuffed squash. Serve alongside mashed potatoes, green beans, and fresh bread rolls.

  • Desserts: Holiday-themed cookies (gingerbread, sugar cookies), pie (pumpkin, apple, pecan), and a rich chocolate yule log cake are classic choices. Alternatively, provide some bite-sized desserts like cake pops or truffles.

How Can Doo Wop Help?

  • Doo Wop rents everything you need for sound, and lights this season. We can even deliver it and set it up for you.

  • The Bose L1 Pro8 is the perfect sound system for a party of 50 or fewer people. Great for that holiday playlist.

  • Use the Chauvet SlimPar64 Uplight to cast green and red accents all around the room

  • Rent the Small Streaming Karaoke Package for your Holiday Karaoke version of The Voice!

  • Pick up a screen, projector, and stand to show holiday movies while your guests celebrate!

Final Thoughts

Hosting a holiday party takes time and effort, but spending time with loved ones makes it worthwhile. With the right theme, activities, music, drinks, and food, you can create an unforgettable experience. Remember to have fun and embrace the spirit of the season—after all, the best holiday parties are those filled with laughter, joy, and good company!

Bill Himbaugh