Coral, experiences and hands on activities are some of the hottest holiday party trends this year. What does that mean for your holiday party?
It means think outside of the box of green and red decor and winter wonderlands parties.
If you already have decorated or planned your party, no worries, just add a little something to make the party unique.
I was recently listening to the podcast #Eventicons episode 159 How To Celebrate in Style the Hottest Holiday Trends of 2019 and was inspired by some of the ideas shared.
While the guests spoke about holiday parties for businesses, some of these ideas could be created for your personal home party.
Get your 2019 Holiday Party Trends cheat sheet here
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Holiday Trend – Give your guests an experience
While you may not be hosting your party at the latest trendy place, you could switch up it up and host your holiday party outside of your home.
What is one of your favorite places to hang out? Is there a trendy restaurant with a private room? Try hosting it there.
We have a local winery that has a private space and it would be a fun atmosphere for a party. Think about places in your immediate area and give them a call to book the space.
Party on a Budget
Not in your budget to take the party outside your home? No problem! Bring the experience to your guests.
Some ideas you could do in your own home include:
Christmas movie themed party.
Christmas Vacation
What about a crazy party themed after Christmas Vacation? LOTS of Christmas lights, best Uncle Eddie costume contest, selfie station set up with a fake squirrel on your Christmas tree…
A Christmas Story
Set up a leg lamp in the living room
Serve mashed potatoes
Have a selfie station with Red Ryder BB gun or a pink bunny suit
Triple Dog Dare guests to drink some tang
Elf
Offer your guests the ultimate candy table selection
Set up a selfie station with Buddy
Take the party on the road
Rent a party bus to view Christmas lights. Compare rates for companies that offer party buses and book the company with the best offer.
Have your guests meet at your house, then board the party bus and spend the evening looking at Christmas lights in the surrounding neighborhoods.
You can have easy snacks and drinks to take on the road, blast the Christmas music and enjoy the evening with your friends.
Here comes Santa
Invite your guests over for a private party with the big man himself! Bring in Santa and give all the guests a chance to tell Santa their wish lists. This is a great family fun party.
Give back to others
Instead of having a party at your house, select a date with a food pantry or other volunteer organization and invite all your guests to come out and give back to the community in place of the normal holiday party.
Forget the Christmas Party
Want to do something totally outside of the traditional Christmas party theme?
Forget hosting the party before the holidays. Try something different and host a New Year get together on New Year’s Day or the Saturday after the new year.
It’s one less event to worry about or squeeze in before the holidays and it gives your guests something to look forward to after the holiday rush.
Food and Drink Holiday Party Trends
Anywhere you look on Pinterest these days you see some sort of food or specialty drink bar. It’s fun and the guests get to be involved with whatever they are eating or drinking.
Forget the veggie tray! Bring out the ultimate Charcuterie display! Have fun with this.
Go to the store and pick up a variety of cheeses (if you have a Trader Joe’s near you, I highly recommend their cheese selection!).
You can stop at the olive bar at your grocery store and select some stuffed olives and pickled veggies to put out as well.
Don’t forget a variety of unique crackers, sliced meats, nuts and fruits to finish off the display.
When you lay out the food, have fun with it.
For years we have seen rows of crackers between rows of cheeses and meats. Toss this idea to the side and get a little messy! No, I don’t mean have a mess on the table. Set things out with a little pizzazz. It’s ok if the food is not in neat rows.
Bring the Holiday Trend with You
Last Christmas I took a bruschetta bar to a family party. I had three different dips, three cheeses and three type of crackers.
I made a list of suggested pairings and let everyone create their own. It became a big talking point, and everyone was enjoying the fun of trying new pairings.
I picked up some unique dips from World Market.
This idea still fits with this year’s holiday trend of giving the attendees the opportunity to get involved with their food.
You could also set up any other forms of a food bar.
Don’t forget the drink selections
Try something new and offer up a wide selection of craft beers if that’s your thing.
Also big this year are the hard seltzer drinks.
Of course, you can have a wine bar and have a large selection of different wines.
If you have a local winery, stop in to enjoy a tasting and support a local business by buying from their selections.
Taste Testing at a Home
Pick up a wide selection of craft beers, moonshine or wine and have a tasting event at your trending holiday party.
Holiday Trend – Move Your Body
To get your guests moving around the party, don’t set up all the food and drink in one area.
Set up food stations around your party area. This will get guests moving and mingling.
If you have a few appetizers, separate them between two tables and place the drinks across the room.
Otherwise, if you put all the food and drinks in the kitchen, guess where your guests will be hanging out most of the party. Or they’ll grab their food and drinks and head straight to the open chair and sit there all night.
Holiday Trend Activities
Get your guests up and moving, not just for food and drinks but for fun too! Get them involved with something.
Here are a list of activities you could set up at your party:
- Set up a gingerbread house station
- Ugly sweater sugar cookie decorating. Offer sugar cookies in the shape of a sweater and set out icing and candies and let the guests decorate their ugly but yummy sweater.
- As I mentioned earlier, invite Santa to the party and let everyone share their list with him and take a selfie.
- Selfie photo station – Set up a photo station and put out fun props for guests to enjoy. If you selected a theme for your party, have props for the theme available.
- Ask guests to bring their own old, plain sweater and make their own ugly sweater
- Make a blanket for someone – many places collect fleece tie blankets to give to either Vets, cancer patients and children. Buy material and have a station set up do your guests can gather around a blanket and chat while making a difference.
Holiday Party Trend Colors
The colors for this year’s party are a little updated from the normal red, green and white.
In recent years, we have seen an increase in blues. The combinations have been blue & silver, blue & Champagne. The blue trend continues with this year’s mix of dark blues with reds.
You can also incorporate deep oranges and burgundy into your color scheme.
Or be a bit of a Christmas tradition rebel and use pinks mixed with rose gold.
The color of the year is coral so you could put a spin on your Christmas decor and incorporate corals into your holiday. You could have a beautiful floral arrangement with coral roses for your gathering.
When you are decorating for your party, make sure you include decorating your bar. Your guests may be visiting that area often, so be sure to add a few simple colorful touches there.
Be the Trendy Holiday Party Hostess
Stand out from the rest with this year’s holiday party trends.
We all have been to the same parties year after year. Whether it’s a party with a cocktail hour, followed by a sit down dinner then desserts or a potluck open house, we’ve all been attending and throwing these types of parties for years.
I’m not complaining, it is our comfort zone. We host what we know.
But shake it up this year. Be the host who steps outside of the normal and shakes things up. Your guests will enjoy it and they’ll remember the experience.
And of course, create a hashtag for your trendy holiday party so you can see all the great pictures your guests take!
Don’t Forget your 2019 Holiday Party Trend Cheat sheet!
Need some additional help preparing for your party? Check out these articles.
5 Quick Cleaning Tips for Your Party
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