No matter what the age range of your adult guests, the best Christmas Party requires each attendee to bring a date. In addition, the dress code should specify business casual +. There is just something about being with someone around the Holidays, dressed up with a place to be, surrounded by happy people. It’s not a party you want a 5 to 1 male to female ratio or the single bitter, grumpy, no love guy in a drunken stupor bringing negative energy to the best time of year. Trust me, require a date. It forces the single crowd to procure a fun date and will separate your event from others in a good way.
Be sure to decorate well. If you’re hosting the party at your house, this should be easy as most of the decor will be set up anyway. Plan on having a Santa Claus show up. This is a fun surprise for the guests and will create additional entertainment value. If you start this as an annual tradition, seek out a friend or family member to play St. Nick to keep the attendees guessing each year. An upbeat Christmas play list, and some cheesy, strategically placed mistletoe’s are important and maintain the vibe of the Holiday spirit.
If you have the space, set up a blackjack table with a hosted dealer and issue poker chips to your arriving guests. Provide prizes for the chip leaders at certain times of the night. Blackjack is ideal because everyone has played it. It’s simple. This keeps the focus of the party on having a good time versus covering rules of a game 1/2 your guest do not understand.
For larger crowds, consider an area for dancing. If the party will attract less than 20 people, you may want to consider a gift game. Each guest brings a gift (set value, or white elephant) and everyone draws a number that corresponds with the order of selection and unwrapping. Guests get their choice of selecting a new present to unwrap or ‘steal’ a present that has already been revealed. Most games have a limit of three steals before the item is frozen. #1 gets the first pick and also the last. Cheers.
