Not all of us want a lot of guests at our Christmas parties. It’s already stressful to cook and clean for a big crowd. There’s also the issue of bored guests blending in with the furniture and uncontrollable noise levels that would annoy the neighbors. This year, why not put a cap on the guest list and keep the crowd small? There’s a small-crowd Christmas party idea for every host, so read on!
Tree Decorating Party
Best for: Multitaskers (and Christmas tree fans)
Nothing says “Christmas” quite like a Christmas tree! Even so, we could all use some help decorating ours at home. Kill two birds with one stone by inviting loved ones over to give your tree a makeover. For this Christmas party idea, make sure to have your ornaments at the ready so that everyone gets to pick and choose their decoration of choice for your tree. It’s good for smaller parties so everyone gets the chance to work around the tree–no guest is left behind!
Level Up: In the mood for holiday romance? Put on a Hallmark Christmas movie marathon in the background and watch your guests make new friends.
Pajama Party
Best for: Families with kids
Need a low-effort Christmas party idea? Have your guests dress up in their best (or worst) Christmas pajamas and snuggle up by the fire. You can easily turn this party into an instant sleepover, and a small crowd ensures that everyone gets a comfortable space to sleep in! Serve your favorite hot drinks to make things extra toasty.
Level up: If you’re anticipating a Christmas sleepover with this crowd, try preparing the breakfast food ahead of time. Pastries and breakfast casseroles can be made up to a day in advance, and should be oven-ready by the time your guests wake up.
Sock Exchange
Best for: Entertaining on a budget
Who doesn’t love getting socks for the holidays? Even if socks aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, you can make a Christmas party out of these quick and easy gifts by holding a sock exchange. The rules are simple: Have each guest stuff tiny gifts into a pair of holiday socks, put them into a pile, and wait for their name to be called so they can choose which sock to take home. What makes this an excellent Christmas party idea for small crowds is the anticipation: nobody wants to get their names called last!
Level up: Depending on how comfortable you are with going shoeless, you can encourage your guests to wear their new socks for the rest of the party.
Holiday Trivia Night
Best for: Pop culture fans
Between songs, movies, and Santa Claus, there’s enough holiday-related pop culture to go around. Challenge their smarts with a Christmas-themed Trivia Night party! Gather up all the Christmas trivia that you can find (this list from Icebreaker Ideas is a good start) and give each guest a turn to answer questions related to the holiday. It’s a great Christmas idea for small crowds, since everyone gets a turn asking and answering questions
Level Up: Trivia nights can bring up the competitive spirit in just about anyone, so divide your questions by difficulty. Make sure to save the hardest questions for last!
Cookie Swap
Best for: Foodies
A small crowd shouldn’t stop you from holding your annual Christmas cookie swap party! It takes less stress to make cookies for fewer guests, and you can cap your guest list so that everyone gets a chance to try the best cookies for themselves. Invite the best bakers that you know to your party and give them the chance to show off their skills–even the baking-challenged may be inspired to make cookies of their own! Offer festive baggies and wrappers for guests to take home cookies.
Level Up: Serve elegant non-cookie finger foods as snacks to counteract the sugar rush. Martha Stewart’s site offers festive ideas for cookie-swap snacks, from puff-pastry savories to cheese-and-fruit platters.
Thinking about entertaining outside your home or office? The Party Palooza can help! Our dedicated party space at the York Galleria can accommodate up to 25 people in accordance with existing COVID-19 guidelines in the state. We’ll take care of everything you need, so you can be a guest at your own party! Call us at (717) 751-1720 or send us an email at [email protected] for more information.