Theme of the Month · December
Christmas
Fill the season with warmth, wonder, and the kind of magic that only comes from gathering the people you love.
Celebration Ideas
Invitations & Atmosphere
- Send invitations on deep red or forest green card stock with gold foil lettering
- Greet guests with the scent of cinnamon, cloves, and fresh pine
- Play classic Christmas carols softly as guests arrive — switch to livelier tunes later
Decorations
- Create a grand centerpiece with fresh greenery, red berries, and pillar candles
- Hang a kissing ball of mistletoe and holly in a doorway
- Fill glass bowls with ornaments, pinecones, and fairy lights
- Drape the mantel with fresh garland, stockings, and mercury glass votives
- Set a hot cocoa station with toppings: marshmallows, peppermint, whipped cream
Traditions & Rituals
- Read aloud a favorite Christmas story or poem before opening gifts
- Light an Advent candle and share one hope for the coming year
- Sing carols together — provide printed lyric sheets with illustrations
- Start a new ornament tradition: each guest brings one to exchange
Food & Drinks
- Serve mulled wine or spiced cider in a slow cooker for self-serve warmth
- Build a gingerbread house decorating station as a group activity
- Offer a cookie exchange — guests bring two dozen to share and take home a variety
- Create a Yule log cake (bûche de Noël) as the centerpiece dessert
- Serve a cheese and charcuterie board shaped like a Christmas tree
Games & Activities
- Play White Elephant gift exchange with a $15 limit and creative wrapping required
- Host a Christmas movie trivia contest with small prizes
- Organize a neighborhood caroling walk with lanterns and printed song sheets
- Make ornaments together: salt dough, painted glass, or beaded designs
- Play "Naughty or Nice" — a holiday version of Two Truths and a Lie
Favors & Send-Offs
- Send guests home with a tin of homemade cookies tied with a ribbon
- Package a small candle with a note: "May your home be filled with warmth and light"
- Give each guest a handwritten card with a favorite Christmas memory or wish