Tired of the standard ugly sweater parties and secret santa exchanges? Freshen up the holiday season with some creative ideas for celebrating the most wonderful time of the year. And if you want to serve excellent food at your party, you may consider hiring a party catering service that can provide excellent Italian Catering Services.
If it is cold out, warm up with a holiday party. Above, Varsity Lake on the first snow of the school year, Oct. 26, 2011. (CU Independent File/James Bradbury)
1. Christmahanukkwanzaa party
It’s a dilemma that happens every December. You want to have a holiday party, but you don’t want to offend your diverse group of friends by picking just one holiday to celebrate. The solution? Christmahanukkwanzaa! Serve up some delicious traditional treats like sweet potato patties, latkes, and Christmas cookies. Be sure to light the menorah, kinara and Christmas lights, because this party is sure to last all night.
2. Green Elephant
We all have that aunt who doesn’t get that we don’t like cats (especially when the cat is wearing a Santa hat on the front of an XXL woolen sweater) or the grandpa who thinks that we still like My Little Pony. Since saying, “Hey, Grandma, the lotion set you sent me smells horrible. I’m giving it back,” is taboo in our culture, the best way to get rid of last year’s awful gifts is through a Green Elephant party. Played by the same rules as White Elephant, Green Elephant recycles presents in hopes that one of your friends will appreciate your uncle’s tackiness. If your family actually pays attention to what you like, head to the thrift store and buy the silliest thing you can find for your contribution.
3. Habitat for Gingerbread-manity
All any gingerbread man and his gingerbread family want is a gingerbread house to call their own. Get in the charitable holiday spirit and help make that dream a sweet reality by hosting a gingerbread house building party. You and your friends can make an entire neighborhood of happy gingerbread men. Plus, the satisfaction of pretending to be Godzilla and eating the entire gingerbread city afterwards makes for some prime entertainment.
4. Holiday Treat Trade
Few things are better at getting rid of stress than eating handfuls and handfuls of holiday goodies. Gather your friends for a potluck of sweets before finals take away CU students’ social life. Each guest should bring a dessert to share, as well as the recipe. Compile the recipes so all of your guests can enjoy the treats for years to come. Just don’t tell Grandma you gave away the six-generation secret family recipe for toffee.
5. It’s a Wonderful Life drinking game
Warm your heart and lift your “spirits” by playing the “It’s a Wonderful Life” drinking game. Nothing says holiday cheer like being drunk and watching a Christmas staple.
Take a sip:
-When someone has to repeat something to George Bailey.
-When George meets someone he knows and they don’t recognize him.
-Every time a bell rings.
Finish your drink:
-When George jumps off the bridge.
-When George is “born again.”
-While George’s neighbors sing “Auld Lang Syne.”
6. July at Christmas
If we can have Christmas in July, why can’t we have July in December? With winter well underway, everyone is craving a little bit of summer. Give your friends a well-deserved vacation by hosting July at Christmas. Serve up summery drinks and snacks, like margaritas, Corona & lime and chips & guac, and bring Cancun to Boulder.
7. New Year’s Eve: A Black Tie Affair
Colorado isn’t known for being fashionable (GQ ranked Boulder the 40th worst dressed city in America). But if there is one night a year that every person should be dressed up, it’s New Year’s Eve. Encourage your friends to be fancy by hosting a black tie dinner, complete with champagne.If the Mayans are right, this could be Earth’s last New Year’s Eve, so we may as well live it up.
Contact Entertainment Writer Avalon Jacka at Avalon.jacka@colorado.edu.
