The holidays are right around the corner! If you’re hosting a holiday party, it’s time to put the finishing touches on your event. While you may have crossed off all the big stuff on your list—the venue, the catering, and the decorations, don’t forget the other elements that will make your party one to remember—the entertainment!

Even though the band, the magician, or the comedian you’ve hired is great for the main holiday party entertainment, it doesn’t end there. If you want to throw a party for your friends and family, don’t worry about the entertainment of your guests. This article will help you to provide the best entertainment ideas for your party. Let’s have a look!

Entertainment Ideas for Holiday Parties

1. Pick a Theme

Want to turn a ho-hum get-together into a memorable one? Give it a theme. Even a standard drinks-and-catering party becomes a lot more fun when everyone is wearing masquerade masks or Hawaiian leis. You can pick about anything as your theme (just make sure it won’t raise any eyebrows in HR). Here are some ideas:

• Throw a winter wonderland party with white décor, fake snow, and twinkling lights.
• Choose a favorite holiday movie as your theme.
• Pick your favorite decade, or have your employees vote on their favorite decade.
• Choose a color theme. A black-and-white party is simple and classy, and it gives people a chance to dress up. Red-and-white is a festive alternative.
• Decorate your venue like a fun getaway. Why not have this year’s party at a tropical resort or Alpine cabin?
• Incorporate international holiday traditions into your party. If you have team members from around the world, ask them to help you come up with ideas.

2. Give Out Door Prizes

Door prizes make a welcome addition to any company party. Who doesn’t love winning something? Think about what kind of prizes fit your budget and what your employees will appreciate most. A few tried-and-true ideas include:

• Gift cards
• Tech gadgets – think a FitBit or a nice pedometer
• Fancy chocolate
• Paid days off
• Coffee mugs- fill them with candy, tea bags, or other treats
• Tickets to a game or show

3. Engage guests with personalized desserts

Delight your guests with a winning dessert table that doubles as entertainment. To do this, you’ll want it to offer variety, and to be interactive and exciting. Here are a few dessert table ideas for holiday parties that won’t fail to impress:

• Opt for a chocolate fountain with a plethora of treats to dip and dunk. Sweet dipping ingredients like macaroons, fruit, ladyfingers, and marshmallows are popular choices. Don’t forget about the salty dipping options as well, such as pretzel sticks, or crackers. Bacon also offers some variety for the more adventurous foodies!
• An ice cream station with a variety of toppings and sauces is always a good choice as it’s easier to consume after a big meal. It also lets your guests personalize their desserts! Be sure to include sorbet as a dairy-free option for your lactose-intolerant guests.
• Skip the fruit cake, and opt for a build-your-own cupcake station instead. Your guests will enjoy the flexibility in customizing their cupcakes with toppings like sprinkles, icing in various colors and flavors, candy, and fruit. Much like the chocolate fountain, don’t be afraid to throw in unexpected ingredients like bacon for those with daring pallets.
• Add a cozy element to your dessert table with a s’mores bar. To do this, simply set up your table with a row of tea light candles (in candle holders for safer keeping), your s’mores ingredients, and dipping or short skewer sticks for roasting the marshmallows. It’s a great way to engage your guests and serves as a good addition to your holiday party entertainment.

With these entertaining options, your guests will definitely want to save room for dessert!

4. Capture the cheer with a Photo Booth

Hosting a holiday party means you’ll be a very busy body—before, during, and after the event. Whether it’s a company party, or you’re hosting one at home, opt for a photo booth for your holiday party entertainment. It’s an interactive form of entertainment, breaks the ice amongst guests, and captures all the fun from the evening.

While it may be tempting to go with a cheaper rental, think about the quality of the photos and the overall value. Some companies don’t include a photo booth attendant, which means you’ll be pulling double duty. And we both know you don’t have the time for that!

Some Christmas Party Ideas

5. Break up the monotony with activities

When hosting a holiday party, don’t forget to keep your guests engaged. A few party games are never a bad idea. They ensure your guests are interacting with each other, and are inexpensive ways to keep them entertained. Here are a few of our favorite game ideas for holiday parties:

– Put your guests’ gift-wrapping skills to the test with a Christmas Gift-Wrap relay! Divide your attendees into groups, set a time limit, and get let the gift-wrapping chaos ensue. The first group to successfully (and beautifully) wrap their gift-box is the winner.

– Another easy and fun game to play is “Fill-the-Christmas-Stocking”. Again, it’s a race against time to fill the stocking with candy using just a spoon. The first team to fill the most candy wins!

6. Make gift-giving an interactive game

Secret Santa is a great way to exchange gifts with your colleagues without breaking the bank. However, if you pick someone you don’t know well, it can be quite a challenge finding something he or she will like. To avoid any awkwardness from poorly masked disappointment, switch up your Secret Santa routine with a gift-exchange game called White Elephant. It’s a great game for team bonding, a perfect addition to your holiday party entertainment, and sends everyone home happy!  If you’re unfamiliar with how the game is played, read on for the official White Elephant gift exchange rules.

Gift exchanges can be tricky to pull off with large groups, which is why Christmas Crackers make a great substitution. They require minimal work and come pre-packaged. However, this doesn’t need to be a passive party favor. Instead, turn it into a game! We’d recommend these Bingo Christmas Crackers—they’re a fun way to get everyone involved, and a great way to wrap up a sit-down dinner. The lucky winner can go home with a grand prize of your choosing, while everyone else still receives something tasteful.

To Sum Up

The holiday season is quickly approaching, which means it’s time to start thinking about the upcoming celebrations. I hope the above-mentioned ideas will ensure your employees will have an amazing experience.