By far, the most widely-celebrated holiday in the US is Christmas, with 93% of Americans taking part.
That means there are Christmas events all over the country. But with so many events around the holiday season, it’s hard to know how to make yours stand out. That’s why at Eventbrite, we took a look at some of our most successful event creators to inspire you with fresh, exciting ideas for your next holiday event.
Whether you’re planning a Christmas pop-up or traditional holiday party, these ideas will help you take your event up a notch. The best way to get your guests excited is to embrace the holiday spirit and promise them an exciting and unique experience.
Each idea includes a rating system with emojis to indicate difficulty, cost, and family-friendliness. That way, you can clearly see which events will fit your audience and budget!
Table of Contents
Professional holiday event ideas
Holiday food and drink event ideas
Holiday interactive event ideas
Community-centered holiday event ideas
How to make your holiday events stand out
Professional holiday event ideas
Forget the boring old office holiday party. With so many other Christmas events vying for attendees’ attention (and dollars), you need to think outside the box. Change things up with some of these fresh professional holiday event ideas.
1. Holiday industry mixer
Difficulty: 🎄🎄🎄
Cost: 💸💸
Family friendly: 👧👧
A holiday industry mixer is a festive event where professionals within a specific industry to network, share ideas, and discuss industry trends. To make these mixers successful, it’s crucial to provide a well-structured event with a variety of activities that will get attendees to “mix and mingle” and move around the event to meet as many people as possible.
2. Secret Santa networking event
Difficulty: 🎄🎄
Cost: 💸💸
Family friendly: 👧👧
A Secret Santa networking event is a unique spin on the traditional corporate Christmas party. In essence, it’s a networking event where attendees draw names to become someone’s “Secret Santa,” gifting them an item within a pre-determined budget.
This setup is a great way for people to discover new things about one another and forge lasting connections. Just make sure to give each attendee some information about the person they’re buying for! You can even make it part of a larger holiday party like the Doylestown Toastmasters did.
3. Holiday team trivia night
Difficulty: 🎄🎄
Cost: 💸💸
Family friendly: 👧👧👧
A holiday team trivia night is a professional event where attendees form teams to answer holiday-themed trivia questions, fostering camaraderie and competition. To make the event successful, organizers should create a wide variety of questions catering to different knowledge levels and interests, aiming to both challenge and entertain participants.
You can host an event like this in a bar, bowling alley, or any event venue — just make sure you have a good A/V system so everyone can hear the questions!
4. Coding and cookies workshop
Difficulty: 🎄🎄🎄
Cost: 💸💸💸
Family friendly: 👧
This is a unique type of professional event that can be formatted to fit whatever type of workshop a creator feels like holding. In this workshop, participants learn coding basics while enjoying holiday treats, blending intellectual stimulation with festive cheer.
To ensure success, organizers should offer varied coding challenges for different skill levels and provide cookies, candy canes, and other holiday treats to maintain a festive, engaging atmosphere.
5. Ugly sweater networking
Difficulty: 🎄
Cost: 💸💸
Family friendly: 👧👧
An ugly sweater networking event is a festive twist on traditional networking where participants don their most outrageous holiday sweaters and mingle. The laid-back, humorous atmosphere created by the ugly sweaters can make networking less intimidating and more enjoyable, leading to genuine connections among attendees.
To incorporate the spirit of giving in your event, consider working with a local clothing charity to provide the sweaters in exchange for donations of money or clothing from attendees.
6. Holiday luau professional mixer
Difficulty: 🎄
Cost: 💸💸💸
Family friendly: 👧👧
Conjure visions of a warmer winter with a holiday luau professional mixer. This Christmas party idea combines networking with the festive atmosphere of a Hawaiian luau, encouraging relaxed business discussions.
To make it successful, you can book local musicians and dancers, provide leis, and make Hawaiian-style cocktails to upgrade the tropical ambiance. You can also go all-out with the Luau party theme and roast a pig over a roaring fire.
Holiday food and drink event ideas
Christmas cookies, chocolate yule logs, peppermint bark… what’s the holiday season without festive treats? And since many of us gather around the table with friends and family this time of year, the holidays are all but synonymous with food. Here are some deliciously unique ways to celebrate the season.
7. Winter charity dinner
Difficulty: 🎄🎄🎄🎄
Cost: 💸💸💸💸
Family friendly: 👧👧👧
Volunteering increases by 50% during the holidays, and nonprofits get 30% of their donations during December, so it’s the perfect time to hold a charity dinner.
Emphasize the impact of giving with a presentation about the great work the charity does, and make sure to serve some great, warming food too! For inspiration, check out how Buffalo Black Nurses created a successful charity dinner.
8. Drink tasting and pairing course
Difficulty: 🎄🎄🎄
Cost: 💸💸💸
Family friendly: 👧
By creating a tasting and pairing course, you’ll help your attendees appreciate seasonal treats even more. You could use beer, wine, or something seasonal like cider or hot chocolate. Start with a brief introduction to what they’re tasting, followed by an interactive tasting that highlights different types of drinks in combination with food pairings.
9. Holiday cookie-making workshop
Difficulty: 🎄🎄🎄
Cost: 💸💸💸
Family friendly: 👧👧👧👧
Lots of folks grew up making cookies around the holidays, so why not upgrade their skills?
A holiday cookie-making workshop is a great holiday party idea for getting people engaged and embracing the spirit of the season. Or take it a step further and make a gingerbread house competition out of it! Provide different cookie recipes and all the required ingredients (don’t forget the candy canes!), then turn them loose in the kitchen for an hour or two.
10. Holiday brunch
Difficulty: 🎄🎄🎄
Cost: 💸💸
Family friendly: 👧👧👧
A holiday brunch is a great way to get people together with some seasonal food and activities. Whether it’s a breakfast buffet or a sit-down meal, you can make sure everyone enjoys the delicious food while being entertained by live music like the Casino San Clemente offered.
11. Holiday meal-kit making
Difficulty: 🎄🎄🎄
Cost: 💸💸
Family friendly: 👧👧👧
Holiday meals aren’t just for your family! Give back to the community by hosting a charity meal kit-making event.
Gather volunteers and have them assemble meals that can be distributed to families in need during the season. You can even set up a cookie-decorating table for the kids to get involved and a drinks station for the adults. Not only will attendees get a feel-good boost, but they’ll also learn about food insecurity and what they can do to help.
12. Pie pop-up
Difficulty: 🎄🎄🎄
Cost: 💸💸💸
Family friendly: 👧👧👧
Nothing says the holidays like piping hot pie. That’s why a pie-specific pop-up event would get people into the festive spirit. You can host your pop-up in an existing restaurant space or use a food cart and take it across the town!
For a little extra fun, incorporate some unusual or local flavors. Partner with local businesses to incorporate their produce or jams, and think of interesting herbs or spice mixes you could mix in to make them stand out.
Nonprofit holiday event ideas
Christmas is the season of giving, which makes it the perfect time to host a holiday-themed nonprofit event. And there’s no shortage of ways to help out a neighbor in need or donate to charity — whether it’s food, clothing, time, or money. Here are a few ideas for what you can do to inspire your attendees with the spirit of giving.
13. Holiday clothing exchange
Difficulty: 🎄🎄
Cost: 💸
Family friendly: 👧👧👧
Invite community members to donate clothes and pick up anything they might need. It’s a great way to clear out closets and keep people warm during the winter while also giving people a fun way to gather together. Plus, you can donate anything left over to a local charity.
14. Holiday food drive
Difficulty: 🎄🎄
Cost: 💸
Family friendly: 👧👧👧
Make sure everyone can have a holiday meal by hosting a holiday food drive. Gather non-perishable items and invite people to donate them in exchange for door prizes or discounts at your event. If you create sponsorship packages for the event, you can open up even more ways to raise money like Women in Logistics did with their holiday food drive.
15. Holiday bake sale
Difficulty: 🎄
Cost: 💸
Family friendly: 👧👧👧👧
People love to indulge in baked goods during the holidays, so why not provide them with something delicious while supporting your cause? Invite volunteers to make treats or ask local bakeries and restaurants for donations. Then set up a booth at a busy spot (like outside of a mall) and start selling.
16. Winter charity ball
Difficulty: 🎄🎄🎄🎄
Cost: 💸💸💸
Family friendly: 👧👧
Looking to host a larger-scale, more elegant event? A winter charity ball is the perfect way to raise money and get people dressed up for a festive night of fun.
When planning, you’ll need to decide on guests, entertainment, food choices, and other details like decorations. Most importantly, you’ll need a dance floor and a great DJ or a talented band to get people out of their seats.
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17. Gift wrapping service
Difficulty: 🎄🎄🎄
Cost: 💸💸
Family friendly: 👧👧👧
People need gifts wrapped during the holidays, and it’s a great way to raise money for your charity. Consider setting up a gift-wrapping station in a mall or other public space where people can get their gifts wrapped by volunteers in exchange for a donation.
18. Christmas toy drive
Difficulty: 🎄🎄
Cost: 💸
Family friendly: 👧👧👧👧
The holidays should be joyful for kids, meaning everyone deserves a toy. Host a charity toy drive and invite people to drop off toys for kids in need.
Make the toy drive part of a holiday party like Clean Up the Beach did to get everyone in a festive mood. They upgraded their toy drive with a DJ, a photo booth, giveaways, and plenty of entertainment.
Interactive holiday event ideas
Get people on their feet and in the spirit with these hands-on holiday party ideas. An interactive element to your event will make it more memorable and get your attendees excited to come to the next one you create.
19. Wreath-making workshop
Difficulty: 🎄🎄
Cost: 💸💸💸
Family friendly: 👧👧👧
Let your attendees get their creative juices flowing with a wreath-making workshop. Provide all the materials needed (like twine, ribbon, pine cones, and more) and have experts on hand to answer any questions. The workshop can be part of a bigger holiday party or the main event. As an extra incentive, you can offer discounts or other giveaways as an appreciation gesture for attending.
20. Christmas carnival games
Difficulty: 🎄🎄🎄🎄
Cost: 💸💸💸
Family friendly: 👧👧👧👧👧
Carnival games are a perfect way to get people moving and having a good time. From classic carnival games like the ring toss to holiday-themed activities like a Santa beanbag toss, you can set up different party activities and fun game stations for your guests to enjoy.
21. North Pole train ride
Difficulty: 🎄🎄🎄
Cost: 💸💸💸
Family friendly: 👧👧👧👧👧
Let families enjoy a festive train ride like the Polar Express. Decorate a few wagons with holiday features like string lights and pull them by a truck or car to give attendees their sleigh-ride experience. Take them to see the area’s brightest light displays or just around town. Alternatively, you can partner with a local train museum like the Dennison Railroad Depot Museum to make the event even more realistic!
22. Holiday candle-making
Difficulty: 🎄
Cost: 💸💸💸
Family friendly: 👧👧
Let your guests light up the holidays with warm, scented candles! All you need to do is provide the necessary supplies like wax, wicks, and containers, then let people get creative with their own custom-made creations. You can even provide fragrance oils to make holiday scents like Mount Cottage does for their workshop.
23. Meet Santa
Difficulty: 🎄🎄🎄
Cost: 💸💸💸
Family friendly: 👧👧👧👧👧
One of the most classic Christmas party events is meeting Santa Claus. If you can, hire an experienced actor to play the role of Santa and have him roam around the event taking pictures with different groups of people.
You can also kick it up a notch by having kids write letters to Santa or setting up a small post office for attendees to send holiday cards to their friends and family.
24. Festive photo booth
Difficulty: 🎄🎄
Cost: 💸💸💸
Family friendly: 👧👧👧👧
A photo booth is a great Christmas party idea to ensure everyone has fun and comes away with a keepsake. To make it even more festive, have props like Santa hats, elf ears, reindeer antlers, and other holiday-themed props for people to choose from.
You can also provide them with silly holiday-themed signs or blank cards where they can write down special notes. Create a hashtag that will help you promote your events when guests post their pics to social media!
Musical Christmas event ideas
From Jingle Bells to Handel’s Messiah, the holidays are full of distinctive music that elicits feelings of peacefulness and nostalgia. Why not make it a centerpiece of your event? Here are some musical Christmas event ideas to get you inspired.
25. Christmas concert
Difficulty: 🎄🎄🎄🎄
Cost: 💸💸💸
Family friendly: 👧👧👧👧
A Christmas concert is a festive way to bring people together so they can enjoy some peaceful music. Look into partnering with local musicians to provide a wide range of holiday music or hire big-name acts if you have the budget. You can even put a spin on Christmas classics like the Mitchell Opera House did with their Country and Christmas Concert.
25. Caroling singalong
Difficulty: 🎄
Cost: 💸
Family friendly: 👧👧👧👧
Caroling is a timeless holiday tradition that never fails to bring people together. Gather your guests and hold a caroling singalong with popular songs like Jingle Bells or Silent Night. If you have musical talent, consider having some of them take the lead in singing more challenging pieces.
26. Christmastime karaoke
Difficulty: 🎄🎄
Cost: 💸
Family friendly: 👧👧👧👧
Some Carol-oke is a great way to get your attendees in the holiday spirit. Make sure to have a selection of Christmas-themed songs for everyone to choose from. Ocean5 took theirs to the next level by pairing photos with Santa, providing holiday refreshments, and hosting it at their bowling alley and restaurant.
27. Fireside open mic
Difficulty: 🎄🎄🎄
Cost: 💸💸
Family friendly: 👧👧👧👧
Set up a microphone by a roaring fire (or a video of one) and let your guests show off their talents. Invite some of your more musically-inclined attendees to perform Christmas tunes or cover classic holiday songs. Make sure to offer gift cards or discounts to the performers to make it extra special.
29. Elves’ a capella show
Difficulty: 🎄🎄
Cost: 💸💸
Family friendly: 👧👧👧👧
A capella can bring a new twist on classic songs, so why not have a show with some elves? With the performers dressed up in the holiday theme, everyone can get in the spirit. You could even use the opportunity to give classic songs a more modern spin like Kindred Spirits Arts Programs did with their holiday vocal jazz concert.
30. International winter song & dance class
Difficulty: 🎄🎄🎄🎄
Cost: 💸💸
Family friendly: 👧👧👧👧
Show your community how other cultures celebrate the winter holidays with an international winter song and dance class. Gather volunteers to teach different songs and dances from around the world, then invite everyone to join in.
Community-centered holiday event ideas
The holidays are a great time to reach out and get to know the people in your neighborhood, and a community Christmas event is a perfect way to bring everyone together. Celebrate the season with these community Christmas event ideas.
31. Polar bear swim
Difficulty: 🎄🎄🎄
Cost: 💸
Family friendly: 👧👧
Bring community members into a bracing but fun event with a polar bear swim. Invite people of all ages to take a quick dip into the icy waters for a chance at winning a prize. For added fun, have everyone dress in festive costumes or do yoga like Bison on the Vineyard did! Just make sure to bring hot drinks, blankets, and professionals who can assist anyone who gets too cold.
32. Mistletoe speed dating
Difficulty: 🎄🎄
Cost: 💸💸
Family friendly: 👧
Winter’s the perfect time to cuddle, so help others find someone they can cuddle with! Invite singles to participate in a mistletoe speed-dating event. Not only is it a great way to start conversations, but it also gives people a chance to find someone special during the holidays.
33. Sled day
Difficulty: 🎄🎄🎄
Cost: 💸
Family friendly: 👧👧👧
Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean your attendees should be stuck indoors. Gather some sleds and invite your guests to enjoy a day of sledding. It’s an easy way to get everyone outdoors, and it’s sure to be an exciting time for all involved!
You can set up a kids’ hill to make it fun for the entire family, or make it adults-only and give everyone a beer like Heart of Biddeford did.
34. Holiday costume party
Difficulty: 🎄
Cost: 💸💸
Family friendly: 👧👧👧
Invite people to parade around in their festive garments and let them show off their own unique, creative styles at your Christmas party. You can even have a costume contest (e.g., best dressed, most outrageous outfit, ugliest sweater) or have attendees dress in regional holiday attire and celebrate the diverse cultures they represent.
35. Holiday play
Difficulty: 🎄🎄🎄🎄
Cost: 💸💸💸
Family friendly: 👧👧👧👧👧
A holiday play is a quintessential event that can involve the whole community. Choose a classic like A Christmas Carol or a modern rendition like The Grinch.
Bonus points if you can bring a unique spin to the performance, the way Gerald Charles Dickens, the writer’s great-great-grandson, performs A Christmas Carol with Cambria Pines Lodge every year.
36. Snowball fight & fort building
Difficulty: 🎄🎄🎄
Cost: 💸
Family friendly: 👧👧👧
Get everyone together to build some snow forts and have a snowball fight! Not only is it sure to be a fun time, but it also encourages kids to get creative with their fort designs. For the snowball fight, make sure that everyone plays clean and that the kids have fun without getting too competitive.
How to make your holiday events stand out
These events are not just about fundraising or having fun, but bringing people together, fostering relationships, and creating lasting memories. With Eventbrite, you can take these events to the next level.
By streamlining the planning process, making ticket selling and distribution simple, and enabling efficient communication between organizers and attendees, Eventbrite makes creating great events easy as Christmas pie.
Bring more people to your next event with Eventbrite’s marketing tools.
