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Over here at Burst HQ, we love all things holiday. And although it’s still July, we’ve got this year’s holiday season on our minds!
For many of us, the 2020 holiday season just didn’t quite feel right. With restrictions on travel and having to forego annual parties and gatherings, the season looked and felt a bit different than usual.
Which means that this year, we are ready to party! Are you? If so, check out below for some of our favorite excuses to get your friends together this holiday season.
1. Dining in the Dark
Halloween falls on a weekend this year, so you’ve got plenty of days to celebrate and knock the socks off your friends with an impressive dinner party. Make things extra spooky by dining in the “dark.” Adorn your tables with glow sticks, twinkle lights, and lanterns to create a dark and moody dinner setting. Decorate with items like fake cobwebs, plastic spiders, and hanging bats.
2. Halloween Masquerade
If you’re looking for a fancier spin on the classic dinner party, invite your friends to dress up in their finest attire and don a mask to keep that Halloween mystery going. Guests can enjoy appetizers and champagne as they arrive, then be seated for a delicious meal full of fall staples. And of course, don’t forget about dancing afterwards!
3. Pumpkin Carving
Perfect for any time during the fall, pumpkin carving is a classic that all your guests will love. Gather up a variety of different pumpkins and have a carve-off to see who can create the spookiest, prettiest, or most original design.
(Also, how cute would it be to carve “Will you marry me?” into a pumpkin!? Someone with a pumpkin-loving partner needs to get on this and send me pics after!).
3. Friendsgiving
Everyone knows it, and everyone loves it. Why have just 1 Thanksgiving dinner when you could have 2? Invite your friends over and ask each one to bring a staple Thanksgiving dish. Make sure everyone shares with each other what they’ll be bringing ahead of time - you don’t want to be left with 3 pans of stuffing and no mashed potatoes!
If you’re looking to kick things up a notch, rent some tableware and decor from a local event rental company to create a beautiful, seasonal tablescape. You’ll be supporting a local business and are sure to have to have the best Friendsgiving set-up on the block.
4. Neighborhood Harvest Potluck
Gather up your neighbors and have a festive fall potluck. The ideas here can be endless. Plug in a TV and turn on some football to watch. Have classic harvest games like bobbing for apples or pumpkin bowling. Or even bring out the cornhole for a classic football season activity. Once it gets dark out, light up a fire pit and roast some marshmallows and hot dogs.
5. Mimosas & Mistletoe
Where are my fellow brunch lovers at? This one's for you. Break out the bubbly and mistletoe and host a holiday brunch for your friends and family. If you’re really looking to lean into the holiday theme, use cookie cutters to create snowflake-shaped pancakes, offer festive drinks like cranberry mimosas, and incorporate a gift-giving game into the festivities like white elephant.
6. Gingerbread House/Cookie Decorating Contest
Show off your competitive side with a little Holiday Baking Championship-style cookie or gingerbread house decorating contest. Gather up all the necessities like frosting, sprinkles, candies, gumdrops, and candy canes (and of course don’t forget the cookies) and give your friends one hour to show off their best decorating work.
Make sure to appoint a judge or two to determine who the final winner is. You can even send the best decorator home with a prize like a cozy scarf, a DIY hot cocoa set, or an at-home spa basket. Plus, you’ll all have some delicious treats to munch on afterwards.
7. Holiday Karaoke
Channel your inner Mariah Carey and have some friends over for holiday-themed karaoke! Invite your guests to wear their favorite ugly holiday sweater or holiday jammies and serve up some eggnog to get the party started. YouTube has tons of free videos for karaoke, and you can even purchase some fake microphones from a store like Party City to really make the most of your karaoke experience.
Are you too busy to plan a holiday party? Don't know where to begin? Need a partner in crime to help you plan a killer party all while staying in budget?
We are now offering holiday party planning! Whether you'll be putting together a Halloween soiree, your annual Friendsgiving, or a good old-fashioned holiday party, leave it to our team of event directors to produce a cheery and heartwarming gathering.
Want to learn more? Schedule a free, no-strings-attached consultation HERE!
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