It's the most wonderful time of the year! And these party ideas – including invitations, activities, recipes, party favors, and more – will turn your home into a winter wonderland!
 

Party Planning

For peace of mind, begin planning your bash six to eight weeks in advance. This will allow you time to gather all the supplies that you need, including decorations, gifts, and menu items. Planning ahead also gives your guests time to RSVP and make travel plans, if needed. Don't panic if you find yourself short on time; you can still plan a great party! Planning ahead simply reduces the risk of conflicts with guests' plans and may increase your party’s attendance.

For invitations, use red or green card stock or construction paper folded in half, and decorate it with holiday pictures or holiday-themed stickers. You can also use our easy printable invitations. We recommend mailing your invitations three to four weeks prior to the party—any sooner and your guests may forget, any later and your guests may already have plans.

To simplify the rest of the party planning process, check out our Party Planning Timeline, take a look at our When & Where to Have the Party page, and read the paragraphs below for information on selecting decorations, supplies, activities, and more for your child's party.

What You’ll Need

If you plan to use paper tableware and themed party supplies, our Suggested Party Supply List may be quite helpful. Please note that you may not need everything on the list; it is intended only as a guide.

White is always a good color for winter-themed parties. For more of a Christmas feel, integrate red and green. For Hanukkah, think blue. No matter what your color scheme, simple balloons and pretty pastel streamers work perfectly. For goodie bags, consider stocking-stuffer sets, or individual items like bubbles, pencils and erasers, or candy. Place all of these items inside clear or printed cellophane bags, and tie the bags closed with pretty, pastel-colored ribbons.