Christmas Movie Party Ideas

With the holiday season quickly approaching, it’s an excellent time to begin planning your festive get-togethers. Whether you’re looking for a way to bring together your family and friends during one of the busiest times of the year or want to celebrate Christmas Eve in style, a Christmas movie party can do the trick. Check out these Christmas party ideas to impress your loved ones and craft a movie night you’ll never forget.

Choose Your Christmas Movies

Your holiday movie party won’t be complete without your selection of family favorites. Your festive celebration is yours to dress up or down however you’d like, so you can opt for your all-time favorites, try something new or create a fun theme around one title.

Get the nostalgic tears flowing or bring on the laughs with classic Christmas movies like these:

• “A Christmas Story”
• “White Christmas”
• “Holiday Inn”
• “A Christmas Carol”
• “It’s a Wonderful Life”
• “It Happened on Fifth Avenue”
• “Miracle on 34th Street” (1947)
• “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”

If you’re inviting the whole family, including the kids, or hosting a Christmas sleepover for your little one and their friends, you can swap your films for more modern ones. Some favorite children’s Christmas party ideas feature the likes of:

• “A Charlie Brown Christmas”
• “Elf”
• “Home Alone”
• “How the Grinch Stole Christmas ”
• “The Santa Clause”
• “Christmas With the Kranks”
• “The Nightmare Before Christmas”

Christmas is also one of the most romantic times of the year. The cold nights are excellent for cuddling up with your loved one and a warm beverage to stay cozy. If your Christmas party is a get-together with other couples, queue up these lovey-dovey flicks:

• “When Harry Met Sally”
• “Four Christmases”
• “Love Actually”
• “Christmas in Connecticut”
• “The Last Holiday”
• “The Holiday”
• “You’ve Got Mail”
• “The Shop Around the Corner”

Set the Scene

Take your indoor Christmas movie party to the next level by setting the scene of your winter wonderland. Whether you want to fully embrace a movie theme or decorate your home to embody the spirit of the holidays, you can create a beautiful scene that impresses all your friends and family.

Embrace your movie theme by decorating your home with movie props, glitter and ornaments. Shower your home with green and red decorations that sparkle and make fake snowballs out of cotton balls to embrace “Elf.” Or, create Santa’s workshop with elfish embellishments to embody “The Santa Clause.” For a simple decorating hack, keep your Halloween decorations out and mix them with the Christmas ones to create an effortless “The Nightmare Before Christmas” theme.

If you plan to show more than one movie or want to keep your decorations neutral, there are simple tricks you can do to make the party even more magical:

• Wrap the paintings and pictures on your walls with wrapping paper to fill your home with fake Christmas presents — just make sure no one tries to open them!
• Use paper to create snowflakes and hang them from the ceiling or tape them on your walls.
• Paint popsicle sticks varying shades of green and form a makeshift wreath. Complete it with a red ribbon.
• Fill mason jars or glass lanterns with tiny string lights and hang them around your living room.
• Use garland to wrap around a banister or stair spikes for a sparkly show in the spaces you don’t usually get to decorate.
• Use the Christmas cards you get to create a tree on your wall.
• Add a ribbon to red, green and white throw pillows to make cute Christmas presents for your couch.
• Blow up glittery balloons and write Christmas movie quotes or holiday well wishes with markers.
• Use a projector to showcase snowflakes in front of your home to greet your guests.

A lot of those decorating ideas also double as fun crafts you can do while watching holiday movies, too.

You can even enjoy your favorite Christmas movies while enjoying time in the snow — or under the stars if it’s not a white Christmas where you live. Choose the perfect screen for your outdoor event and enjoy some of your favorite outdoor winter activities. Have a snowball fight with Buddy the elf, sled ride with your kids while the Grinch steals Christmas or gather by the fire and cuddle up while you watch your favorite movie on the big screen during your outdoor movie night.

Bake Some Holiday Treats

Christmas cookies are always a fun holiday treat, but there are plenty of other snacks you can make to pair perfectly with your movies and impress your guests. You can find tons of delicious sweets and delectable dishes that’ll keep you warm and fill your bellies with the taste of Christmas.

Sweet Treats

Make a variety of snowman-themed sweets with your favorite mixes and toppings. Make cake balls to dip in white chocolate, decorate crispy rice treats with frosting or create a large cake and decorate it to create the perfect smiling face.

Keep your guests warm with a hot chocolate bar. Set out your favorite mugs and encourage your guests to make a delicious drink with their favorite toppings. Add some marshmallows, sprinkles, whipped cream, caramel and chocolate sauce on the side for easy grabbing.

Finish your sweet selections with Buddy the elf’s four main food groups: candy canes, candy, candy corns and syrup. Fill the table with your guests’ favorite treats and encourage them to go back for seconds as you enjoy your movies together.

Delicious Snacks

Crafting a charcuterie board is an elegant way to feed your guests while enjoying quality time together. Add more fun by pairing your cheese selections with a variety of jellies to represent the Jelly of the Month club from “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.”

Popcorn and ice cream sundaes are a delicious way to enjoy watching “Home Alone.” Get creative by keeping some chocolate sauce, sprinkles, caramel, whipped cream and cherries near the ice cream. You can always keep it simple by ordering some pizza, too — maybe as many pies as the McCallister’s get to feed their big family.

Of course, it’s not a movie without some popcorn. But don’t limit your guests to the basics. Put out some seasoned salt, ranch seasoning and cheddar cheese powder to make flavorful batches of the classic movie snack.

Main Course Dishes

Mashed potatoes and meatloaf can be a comforting and heartwarming meal that reminds your friends and family of “A Christmas Story.” Serve your guests dinner before the movie or enjoy your helpings around the big screen.

Pay homage to “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” by filling your table with “roast beast” and “who pudding” for your loved ones to enjoy. This is an excellent way to step away from the traditional ham or turkey at Christmas dinner while still crafting a filling meal for everyone to enjoy.

Host Your Christmas Movie Night With FunFlicks^®

FunFlicks^® brings generations together one event at a time. We’ve grown our screen and projector rental services nationwide because we help create memorable events that children and adults love. Whether bringing your community together around the holidays or hosting a Christmas movie showing for your friends and family, do it right with FunFlicks^®. Book an event with us and create a Christmas movie party you and your guests will love!