How to Throw a School Christmas Party in 10 Steps
As the holidays approach and students wrap up their final exams, there's no better time to celebrate the season and end the semester on a high note while fostering school spirit and fun for all. A memorable school Christmas party brings holiday cheer to both students and teachers, offering a perfect opportunity to reward everyone for their hard work and embrace the winter festivities. Whether it’s a large event that unites the entire academy or smaller classroom gathering, we have a variety of school Christmas party ideas to make your celebration one that everyone will look forward to year after year.
1) Form a Coordination Team
To ensure an amazing school Christmas party, start by forming a coordination team responsible for planning the event. Having a dedicated committee helps prevent stressful hiccups that can arise from inadequate preparation and encourages collaboration, turning creative ideas into reality. Consider including a diverse group of influential teachers, students, staff members, parents, custodians, or security guards in the team. This mix allows for roles to be assigned based on individual strengths and expertise.
Key topics like time management, activity planning, and budgeting should be discussed and finalized in meetings leading up to the event. Once a structured team is in place, it simplifies coordination in future years, creating a successful tradition that everyone looks forward to.
2) Choose a Theme
Choose a theme early in the planning process so it can be reflected in all aspects of the party, from activities and decorations to catering and advertising. A central theme ties everything together, creating a cohesive and organized event.
Winter Wonderland
Step into a magical snow globe at your school Christmas party, where a winter wonderland theme comes to life. Twinkling Christmas lights illuminate the space, while delicate cut-out snowflakes drift down from the ceiling, creating the perfect holiday atmosphere.
Guests are encouraged to wear their favorite winter gear, from cozy scarves to warm sweaters, adding to the seasonal charm. A peppermint hot cocoa station keeps everyone warm and cheerful, with whipped cream, marshmallows, and candy canes to top off each cup. Your event will be beautifully decorated and brimming with holiday spirit, making it the perfect celebration for all to enjoy.
Santa’s Workshop
Bring the magic of Santa’s workshop to your school Christmas party for a festive celebration full of holiday cheer. With cookies laid out and a cozy chair ready, the stage is set for Santa’s special arrival, where he’ll visit with guests and pose for photos. Decorate with candy canes, twinkling lights, and a playful workstation where Santa’s elves are hard at work on toys and inventions. Complete the atmosphere with everyone’s favorite Christmas tunes, filling the air with joy and making the event truly unforgettable.
Pajama Party
Stay warm and comfortable with a pajama theme at your school holiday party. It’s an inclusive option that everyone can easily participate in, creating a relaxed atmosphere; perfect if you're planning to show a Christmas movie during the event.
3) Plan the Activities
One of the most important elements of a school holiday party is selecting the right activities. Choose engaging activities that appeal to a wide range of ages, or opt for smaller classroom Christmas games that are tailored to each group's interests and abilities. This ensures everyone can participate and enjoy the festivities.
Gingerbread House Competition
Encourage teamwork, creativity, friendly competition, and a tasty treat all in one activity with a gingerbread house competition. Organize participants into teams, either preassigned to ensure inclusivity or chosen by the students themselves. Provide all the necessary materials, including gingerbread house pieces, frosting to hold everything together, and a variety of candies for decoration. Gingerbread house building sets are available and can be purchased in bulk for this activity.
Once everyone is ready, start a timer and let the participants build their creations. When time is up, have a group of judges select the grand winner, who may be announced at the end. At the conclusion of the event, everyone will leave with not only a great experience but also a delicious treat to enjoy.
DIY Ornament Crafting
Get creative with an ornament crafting station at your school Christmas party! This fun activity is perfect for all age groups and offers a chance to create sentimental gifts. Provide materials like glitter, glue, paint, and paintbrushes so students can personalize each ornament. Wooden ornaments are ideal, as they’re durable and shatterproof, making them safe for everyone to decorate. To keep things tidy, offer aprons or old shirts for the students to wear and cover the work area with tablecloths.
Once the ornaments are finished, allow them to dry to preserve their designs. At the end of the event, students can take home their handcrafted creations as the perfect Christmas gift. These ornament-making ideas are just one of many classroom Christmas party ideas that will make your celebration special and memorable.
Christmas Movie Party
End an eventful day of holiday fun with a Christmas movie. It's a perfect, low-effort way to wind down and get everyone in the holiday spirit. With the help of your local FunFlicks, hosting a movie party is a breeze. We provide all the audiovisual equipment needed to create a professional cinematic experience for any crowd size. Our technicians will handle the setup and teardown, allowing you to simply relax and enjoy the film with no stress.
4) Plan the Catering
It's hard to go wrong with a successful party when everyone leaves satisfied from great food. Offer the best snacks, drinks, and meals at your school Christmas party with the help of local catering or easy-to-make homemade dishes. For beverages, make sure to provide plenty of water, and consider adding hot cocoa and coffee for the adults to keep everyone warm and cozy throughout the celebration.
Soft and Chewy Gingersnaps
Ingredients
▢ 1 cup brown sugar
▢ ¾ cup butter
▢ ¾ cup molasses
▢ 1 egg
▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla
▢ 3 ½ cups flour
▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
▢ ½ teaspoon ground ginger
▢ ⅛ teaspoon salt
▢ 1 teaspoon cinnamon
▢ ½ teaspoon ground cloves
▢ ¼ cup sugar - for rolling
Christmas Crack
Ingredients
▢ 42 saltine crackers - about 1 ½ sleeves
▢ 1 cup brown sugar
▢ 1 cup butter
▢ 2 cups milk chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips - one 12-ounce bag
▢ 1 cup toffee bits - from one 8-ounce bag
▢ ½ cup white chocolate chips - melted
Roasted Pork and Apples
Ingredients
▢ 1 ½-3 pounds pork tenderloin
▢ salt and pepper to taste
▢ 3 tablespoons oil
▢ ½ cup brown sugar
▢ 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
▢ 1 tablespoon minced garlic
▢ 2 tablespoons apple juice
▢ 2 medium apples - sliced into wedges
5) Create a Budget
The coordination team should agree on a budget, with approval from the principal, to ensure the party is executed successfully without unexpected expenses. All costs should be carefully listed, including activities, work hours, vendor fees, supply rentals, catering, and other supplies.
To reduce expenses, consider turning the school Christmas party into a fundraising event. The holiday season is the perfect time to encourage giving by centering the event around a charitable cause, whether it's supporting a local food bank, children with chronic illnesses, or any cause your school is passionate about. Making the party a fundraiser opens up opportunities for volunteer support and donations, helping to cut costs. Attendees can contribute an admission fee or make donations, and by setting a clear fundraising goal, the event unites people while spreading holiday cheer.
6) Select a Date and Time
The day after finals and just before holiday break is the perfect time to throw a school Christmas party. Work with the coordination team to create a schedule that outlines all the activities, so everyone knows when the party will start and when it will end, ensuring a smooth and organized event.
7) Advertise the Event
There are many ways to advertise your holiday event, each method offering unique benefits depending on the size and type of crowd you want to invite. For a small homeroom celebration, sending invitations and reminder emails for parents to RSVP or volunteer is an excellent choice. For a schoolwide festival, frequent advertisements on bulletin boards and mass newsletter campaigns would be more appropriate to ensure maximum visibility and participation.
8) Set Up & Decorate the Area
Prepare the area before guests arrive by arranging decorations, setting up clear signs to direct parking, and placing workers at their stations to ensure activities and catering run smoothly.
9) Enjoy a Christmas Movie
There's no better way to wrap up a busy day of activities, games, and socializing than with a relaxing Christmas movie. Especially when the weather outside is frightful, a Christmas film is sure to be delightful. No matter the size of your crowd, your local FunFlicks offers a variety of inflatable and LED displays for an excellent watch party experience. From 4K laser projection to booming high-definition sound systems, everything is provided and set up by our professional technicians. All you have to do is provide the movie, and we'll handle the rest.
Christmas Movie Recommendations
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10) Execute After-Party Clean Up
After all the guests have left and the party has come to an end, organize a swift clean-up to dispose of any trash and return items like tables, chairs, and other equipment to their original places. By establishing a clean-up crew beforehand, the process becomes more efficient, allowing for a thorough cleaning of the area.
School Christmas Party for Elementary Students
Organize an engaging school holiday party for elementary students with a variety of activities, such as decorating ornaments, gingerbread men, and Christmas cards. Activities that promote the spirit of giving are perfect for the season. After a fun-filled day, let students wind down with hot cocoa and a cozy Christmas movie before heading home.
School Christmas Party for Middleschoolers
For middle schoolers, consider planning activities that encourage friendly competition, like a gingerbread house tournament or a snowman village creation contest. After a fun-filled day, wind down by showing a Christmas movie and serving festive food for everyone to enjoy.
School Christmas Party for Highschoolers
Bring the Christmas spirit to high schoolers with a Secret Santa gift exchange and a holiday-themed photo booth to capture the memories. Play lively holiday music and host a cookie baking activity, allowing students to enjoy their creations while watching a classic Christmas movie.
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