When you think of a holiday soiree, you might picture glitz, glamour—and stress. But holiday parties don't have to be extravagant affairs. After all, the goal is to bring people together to share joy, and that doesn't have to come at the expense of your well-being or wallet.
Get ready to celebrate the season with these five ideas for parties that are short on expenses and long on memories.
1. Movie Magic
Whether you're into the warm fuzzies of meet-cute romances, the hijinks of laugh-out-loud comedies or the nostalgia of classic animated favorites, there's nothing like a holiday movie to get you in the spirit. In fact, 60% of American households watch at least one holiday film between Halloween and New Year's Day.1
A holiday movie marathon is a low-maintenance party that's high on appeal. Choose old classics or recent films—suitable for the age range of the audience—to show at your seasonal cinema party, and suggest guests come decked out in their PJs with a cozy blanket. Invite them to bring enough of their favorite movie snack to share, and all you'll need to do is supply the popcorn.
2. Shimmering Stroll
Light displays are to the winter holidays what fireworks are to the Fourth of July, and this iconic activity is way more fun with a group. Gather at your home if your neighborhood is known for flashy extravaganzas, or meet near a well-known hot spot to host a light walk (or drive if the weather is too frightful).
Before everyone heads out, review a few safety precautions: Be sure that all kids are paired with an adult, and that participants have flashlights and a map with the meeting spot clearly marked in case anyone gets separated from the group.
After you've sufficiently oohed and aahed, warm up with a budget-friendly meal of soup and bread, or arrange a potluck where everyone brings a favorite dish to share. You can also have everyone vote on their favorite decor and then spread the joy by dropping off a thank-you note, signed by the group, to the winner.
3. Deck the Cookies
Whether your friends are seasoned bakers or can't tell a piping bag from a pastry brush, a cookie decorating party allows everyone to indulge in the fun of transforming plain cookies into festive masterpieces.
To ease the workload (and investment), have your guests bring two or three dozen baked, undecorated cookies. (To ensure an assortment of shapes, buy a set of cookie cutters and send one with each invite.) Whip up a batch of plain icing and ask everyone to contribute a decorating item to share, like sprinkles, edible glitter, candies, chocolates, colored sugar, edible markers or shredded coconut.
Borrow long tables and cover them with butcher paper to make cleanup easy. Divide the decor among the tables, and let everyone unleash their inner pastry Picasso. To counteract the sugar frenzy, provide nutritious nibbles like veggie and fruit trays with healthy dips or baked latkes packed with veggies.2
4. Sweet Swap
Most people want to sample different types of treats during the holidays. But let's face it: Who has the time to do that much baking or the budget for spendy ingredients? With a cookie swap, each participant makes their favorite and goes home with a selection of decadent delights made by others.
To ensure plenty of treats, determine how many guests you'll have, and ask each person to bring enough of their creation so each attendee can take home three or four of each. Visit a dollar store to buy big plastic trays, and provide one to each guest, along with plastic wrap.
Refreshments are a snap: Make the cookies the star, along with a selection of beverages. If you'd like to extend the bash, you can add some low-key games to the agenda, like holiday charades or bingo, or have everyone bring a gag gift for a white elephant exchange.
5. Retail Therapy Kickoff
Why wait until the last minute to buy gifts? The selection and prices are often better early on, so help your friends tackle their list by organizing a group shopping trip. While any day can work, one good option might be the first weekend in December—it's before the start of Hanukkah (Dec. 7-15 in 2023), and before stores are super crowded.
Invite everyone to gather before the shopping expedition to compare creative but affordable ideas, especially for tricky categories like stocking stuffers and Hanukkah surprises or hard-to-buy-for relatives. Remind everyone to bring coupon codes and details on hot sales to help stretch gift-buying budgets. Host a coffee and hot cocoa bar to send them out energized on the cheap.
You can also host a late afternoon, post-shopping happy hour where friends can show off their finds. Ask everyone to bring a roll or two of wrapping paper, and you can knock off another holiday chore while swapping deals and strategies.
Save All Season Long
While these parties can be pulled off relatively affordably, make sure you consider all the costs and build them into your overall holiday spending budget. And don't forget to reap rewards by using a cash-back, no-fee credit card for party supplies and all your holiday purchases.
If you find your budget is a little tighter than you'd like, think ahead to next season and create an automatic savings plan that lets you direct funds to a dedicated account. Consider opening a high yield savings or money market account to take advantage of competitive interest rates that allow your money to grow even more. Then, by next December, the savings can be a festive gift to yourself.
Cathie Ericson is an Oregon-based freelance writer who covers personal finance, real estate and education, among other topics. Her work has appeared in a wide range of publications and websites, including U.S. News & World Report, MSN, Business Insider, Yahoo Finance, MarketWatch, Fast Company, Realtor.com and more.
READ MORE: 14 Grinch-Free Ways to Save Money This Holiday Season
Sources/references
1. Tom Robinson II et al. “'They're so predictable … but, I love them': Analyzing the appeal of Hallmark Christmas movies." Journal of Popular Television. October 1, 2022.
2. Kelly Kennedy. “3 Healthier Spins on Classic Potato Latkes." Everyday Health. December 8, 2022.