When you have small children, it can be difficult to create a fun and child appropriate Christmas eve celebration. Make Christmas eve a special and entertaining one for the whole family by trying out some of these simple Christmas Eve party ideas.
From gingerbread houses, to story time and movies, there is something on this list for everyone. Why not pick a few for your Christmas eve party this year? We like to start our Christmas Eve celebrations at lunchtime and do something new every 30 -50 minutes until bedtime. If that’s too much for you, just try a handful of ideas and see how you get on!
Here are some Christmas Eve party ideas to try this Christmas
- Have a sing-a-long of favorite Christmas carols around the tree
- Eat finger food, anything that does not require too much clean up afterwards!
- Listen to Christmas music on the telly or compile your own Christmas play list.
- Do a craft or bake up a fresh batch of cookies
- Play a Christmas version of charades. Brainstorm Christmas themed book, plays, movies etc and add them to the hat.
- Read “The Night Before Christmas” before bedtime
- Spend time with loved ones
- Watch a Christmas movie
- Open 1 gift
- Prepare a plate of goodies and a drink for Santa
- Put out reindeer food
- Invite guests and have them bring a potluck dish to share.
- Dim the lights and dine by candlelight
- Gather around the tree for after-dinner cocktails, hot cocoa or eggnog
- Celebrate the spirit of the season and take your guests Christmas caroling through the neighborhood.
here’s a run down of one of our Christmas parties. My children were invited to a Kids Christmas party at their cousins. Their ages ranged from 6 month old twins to my almost 9 year old daughter. Ages 2,4 and 6 were covered by the 4 boys between. That’s 6 boys and one girl!
My cousin arranged the event, I just had to show up and help out. Bonus! These are some of the lovely Christmas party ideas we enjoyed together.
Jam Tarts: When we arrived our first task was to cut circles and stars out of ready rolled pastry and place them in a tart tray. The children then filled them with strawberry or apricot jam and finally a little pastry star on top
Mince Pies: Next on the list was minced pies. Again the children cut out pastry circles and this time, larger stars. The pastry circles were filled with store-bought fruit mince and the stars placed on top.
While the jam tarts and mince pies were baking the younger members of the group built a Christmas train track with a battery operated train which was decorated in tiny Christmas light string
Gingerbread House: My older two and I constructed the gingerbread house and let it set. The younger ones joined us and everyone had a go sticking the sweets to the outside of the house.
Play dough: After a quick clean up, each child was given their own piece of play dough. They set about making Play dough Christmas models. when they were done, they added a touch of glitter to make their models sparkle.
Dance time: After all that sitting and table top creating, it was time for some movement. Using Christmas music Cd’s the children were able to dance, play musical snowman, musical bumps, and even did the conga.
Go Outdoors: While the house was being cleared and arranged for the hot chocolate and movie, we took the children outside and played stuck in the mud, collected Holly and berries for the Christmas table decoration and played with outdoor toys
Hot chocolate and tarts: Soon it was time to have hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows and also to eat some of the tarts and mince pies we had made earlier.
Movie time: When that was devoured, everyone cuddled up on the sofa to watch a movie. Of course the younger ones did not last the entire movie and in the end only the eldest-girl was left watching. But no one minded and soon we all drifted off home.
It was a lovely relaxed and fun filled afternoon and a great way for the cousins to get together. I hope you like our Christmas Party Ideas!
Here are more Christmas Party Ideas for you to try.
A newer tradition we have includes a visit from the Pajama Elves. Read about this cute and silly Christmas Eve idea that has become a firm favourite in our home.
A visit from the Pajama Elves
After a day of Christmas party activities, I asked the children if they had checked to see if the Pajama Elves had been (we had read the storybook and were anticipating a visit!) They ran to the front door and checked but there were no parcels there. I reminded them that sometimes the elves leave the parcel on the end of the bed.
They thundered up the stairs and I heard squeals of excitement as they discovered these pretty parcels on their beds.
1,2,3…one each!
They brought them downstairs and ripped into them. Inside was a pair or Pajamas each. They were so excited. Pajamas on Christmas eve from the Pajama Elves meant that they are on the good list!
Here they are all in their new ‘onesie’ pajamas, about to go to bed on Christmas Eve. Let’s hope the sleepy magic sewn into them works!
Click on this link if you don’t know the story of the Pajama Elves!
I am a preschool and primary school teacher and mum to 3 children. I have been involved in education since 1997 and have trained in a variety of educational specialist areas. It is with this expertise that I write articles to help parents and educators provide quality learning experiences for the children in their care.
