Host a Holiday Girls Night In

Host a holiday girls night in where the focal point is a well appointed bar cart. Serve up a signature drink and some finger food for an easy way to entertain during the holidays. And check out these ideas for a more elaborate girls night in holiday party. You can serve a delicious dinner or simply stock the bar cart, but either way it’s always better with girl friends!

Host a Holiday girls night in Christmas cocktail party this season using these ideas

This weekend will be the start of holiday parties everywhere.  On our list this month is a girls night in party with white elephant gift exchange, a Toys for Tots drive, our annual Christmas cocktail party, an ugly sweater Christmas party, and of course a New Years Eve party.  Phew!  I can’t wait!

You know how I love a monthly girls night in party, and since I’m not hosting the one this year {it’s at our neighbor’s house} I thought I would placate my desire to host by sharing some ideas with you here.

I’ve hosted or attended many holiday girls night parties and there are several themes and ideas you can choose from.  Once again I’ve teamed up with Sauza Sparkling margarita to bring you my tips for hosting a fabulous, but fuss free, girls night in.  And whichever theme you choose, this party set up will work for any of them.

Create a focal point around a stylish bar cart for your holiday party.

• I created a focal point around this bar cart I recently found for $40 at a thrift shop.  It’s sleek, retro-modern design can be rolled into whatever room you’re setting up the party in.  The top tier is set up with drinks, while the bottom holds snacks.
• I found the glitters letters at Walmart for $1 each, and tied them on to ribbon for a fun festive “Cheers” banner.
• More glitter letters are used to make monogrammed drink markers.  These chipboard letters are found in the scrapbook section of the craft store, and attached to wooden stir sticks with glue strips.
• You’ve heard of the “KISS” philosophy for entertaining, right?  Keep It Simple, Sweetie!  Serve up one signature drink; in this case, sparkling margaritas.  They’re the only margarita with BUBBLES! so they are a nice alternative to champagne.  I even tied in the green and peach colored bottles with green & orange veggie sticks with hummus.
• A tight bouquet of roses dresses up the cart and adds a bit of elegance.  Tie a coordinating ribbon around the vase to pull it into the decor.
• I used my vintage floral frog {spray painted bronze} to hold a food tag.  Just another detail to add color and interest.

A cocktail party is always in style for a festive girls night in.

• Serve food that’s easy to prepare ahead.  Here I made up mini glasses of veggies and hummus, and mini ham & biscuits with cranberry & cream cheese spread.
• Sweets are mini chocolate pies and peppermint Oreo truffles.
• As I mentioned, this cart of goodies can be rolled into your party space so friends don’t have to miss out on any of the fun when they go for a re-fill.  Place trays around the room for guests to set down their glass or food where needed.  I set this up in my front sitting room because I consider that “my” room to relax and chat with the girls.  A mini tree is set up here with some retro-inspired ornaments from this Christmas tablescape.

Now that you’ve seen my design ideas, here are my favorite themes for a holiday ladies night around.

6 THEMES FOR HOSTING A HOLIDAY GIRLS NIGHT IN:

1. Host an Ornament exchange – I love the simplicity of this theme.  You can buy an ornament for $5 or less and everyone gets to add to their collection.  My tip for this – since everyone decorates their tree differently – is to keep the ornaments neutral.  Clear or white goes with everything!  When we did this years ago, the host read a funny holiday story and every time a certain word was said, you pass your ornament to the left or right.  Whatever ornament you’re left holding at the end is the one you keep.
2. Host a Secret Santa gift exchange – The obviously requires early planning so everyone has a secret person to buy a gift for.  At the party you try and guess who your secret Santa is.
3. Host a Gift Wrapping party – This can make the chore of wrapping presents a lot more fun.  Invite the ladies over with their pile of gifts and everyone can wrap and have a rap session at the same time.   The best way to do this is to let everyone bring their own wrapping paper and scissors/tape.  The host can provide gift tags and drinks/snacks.
4. Host a Chinese Gift exchange – I don’t know why it’s called that but it’s the traditional game where everyone brings a wrapped gift valued at $10-$15 dollars.  Guests draw a number out of a hat and gets to pick her gift in that order.  For instance the #1 would pick a gift first, unwrap it and show it to the group; #2 can either pick a new gift or take #1’s gift.  If  #1’s gift gets taken she picks another gift immediately, and the turn then moves on to #3, and so on.   The rule we put in place is that a gift can only be taken 3 times.  The last person gets to keep it.  Also, if someone takes your gift and it’s your turn to pick again, you can’t immediately take the gift back – you have to pull from the unopened gifts or someone else’s gift.  The last caveat to this game is that #1 not only picks the first gift, but also gets to pick the very last gift too.  I know some people like to do this game with gag gifts or white elephant gifts, but I really prefer it to be geared towards desirable items.  I think it just makes for a better feeling at the end of the night.
5. Host a Toy Drive, Food drive, or Coat Drive – A great way to give back to the community, collection drives combine fun with the real meaning of ‘giving.’
6. Host a cookie exchange – Everyone loves a cookie exchange!  If you’re the host I suggest you server some savory light bits so it can balance out all that sugar.  You also need to coordinate what everyone will bring so there aren’t 5 different sugar cookies.  Ask the bakers to bring copies of their recipe to share with the group.  I think a good rule of thumb is to bring 4 times the number of cookies as you have guests.  This way each guest can taste one {or 2} and take one {or 2} home.

There you have dozens of ideas and tips for making your Holiday Girls Night In hassle free.  What’s your favorite type of holiday gathering to host?