Winter is all about celebration. It doesn’t matter whether you’re celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Yule, or Festivus — love and laughter are in the air, and it’s a great time to throw a party.
Christmas-based searches have increased by 104% from last year, showing people are feeling more festive than ever.
But with so many different holidays and activities going on during the winter months, finding the perfect winter party theme can be difficult. Don’t worry, because we’re here to inspire you.
The Eventbrite community is home to over 850,000 amazing event organisers, so we know a thing or two about organising one-of-a-kind themed events that warm hearts and get people singing and dancing.
That’s why we’ve created this guide. We’ll explain why winter party themes are a great idea, give you 13 amazing winter party theme ideas, and zoom in on some event organisers who are nailing the brief when it comes to all things winter.
13 WINTER PARTY THEMES YOUR GUESTS WILL LOVE
7. How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
Why choose a winter party theme?
Honestly, a party can be great without a theme. However, studies show that themed parties offer a unique atmosphere unmatched by random decor and entertainment.
Party themes serve as an anchor for your event. Party decorations, entertainment, food, location, sights, sounds, and smells can all be tied back to the central theme. This creates an immersive experience for your guests in which they aren’t just “showing up” to an event — they’re having an experience.
That’s why our 2024 Event Trends Report found that people are looking for memorable experiences more than anything else.
When it comes to winter, themes are an absolute must. Winter offers an abundance of special traditions and elements that make selecting a theme a delightful challenge for party planners. Not only does choosing a winter party theme help you create a special party atmosphere, but it’ll also simplify the planning process.
For example, you’ve instantly got plenty of potential food and decoration ideas if you know you’re planning a party with a Santa’s grotto theme.
But winter party themes can also help you better communicate your event’s goals and objectives. Returning to our Santa example, let’s say you’re hosting this Christmas party as a charity toy drive for a local hospital.
Using the Santa Claus theme, you can invite guests to don the red cap and make a child’s Christmas brighter — creating a unique experience for your partygoers while ensuring you achieve your party objective.
Curious to learn more about what to consider when planning a party (and how Eventbrite can streamline the process)? Let’s take a look.
13 winter party themes your guests will love
Now that we’ve covered why winter party themes are a great way to engage with guests and help you achieve your event goals, let’s dive deeper into some unique winter party theme ideas.
To help you get started on your party planning mission, here are 12 winter party themes that we absolutely love (and we think you’ll love, too).
1. Winter wonderland
There’s something incredibly elegant about cold weather. The winter season is cool, crisp, and minimalist — which can be the perfect way to style a party.
Enter the winter wonderland party theme.
It’s all about capturing the cool elements of winter. Imagine a palette of white, dark blues, and purples. This is an excellent opportunity to hire a local ice sculptor to create works of art as table centrepieces — you could even book a live ice sculpture demonstration for your guests. You could also consider hiring a snow machine to impress your party guests with real snow as they enter your venue.
To maintain the elegant mood you’ll want a menu in keeping with the upscale theme. Petit fours, cakes, and finger sandwiches are wise. Some classy entertainment could include a live jazz band, a piano concert, or a DJ spinning Christmas classics and seasonal favourites.
Need some inspiration? Look no further than event organiser Jenna Puckey’s MIKES Trust Winter Wonderland Charity Ball. Embracing the seasonal colour palette, they opted for an elegant event, encouraged guests to dress up with their black tie dress code and served elegant hors d’oeuvres with champagne.
If that’s not nailing the brief, what is? You may also want to check out our holiday event planning guide for more tips on transforming your party into a winter wonderland.
2. North Pole
Nothing screams “winter” more than Santa Claus and his elves. This winter party theme is a hole-in-one — you can make it as memorable as you want.
Go for decorations that capture the magic and spirit of the North Pole. That means plenty of reds, greens, whimsical patterns, toys, and sweets.
Unlike the winter wonderland theme, a North Pole party can be more homey and simple regarding the type of food and drinks you’re serving. Think hot chocolate, mince pies, Christmas cocktails for adults, and hearty stews for a sit-down menu.
A winter wonderland is the perfect theme if you’re planning a party for families with children, but it can also be adapted for a fun adults-only bash.
Easy entertainment ideas include everything from performers dressed as elves to a visit from Santa or a handler bringing in live reindeer to create a small petting zoo.
If you’re looking for best practices, it’s worth checking out event organiser Cambridge Street Collective and their North Pole Groove event. This was a family-focused event with a massive range of kids’ entertainment — including games, dancing, and a disco with Mrs. Claus.
3. Winter sports
If you’re planning a party for sporty people, a winter sports or Winter Olympics theme is definitely a winner.
Your decor should match the Olympics’ vibe and feature sporty patterns, skis and snowboards, flags of the world, and ski lodge garb throughout. You can even hone in on the theme even more with a Scandinavian-styled menu.
Your entertainment will depend on your venue, but exciting options might include a winter sports display or the chance for guests to go ice skating.
One Eventbrite organiser who knows how to do this theme well is The Bierkeller Liverpool. Their Après Sun – Retro Garden Party nailed the winter sports vibe, celebrating the upcoming winter’s Après-Ski events with a vibrant summer twist.
4. White elephant Secret Santa party
The white elephant game is a fun twist on a traditional Secret Santa gift exchange. It’s a great way to get guests up, moving, and laughing. They’re also referred to as a “Dirty Santa” party, but they all work the same — each guest brings a present, and then you make a game of swapping those gifts around.
This theme is easy because the main entertainment for a white elephant party is the game itself. You’ve just got to look for decor that captures the gifting vibe, like bows, wrapping paper, or decorated Christmas trees. It’s that simple.
You can also put a unique spin on the white elephant theme to better align with your venue or event’s style.
These types of games are the best way to engage party guests. But if you’re looking for more interactive event ideas, we’ve got you covered.
5. Christmas in July
The Christmas in July theme is a fun and flirty take on a traditional Christmas party. Instead of decking the halls with evergreen trees and fake furs, Christmas in July is all about capturing tropical summer vibes.
Best of all: You can hold a Christmas in July party in December or July. The theme works no matter the season.
That means decor that fuses summer fun with Christmas classics. For example, you can greet guests with Hawaiian leis on arrival, decorate palm trees with lights and baubles, break out pool furniture, or even bring in some natural sand.
For a menu, this one is great for summer BBQ staples alongside more traditional Christmas belly warmers like mulled wine and cocktails — while entertainment options could include a reggae or ukulele band, hula hooping, or even a limbo contest.
Your summer party or event can feature a festive menu, a Secret Santa raffle, and charity photos with Santa.
If you’re looking for more ideas to boost your Christmas party beyond just the theme, we can help. Check out our Christmas party event checklist.
6. Ugly jumper party
Who doesn’t love an ugly Christmas jumper? This is a super simple and affordable winter party theme.
By encouraging your guests to show up in their worst Christmas jumpers, you can engage guests on arrival. The dress code can even double as your entertainment — host a best (or worst) jumper contest.
All you’ve got to do is source some traditional holiday decor and let your guests do all the hard work.
Want to add a crafty twist to your Christmas jumper event? If your guests are on the creative side, why not have them upcycle their own ugly Christmas jumper like Textile Junkies’ Learn To Sew – Zero-Waste Christmas Jumper event.
Considering hosting an ugly jumper party but need convincing? We’ll explain how to host a Christmas party.
7. How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
If you’re looking for whimsical winter party themes, you can’t do better than Dr. Seuss and The Grinch.
It’s a Christmas classic, and this one is largely about the decor. Go for a vibrant colour palette, whacky illustrations, and unique animals or gadgets to capture the sights and sounds of Whoville in the holidays.
You can even encourage guests to dress up like Whos and stage a fancy dress contest — or do a film screening of The Grinch.
Need inspiration? Event organiser Mercure Chester Abbots Well and their A Merry ‘Who’ Christmas event is the perfect example. Their quirky family-friendly event features a visit from the grumpy Grinch and gives every child a gift to ensure the leave with a cheeky grin. Their success was partly thanks to using the right tools — in this case, they listed their event on the largest events search engine in the world : Eventbrite.
Create your winter events with Eventbrite
8. Pyjama party
Sometimes the best winter party themes are the simplest — and nothing’s more simple than asking party guests to dress down and show up in their PJs.
A holiday pyjama party is all about creating a cosy and warm atmosphere. Think tartan blankets, loads of pillows, and an open fire. You could even set up a hot chocolate bar, do a breakfast buffet, and set up a contest for the best (or worst) pyjamas. If you’ve got children, a festive storytime will be a nice addition, too.
Want to see how this unique theme can be executed? Check out event organiser Spot Project and their Pyjama Pizza Party. Guests will get to enjoy a cosy girls’ night in with delicious pizza, and all proceeds go to charity.
If you need help promoting your own pyjama party, take a look at our guide on how to promote holiday-themed events.
9. Winter adventure party
If you’re after something a bit more exciting, a great option could be to go for a winter adventure theme. Think Mount Everest-chic.
Your decor should revolve around snow and ice and winter animals like polar bears or penguins alongside mountain climbing gear. Set a mountain explorer dress code and go for a menu of belly warmers. This would be a great opportunity to rent a snow machine or set up an ice carving demonstration to entertain your party guests.
Or, instead of dressing up as a winter adventure, you can attendees a chance to bundle up and do it all for real in a winter sports venue. You could check out places in your area that offer snowboarding or skiing lessons.
10. Ice bar
If you’re looking for a sleek and trendy winter party theme, an ice bar is the perfect theme.
This one is adults-only because the main attraction is going to be your ice bar. You’ll want to match your cool party vibe with Scandinavian decor like faux furs, blankets, and white and silver tones throughout.
For entertainment, you could go for a lights show, performers, or a cool DJ. Other great ideas are featuring an ice carving demonstration, an outdoor ice bar, live music, or signature ice bar cocktails.
11. Black tie New Year’s Eve
Winter doesn’t end after Christmas Day — and New Year’s Eve is a great excuse to throw a fancy party. Go for a black tie theme and encourage your guests to keep it formal.
In terms of decor, you can keep things elevated with a Gatsby-esque vibe, party cocktails, and canapés. Your entertainment lineup to ring in the new year could include a jazz band, a fireworks display, or ballroom dancers.
As a point of reference, look at event organiser Courtyard By Marriott – Oxford South and their upcoming New Years Eve at The Courtyard Oxford South. Set in a beautiful hotel, it promises to be a night of champagne, live entertainment, and elegance.
12. The Nutcracker
When you think of winter, The Nutcracker is on many peoples’ lists of favourites. The famous ballet and its score are almost synonymous with Christmas time — which makes it a brilliant party theme.
This one is ideal for hiring classical musicians, and ballet performers, or even hosting a Nutcracker decorating contest.
Your theme menu could centre on the more traditional Christmas treats like mince pies, trifle, and chocolate coins. The decor should feature nutcrackers, plenty of greens and reds, and traditional German and Scandinavian patterns.
Event organiser Calon Heart Screening and their Nutcracker Christmas Ball is a pretty great example. This charity ball brings whimsy and elegance together for the perfect Christmassy theme.
13. Fire and Ice Festival
Create a sensational winter experience by organising your own Fire and Ice Winter festival.
For the “Fire” aspect, set up inviting fire pits where guests can gather and revel in the warmth. Treat them to a delectable spread of s’mores, comforting foods, and steaming cups of coffee and hot chocolate. Indoors, arrange exciting games such as axe throwing and darts to keep the excitement alive.
For the “Ice” element, go above and beyond with an ice bar or snow bar, and serve imaginative icy concoctions and include an open bar outside that offers a wide selection of drinks, including coffee, hot chocolate, and a delightful whisky sampling experience to heat them up.
To add to the fresh-air dimension, transform your outdoor space into a winter playground, offering thrilling activities like snow dodgeball to recreate a real snowball fight and amplify the festive spirit with live music performances.
Take your winter party themes to the next level
It’s important to note this is just the tip of the iceberg. There are loads of amazing great party themes — and once you’ve found the perfect theme to create a unique guest experience, we’re here to help.
With Eventbrite, you can set up custom party event pages, create seating plans, sell tickets, and promote your holiday party using email marketing integrations, social ads, and more.
