Once upon a time, long ago, Christmas was synonymous with family and gathering around a roaring fire for a celebratory meal . The magic of Christmas and that of the family were intimately linked (sic). Nay! The plaster nativity scene with aluminum foil as decoration , the turkey wriggling happily in the oven and the bubbles of champagne that go « plop plop » now belong to an ancient and bygone past. The concept of family has expanded over the years, and today many people want to take advantage of this opportunity to spend time with the people they love . Simply. Don’t we say that friends are the family we choose ?
Celebrating Christmas with friends is special.
In addition to the traditional gifts , gargantuan meals , chocolates , songs and other festivities , we are going to tell you all the secrets of a successful Christmas evening with friends !
Maintaining Christmas traditions with a little extra twist
Organizing a Christmas with friends brings a small change in habits, but that does not mean that we have to turn everything upside down and revolutionize Christmas. To ignore the pleasures that can only be found at this time of year would be very frustrating.
To make this Christmas with friends remarkable, all you need to do is sprinkle a bit of tradition and add a zest of novelty.
A trendy and eco-friendly decoration
Today, there are so many other alternatives to using synthetic decorations and other plastic trinkets. Why, then, not to use natural elements to constitute your decoration. For example, wreaths made of greens, pine cones, some stones, fruits like red apples, dried flowers, …
We think of the millions of fir trees liquidated each year and we focus on recovery. For example, you can make a Christmas tree made entirely of pallet wood, or, even simpler, a cardboard tree, the must-have for recycling.
A casual dress code
Between friends, the constraints are less strong. We can party until late, Grandma isn’t here. The only real dress constraint would be not to wear clothes that are too tight. Don’t forget that you will (a lot) eat and maybe dance. But nothing prevents you from respecting a theme, such as “the ugliest sweater” or the obligation to dress in red and green.
A swinging playlist
At this time of year, you will surely spend all your days hearing « Little Santa Claus! » , so have mercy on your guests and spare them.
A very nice idea to give a touch of originality to the Christmas playlist is to add a little spice by including some songs that are not necessarily among the most famous, but which will bring a little fun:
1. « We were waiting for Christmas » by Isabelle Boulay
2. “Christmas Eve” by Celine Dion
3. Bob Dylan’s « 12 Days of Christmas »
4. “Santa Claus’ Daughter” by Jacques Dutronc
If you’re out of inspiration, there are plenty of websites that offer these ready-made playlists . Just change a few titles if necessary and you’ll be set!
A festive atmosphere
Do you know the art of mixology? “The art of making cocktails and, in particular, of creating or adapting recipes, by assembling complex and original drinks.” (Larousse definition)
This year, let your guests make their own drinks. All you have to do is buy all the necessary ingredients and leave some recipes available as a guide. Consider including non-alcoholic alternatives for those who want to stay sober.
A simple and participative meal
Honestly, who wants to spend two days in front of their stoves stuffing the eternal Christmas turkey? A brunch, for example, is a great variation on a classic dinner. Very convivial, the menu is simple and the cooking times much shorter, which allows you to enjoy your New Year’s Eve with friends at least as much as they will enjoy this meal.
You can also opt for a buffet. The fact of standing encourages conversation, even dancing. But there is no question of spreading all the canapes on your own. You call on friends for help.
jubilant activities
To make the evening as fun as possible, offer your guests a few games, a question of falling back into childhood. We have selected a few that should have an effect for sure. Laughs guaranteed!
The unusual sentence
A nice game without complex organization. Bring a few sheets of paper and a pencil. Each guest writes down an incongruous sentence on a sheet of paper (example: “two days ago, I asked directions to a policeman dressed as a dancer with a pink tutu. He had a banana as a pencil”). All scores are then drawn by lot. The challenge is to place your sentence in the conversation, as naturally as possible, without getting caught by the other guests.
An adult version of the donkey's tail game
It’s the same game, but with a reindeer instead. Saying it’s an adult version is just a pretext to put on a good face. Watching his best friends, tail in hand, trying to reach the rear of a reindeer as well as possible, remains a fascinating experience to live (don’t forget to immortalize it in photos).
A few game sessions on the console.
Bowling, table tennis, billiards and many other games can be great fun with friends on a console. There is something for everyone. You can make the game a bit competitive to make it even more addictive. Pledges are always a sensation.
Ideas for cool and funny little gifts
To please your guests without breaking the bank, one of the best ideas is the Secret Santa. Or rather, a variant of Secret Santa: you decide together the maximum purchase value of the gifts and you give them to each other thanks to a draw on the same day. Obviously, the gift cannot be personalized, but you can let go to your heart’s content on fun and funny gifts, here are some examples:
- Rolls of toilet paper printed “banknote” or “Sudoku” to pass the time.
- A packet of alkaline batteries marked “gift not included”.
- An envelope containing two euros, accompanied by a note: “Dear friend, I bought you 25 € worth of scratch cards and, out of kindness, I scratched them for you. You won €2. Well done !"
A room for night owls
The party was a success, one could even say a triumph and your guests are getting ready to go home. But not everyone is in a condition to do so. As a quality host, you have planned everything: a guest room, a piece of sofa, a small mattress cheerfully thrown on the ground, everything is good to take care of your friends and to let only the most vigorous ones go.
Plan future gifts
Photographs are some of the most treasured holiday memories. What better way to commemorate Christmas dinner with photos of all your friends?
All you have to do is let us take care of this mission. With the Burddy photobooth, you give your guests the choice to take all the photos they want, when they want and how they want.
And above all, next year, you will be able to offer your dear friends photo gifts that you will have personalized thanks to the photographs taken during this famous Christmas evening. And hop ! No more headaches of having to look for gift ideas for the following year!
