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Holiday Dinner Party Ideas
Ring in this very merry time of year by hosting an unforgettable evening of festive fun, camaraderie, and conversation.
Oct 01, 2025
The holidays are challenging. Full stop.
For weeks, you find yourself driving around town searching for the perfect gift. At home, you become an online sleuth looking for the best deal. There are those end-of-year work commitments. Maybe travel plans to the Caribbean and your bathing suits no longer fit. And those decorations aren’t going to get hung by themselves. Amidst all this chaos, you thought it would be a fun idea to host a holiday dinner party for you and your closest 37 friends, neighbors, and baristas.
As the days peel away, the scaries start creeping in: Who do I invite? When should it be? What do I cook? Should there be a theme? Why are the holidays a mad, mad, mad, mad time of year?
Take a deep breath.
Center yourself.
Go to your happy place.
Keep reading.
Throwing a holiday dinner party with all the trimmings is deeply satisfying. You get to cook new holiday recipes, splurge on some really wonderful bottles of wine, and finally have a reason to use those amazing dishes you snagged at an estate sale. Best of all, it’s an unforgettable way to show your friends (How about 10 instead of 37?) how much you love and appreciate them.
Holiday dinner parties run the gamut from simple potluck affairs to fancy three- or four-course meals. But one thing they all share: people love them. “Guests will always remember how you made them feel — cared for, fed, and loved,” says Maria Zizka, author of five cookbooks, including her most recent, The Hostess Handbook.
Setting the table
Now that you’re in a better place, one where you’re sipping hot cocoa in front of a roaring fireplace while a puppy sleeps in your lap, while snow is falling outside your window, let’s start with some baseline goals for your holiday dinner party. Some things to consider include:
1. Who do you want at the party and how many can you accommodate?
Dinner parties, whenever you decide to host one, are meant to be intimate and cozy, with enough people for good company and conversation without getting overcrowded. Start with the number of people your table can seat and then add a few more, perhaps at your coffee table or kitchen island. If you have the space, consider borrowing a 6-foot foldable table and set it up nearby.
2. When will it take place?
People avoid scheduling parties during November and December because they think no one will be able to come. But it’s often the best time, for the same reason!
Whatever evening you choose, make sure you give yourself at least three weeks to get everything ready. It’s also important to allow your guests the time to fit it into their calendar. For this special occasion, consider sending holiday-themed, handwritten invitations in the mail because going analog is awesome, or a fun email invite. Whatever you do, don’t send a text message. They have no personality, no matter how many GIFs you include.
3. How will you stay organized and on task so that you can actually enjoy your own party?
The answer is to make a three-week plan and stick to it. Then, on the day of the party, get into the party mood. “I change into my party clothes and make my first drink of the evening before the guests arrive,” Zizka says.
Tips to help you enjoy your own party
To paraphrase a common saying, the golden rule for dinner parties is: “If the host ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” Here are some things you can do to boost your own enjoyment:
Be a delegator: Ask your partner, your sibling, or a close friend to bring fresh-out-of-the-oven items to the table or to help clear between courses.
Clean up as you go: Give dishes a quick rinse and stick them in the dishwasher to keep the kitchen clear while you pay attention to your guests.
Let everyone serve themselves: In general, buffet-style serving is easier on the host than table service. If you prefer a more formal twist on the buffet, set it up on a festively decorated sideboard or table instead of in the kitchen.
Have an open mind: If someone asks if they can bring something, let them. If they don’t ask, that’s fine, too.
Holiday dinner party themes
Zizka suggests playing up the festive and cozy. Here are four ideas that are very festive and very cozy:
Theme #1: Friends- and Family-giving
This year, be the one to host a few of your favorite friends (and stray relatives) for Friendsgiving. Make it a potluck — Zizka asks her guests to bring their favorite side, salad, or dessert.
Decorate with fall colors, using a patterned table runner and a harvest-themed centerpiece. For seating place cards, use small pinecones to hold a leaf-shaped card made with natural orange, yellow, or red paper. As guests enter, point out a side table holding a tasty array of appetizers and blank notecards. Encourage them to fill out an “I’m Grateful for …” card and then, during dinner, go around and share your gratitudes out loud.
Theme #2: It's a Small World
Interested in foods from other countries and the idea of a tapas dinner party? Your friends will be too. Greet them with a table set with all manner of international fare.
Small bites are a wonderful way to enjoy a multitude of flavors without getting overstuffed. Just remember to balance the handmade with the ready-made so your preparation time stays under a couple of hours.
Decorate with globes, flags, and greetings written in multiple languages to set the mood. Serve dinner buffet style and offer meatballs as a main course surrounded by a variety of international dips and sauces.
Theme #3: Feast of the Seven (Give or Take) Fishes
You don’t have to be Italian to love this one! An Italian-American tradition of serving seven fish dishes on Christmas Eve has become a dinner party idea of celebrating the flavors of Italy.
“You can really go for it or just have fun with it,” Zizka says, who recommends serving a cake decorated with Swedish fish for dessert.
Sprinkle smoked salmon over this tasty tortellini dish and serve chilled shrimp alongside fresh cocktail sauce or an artichoke pesto. Decorate with fishing nets, seashells, and maybe a mural depicting an Italian fishing village.
Theme #4: Winter Solstice
From “Winterfell” overtones to a Nordic ski lodge, your dinner party reflects the warmth of breaking bread together when it’s cold outside.
“In celebration of the darkest night of the year, set your table with as many candles as you can fit,” Zizka recommends.
Pure white tablecloths and glittering snowflake place cards are both glamorous and in keeping with the theme.
For this party, an impressive beef dish would work well, surrounded by a few warm sides. Serve something snowy for dessert, such as Zizka’s Giant Pavlova with Chamomile Cream and Citrus. You can also celebrate the night with a cake that’s dark and delicious.
A night to remember
The holidays are the season of giving, so when the fabulous party is over, keep the memories alive with a small token for guests to take home. Some options include a few dark chocolate truffles in a little mesh bag or glass jars of that amazing dip you made.
AUTHOR
Erika Kotite is a she shed expert and the author of three books: She Sheds: A Room of Your Own; She Sheds Style: Make Your Space Your Own; and She Sheds: A DIY Guide. She co-founded "She Shed Living" to help women celebrate their lives in the backyard and natural world.
