How to plan an unforgettable kids’ holiday party
Planning the perfect holiday party for kids doesn’t have to be stressful. Make the holidays easy as pumpkin pie with these kids’ holiday party ideas. We’ve even included plenty of holiday party games for kids, festive foods to try and adorable invitation suggestions.
Choose the theme
Themed parties are always a good time for kiddos. From the engaging decor to the entertaining activities, a great theme can really give your party an extra, kid-approved oomph.
Some of our favorite theme ideas for kids’ holiday parties:
- Set up wintry decor to transport your guests to a snow-filled wonderland! Hang snowflake garlands and string lights to make a frosty and festive atmosphere.
Cookie exchange
- Ask each guest to bring at least a dozen cookies. At the party, guests can then swap and exchange cookies with each other so everyone gets a nice variety of delicious holiday treats to take home!
- Invite everyone over for a screening of a kid-friendly holiday film, like “The Polar Express,” “Home Alone” or “Frosty the Snowman”.
Cocoa and crafts
- This one’s pretty straightforward: prep plenty of hot chocolate and set up a few different crafting stations so the little ones can enjoy a cozy cup of cocoa while getting creative!
Arctic animals party
- Polar bears, reindeer and walruses, oh my! Use these awesome arctic animals as the inspo for your party. Invite the kiddos to dress up as their polar pal and plan crafts and activities like pin the nose on the Rudolph!
Send out invitations

Once you know your theme, it’s time to send out those invitations with Evite! Find a design that matches the vibe of your party to set the tone for your guests. Customize your invitation, add all the key details and build your guest list! Then, once it’s ready, send it via email, text or shareable link.
Browse Kids’ Holiday Invitations
Plan activities and games

When it comes to kids' parties, you’re gonna want to plan ahead and make sure you’ll be offering plenty of interactive and fun crafts, activities and games to keep the kids occupied and entertained. Anything that gets them moving, grooving or creating is the way to go!
Some of our favorite kids’ holiday party activities:
Christmas cookie decorating
Gingerbread house building
Caroling
Paper snowflake making
Snow globe making
DIY styrofoam snowmen
Figure out holiday snacks

Festive snacks are a MUST at any kids’ holiday party. This is a great opportunity to get creative. Get out your cookie cutters and slice some vegetables into on-theme shapes like stars and gingerbread men—you’d be surprised how much your kids will love eating vegetables if they’re served in a fun and exciting way! Or, for something sweet, make snowman-shaped banana skewers or adorable reindeer by sticking pretzel halves into date balls.
Some of our favorite kid-friendly holiday snacks:
Snowflake-shaped veggies
Banana snowman skewers
Strawberry Santa hats
Holiday cookies
Festive cake pops
Get festive decorations

Going big on decor doesn’t have to mean breaking the bank. There are plenty of great ways to DIY an awesome kids’ party atmosphere, especially during the holiday season. For a classic look, make paper snowflake garlands using paper and scissors or decorate your home with cute, homemade snowmen using styrofoam balls, googly eyes and scrap fabric for hats and scarves.
But, if you’re not feeling particularly crafty, no worries! We’ve got you covered with plenty of decorations that’ll transform your space into a winter wonderland.
Our kids’ holiday party decor picks:
Make party favors
Goodie bags are the icing on the cake of parties, so make their holiday season extra merry and bright by planning a fun favor to send them home with. From knick knacks to sweet treats, there are plenty of fun items to give out as your favors.
Pro tip: plan party activities that involve making something! This way, you can send the kiddos home with a keepsake from the party without having to do double the planning (and spending!). For example, opt for activities like cookie decorating or snow globe making so everyone has something to bring home!
For classic goodie bags, here are some of our picks:
See our list of 10 kid-approved party favors under $10, perfect for any party any time of year.
Send thank you cards

Once the party’s over, keep the holiday cheer going by sending out thoughtful thank you cards to all of your guests. Choose your favorite design, then customize it with personalizable backgrounds, envelope liners, stamps and stickers. You even have the option to send a universal message to all guests or write a different, individualized note for each person. Once you’ve sent your card, you can track when it’s been viewed and see your guests’ emoji reactions!
Create lasting memories with these kids’ holiday party ideas
Now that you’ve got plenty of festive ideas, you’re ready to throw your own party! Send an invitation with Evite and get ready to make unforgettable memories.
Choose your favorite kids’ holiday invitation design, then customize it with your favorite background, envelope liner, stamps and stickers. Helpful hint: for an extra special invitation, add your own pic to one of our holiday photo templates. Once your invitation is perfect, build your guest list with ease and send out your invitations via email, text or shareable link.
The best part? You’ll be able to track RSVPs in real-time which means you’ll know exactly how many cookies to make and crafts to plan.
If you’re expecting plenty of parties this year, make sure to check out Evite Pro. This annual subscription allows you to send an unlimited number of cards and Premium invitations all year long. That means you can host as many holiday parties as you want and send a holiday card to everyone on your list!
Evite is here to help you make the most wonderful time of the year extra wonderful and make memories that’ll last a lifetime.