24 Holiday Event Ideas to Celebrate the Season All the Way to Christmas

When we think of the holiday season, we usually start planning how to make the most of it. We picture cozy nights, dinners with friends, movie marathons, and those heart-warming gatherings that instantly make December feel magical. But here’s the thing: after a few get-togethers, the routine can start to feel a bit… repetitive. Suddenly, we run out of ideas and end up doing the same activities over and over again.

That’s exactly why, in the past few years, holiday gatherings have become more hands-on, immersive, and creative. People want more than food and drinks, they want experiences. Activities that bring everyone together, spark creativity, and even send guests home with a little souvenir to remember the moment.

And because the holiday season deserves to be enjoyed to the fullest, I curated a list of 24 holiday event ideas, one for each day leading up to Christmas. These ideas are designed to be budget-friendly, easy to host at home, and perfect for creating meaningful moments with the people you love.

Get ready to enjoy the holiday season like never before!

1. Christmas Cookies Decoration Night

A sweet, fun activity for all ages! Set up a large table with cookie kits, icing, toppings, sprinkles, and bags. The best part? You can buy kits that already include everything, so you don’t need to bake from scratch unless you want to. Add a festive playlist and let everyone design their own edible creation.

2. DIY Wreath-Making Workshop

Give your guests the chance to take home a beautiful handmade wreath. All you need are wreath bases, decorative elements (garlands, ornaments, ribbons, berries, and even mini lights), plus some wire. This is a wonderful bonding activity that lets everyone explore their creativity while crafting a personalized piece of decor.

3. Christmas Tree Ornament Painting

Personalized ornaments make Christmas trees extra special. Buy clear, wooden, or white ornaments, depending on the style you want, and provide paint, ribbons, glitter, beads, and mini fillers. Everyone can design one that reflects their personality. It's a fun and relaxing activity that produces a meaningful keepsake.

4. Gingerbread House Assembling

A classic that never gets old! Gingerbread house kits are everywhere this time of year, including unique versions like Oreo houses or sugar cookie cottages. If you want to spice it up, turn it into a competition: “Who builds it fastest?” or “Most creative design wins!”

5. Christmas Trivia Night

Trivia instantly brings excitement and laughter. You can easily find Christmas trivia games or printable question cards online. Prepare easy snacks and drinks, divide teams, and enjoy a night full of fun facts and friendly competition.

6. Clay Ornament Crafting

This is DIY at its finest. You can either buy a kit with air-dry clay (no oven required!) or you can buy everything separately and and provide tools, molds, and creative prompts. Guests can shape stars, gingerbread men, angels, or abstract designs. If the clay needs drying time, host a second gathering to paint the ornaments, combining this idea with activity #3.

7. Holiday Paint-By-Numbers Night

One of the most popular creative activities lately. Buy Christmas-themed paint-by-numbers kits, they usually include brushes, paint, and a canvas. You can even set up mini easels and festive aprons for an extra touch. Perfect for all skill levels.

8. Classic Christmas Movie Night

Think cozy, nostalgic, and effortless. Prepare easy finger foods (popcorn, sliders, nachos, cheese board) and warm drinks. Add blankets, pillows, fairy lights, and let your guests vote on the movie. You can also add some seasonal decoration for the food station, check out this movie night kit to make your life easier! A simple idea that never disappoints.

9. Hot Chocolate Night

The ultimate comfort gathering! Create a hot chocolate bar with toppings like marshmallows, cinnamon, whipped cream, chocolate shavings, caramel drizzle, and peppermint sticks. Combine it with storytelling, card games, or even a cozy photo area with holiday props.

10. Freestyle Holiday Painting

Let everyone’s imagination flow. Buy a painting kit or small canvases, brushes, and paint, then allow your guests to paint anything holiday-themed. Provide inspiration boards or printed ideas. Add music, snacks, and enjoy a chill night full of creativity.

11. Christmas Flower Arrangement Workshop

You don’t need to be a florist to enjoy this. Provide vases, seasonal foliage, ornaments, ribbons, and Christmas florals like pine, eucalyptus, and poinsettias. A mood board with inspiration can help guide guests. Everyone leaves with a beautiful arrangement they made themselves.

12. Holiday Cocktail (or Mocktail) Making

A fun, interactive activity that teaches guests how to mix seasonal drinks. Print recipe cards, set up a bar station with ingredients, and let everyone prepare their drink. Make sure to check allergies or restrictions, and choose recipes with simple ingredients to keep it budget-friendly.

13. Candle Making Night

Holiday scents bring instant warmth. Candle-making kits make this activity much easier—just be sure to plan for a spacious area to melt the wax safely. Guests choose scents, colors, and container styles, creating a candle that feels very personal and festive.

14. Christmas Crochet Night

Crochet might seem intimidating, but beginner-friendly kits exist—especially Christmas-themed ones like mini Santas, trees, or snowflakes. It’s a calm, cozy activity that lets everyone unwind while learning something new. If they don’t finish, they can take it home and continue later.

15. Origami Ornament Workshop

Sustainable, trendy, and fun! You can buy a book with the instructions and papers or feel free to provide craft paper, instructions, and optional embellishments. Guests can make stars, snowflakes, baubles, or even tiny Christmas trees. It’s affordable, simple, and incredibly rewarding.

16. Christmas-Themed Mug Painting

Imagine everyone painting their own holiday mug. You only need plain mugs, ceramic paint, and brushes. Kits are available too. Once done, bake the mugs (if required) to make the design permanent. This is one of those activities that people love to repeat every year.

17. DIY Soap Making

This activity feels luxurious and unique, but no worries you can use a beginners kit with all the necessary tools to make your life easier. You can also source all elements, just consider melt-and-pour soap bases makes the process beginner-friendly. Provide essential oils, molds, dried flowers, and pigments. The result? A personalized soap with their favorite scent.

18. Bracelet Making Party

Simple but always a hit. Set up a table with threads, beads, charms, clasps, and tools. Guests can make Christmas-themed bracelets or accessories to wear during holiday dinners. You can consider buying bracelet kits to save time on logistics. It's relaxing and allows for unlimited creativity.

19. Christmas Card Crafting

This nostalgic activity is perfect for adults and kids. Provide cardstock, stickers, ribbons, stamps, markers, glitter, and envelopes. Everyone can write heartfelt messages or create cards to place on the tree. Don’t forget a group photo showcasing all the cards at the end!

20. Holiday Puzzle Contest

For puzzle lovers, this is gold. Choose small puzzles for individual races or a large, detailed Christmas puzzle for a team effort. Add a prize for the winning team to boost excitement.

21. Stocking Making & Decorating

A Christmas classic! Buy plain stockings and provide decorative items—letters, ribbons, pom-poms, glitter, ornaments, patches. Guests design their own personalized stocking to hang later at home.

22. Ugly Sweater Party

One of the funniest holiday gatherings. Ask everyone to wear an intentionally “ugly” Christmas sweater. Add a contest, prizes, music, simple cocktails, and trivia questions for extra fun.

23. Christmas Pajama Party

No sleeping required (unless you want to). Everyone shows up in holiday pajamas—extra points for matching sets! Combine this with a s’mores station, hot chocolate bar, board games, or even a movie night to complete the vibe.

24. Gift Swapping (Secret Santa)

The ultimate Christmas tradition. Use platforms like Elfster or MyWishlist to assign names anonymously. Set a budget (to keep things fair), and encourage guests to share preferences or allergies. This activity always leads to laughter, surprises, and great memories.

Enjoying Christmas With Fun, Creativity, and Connection

Whether you choose to host all 24 events or just a handful, the most important part of the holidays is spending quality time with loved ones and celebrating the season with intention. These ideas were curated to help you plan gatherings that are easy, budget-friendly, unique, and full of creativity.

And if you’re still decorating your home and want the latest inspiration, don’t forget to check out this year’s Christmas decor trends, you’ll find so many ideas to elevate your entire holiday vibe.

Happy holidays, and may your season be filled with joy, warmth, and unforgettable memories!