Here’s How You Can Become The World’s Best Party Guest
Chances are the invitations are starting to roll in for Christmas parties. You can just show up OR you can become the world’s best party guest.
In my perfect world, the party would start at 7 and be over at 9. But how do you really slip out with grace? These and other questions are about to be answered. These suggestions come to us from the book, Party Manners by David Laskin,
When you get your party invitation, give a clear answer if you are going to show up. The worst thing you can do is appear as though you are waiting to see if you get a better invitation. If you have to check with your spouse, that of course is acceptable. Just be clear about that and give them an answer as soon as possible.
Always always bring a gift of some kind. It doesn’t not have to be anything fancy. A great gift idea could be a bottle of wine or flowers. It could even be some home made cookies. Just bring a gift always.
You won’t be doing the host any favors by getting there early. Never arrive early. Lateness is bad but getting there early will be awkward for everyone involved.
Mix and mingle for heaven’s sakes. If the host isn’t around to introduce you to people you don’t know, it is fine to introduce your own self. To learn more about party etiquette get details from Emily Post right here.
7 Festive Games and Activities for a Memorable Holiday Party
Name That Holiday Song
All you need is someone with a phone full of great Christmas songs, ready to play DJ. See who can guess the festive songs first after hearing just a few notes. It’s a laid-back way to enjoy some post-meal fun.
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Never Have I Ever Holiday Edition
Give this timeless game a festive twist by asking questions like, “I’ve never regifted a present,” and find out what secrets your friends and family may be hiding. You can stick to the traditional rules where those who’ve committed the act take a sip of their beverage, or you can opt for a point-based system, with the winner receiving a holiday surprise as their reward.
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Present Stacking
Here’s a game that allows you to unleash your creativity. Wrap a selection of uniquely shaped objects, and the challenge is to see who can build the tallest stack of presents. Using fragile items in this game should be avoided for obvious reasons.
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Christmas Carol Challenge
Here’s a straightforward, no-fuss game that’s perfect a cozy home get-together or an office party. Gather everyone in a circle, and the game begins with one person singing a line from a holiday song. The person to their right then must continue with the next line of the song, and so on. You can choose from timeless classics like Jingle Bells or opt for a more contemporary holiday hit like Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas is You. While you might know the opening lines of these songs, it becomes quite a challenge as the game progresses.
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Best/Worst Gift
Distribute four slips of paper to each participant. Every guest is tasked with jotting down two positive Christmas gifts and two negative ones: one from their real experiences and one fabricated. Collect all the slips in a container and let the group take turns guessing which presents were genuinely given and which were made up.
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Saran Wrap Ball Game
Make a big plastic wrap ball stuffed with little gifts like mini liquor bottles, gift cards, candy, and cash. One person starts by unwrapping it, while someone else takes the dice and tries to roll doubles. The twist is that you can’t stop unwrapping until your neighbor rolls those elusive doubles, so the pressure’s on to keep the ball moving. Players get to keep all the goodies they uncover during their turn, so everyone’s in for some prizes. You can make it more challenging by requiring the person unwrapping to wear oven mitts.
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Celebrity
Here’s a fun party game you can enjoy with friends or family anytime, anywhere. You split into two teams, and each player writes down 5 celebrity names on pieces of paper. You take turns being the clue-giver. In round one, the clue-giver describes the celebrity without saying their name or nickname, and the team guesses. In round two, you can only use one word as a clue. Round three is like Charades, where you act out the celebrity without speaking. Keep score to see which team guesses the most celebrities correctly. It’s a great game for any gathering.
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