The Traditions of the Christmas Party

Christmas is the most anticipated holiday of the year. The kids love it because they get gifts and the adults love it because they get to go to Christmas parties and get gifts! Christmas is the best time of the year to get together with friends and family and just enjoy each other’s company. No matter how far away you live from friends and family, Christmas brings you together and that means great Christmas parties.

One of the main traditions of the Christmas party is good food and drinks. For Christmas parties at the job site you typically find a lot of tasty desserts. The best way to get a taste of everybody’s favorite Christmas treats is to have everybody bake and bring something.

Delicacies may range from the traditional, decorated sugar cookies to tasty fudge and pies. Many employers will have their Christmas celebrations away from the office and allow employees to bring their significant other as a guest. Some employers will go all out with a DJ, dancing, an open bar and catered food buffets as well. These parties are great for getting to know your fellow employees a little bit better and wishing everyone holiday cheer.

At home, you can go all out on your Christmas party. Have friends and family bring their favorite holiday dishes and have a big holiday potluck dinner. Or, if you are into cooking a big holiday dinner you can do that as well. Have everyone else bring the desserts and candy. Play some Christmas music in the background while the kids are playing or spread out some blankets and make some hot chocolate for a big family Christmas movie night. Your possibilities are endless and many families have their own special traditions such as getting together on Christmas Eve and exchanging gifts.

One tradition that seems to make it to every Christmas party is old-fashioned eggnog. Available in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic this drink is a holiday tradition that appears in every North American grocery store around the holidays. The history of eggnog begins in East Anglia, England. For the lower classes it was difficult to afford milk and eggs, so the drink was more popular with the English aristocracy. If a common Londoner was able to get milk and eggs for eggnog they would mix it with brandy, Madeira or sherry to fortify and preserve the drink, as they had no refrigeration. The drink made its way across the Atlantic to America in the 1800s. Rum was easy to get from the Caribbean and many Americans would fortify the eggnog with rum instead of brandy or wines, as they were heavily taxed.

The “White Elephant” game and other similar games are often popular at both business and family gatherings. This game consists of everyone bringing a gift that is under $5 or $10. Everyone draws a number and the first person gets to pick a gift. The second person can choose to either steal the gift or open a new one. Many gifts are often gag gifts that make the game a funny event. Many of the good gifts may be stolen multiple times until everyone has had the opportunity to steal or open a new gift. If the gift is stolen from someone, they get the opportunity to open another. Each person should have gift at the end of the game. Other games may include cookie exchanges or ornament exchanges as well.

Christmas parties are great fun whether they are corporate or family oriented. Many people begin planning their parties and events well in advanced of the holiday season. These parties are often the most anticipated and full of great family traditions.