It’s that time of year when the kids are getting excited about all that Winter brings, including snowball fights, sledding, ice skating, skiing, and more! What better way to help your little ones enjoy the season than by throwing a Winter Party for them and their friends! We have provided some general party planning tips, including ideas for decorations, food, and activities that are sure delight all your little snowbunnies. Does your child have a Winter birthday? The following tips can be used as Winter birthday party ideas as well!
Planning & Invitations
First you will need to choose the theme and location of your Winter Party. You can host a memorable Winter Party at home, but if you would rather host it elsewhere, the theme is a good place to start when thinking of venues. For example, if you are planning a Space theme, a planetarium is the perfect location. For a Farm theme, try a local petting zoo. A bowling alley is an obvious choice for a Bowling theme. For a general Winter theme, consider your local skating rink or a ski slope!
For additional ideas, see our Developing a Theme and When & Where to Have the Party articles.
For additional party planning tips, our Party Planning 101 Guide includes birthday cake ideas, party etiquette tips, a printable guest list, and more.
What do I need for the Party?
Some party basics to consider include winter-themed tableware, tablecloths, streamers, and balloons. Check out our Suggested Party Supply List, which can be useful while you shop.
Along with the basics, you may also want to consider renting or purchasing the following:
- Canned Snow
- Icicle Lights
- A Snowflake Machine
- Candles
Winter Party Invitations
Creative invitations build excitement and set the mood for the party before it even starts! The shape, wording, and delivery method of your invitation can all be customized to fit your theme. If you have the time to make your own, here are a few ideas you can try:
- Fold a piece of green cardstock in half to create a card-style invitation. Cut circles in different sizes and colors out of construction paper and glue them on the front of the card. Write one word of the phrase “You’re Invited to [Child’s Name]’s Winter Party” in each circle. Write your party details inside.
- Create a cut-out snowflake from white construction paper, leaving plenty of white space for wording. Write your party details on the snowflake, fold it back up, and mail it in an envelope. Your guests will have to unfold the snowflake to read the invitation.
- Attach a card-style invitation to a whirly-pop and mail them to your guests in a padded envelope.
- Cut out the shape of a snowman from white construction paper. Run a glue stick along the outside edges and add white glitter. Form the snowman’s face and buttons with bits of fabric or paper. Write the party details on the back.
- Attach a card-style invitation to a packet of cocoa mix and hand deliver to your guests.
- Include creative wording on your invitations such as:
It’s [child’s name]’s party, and you’re a guest!
We hope you can make it, and all the rest!
It will be fun, with games and prizes,
Food, cake, and lots of surprises!
If you do not have the time to make your own invitations, consider our personalized invitations that include your child’s name and all the party details.
Decorating & Food Ideas
Winter Party Decorations
Make decorating for your Winter Party a family activity by giving everyone some construction paper and scissors and make snowflakes! You can hang the final products from the ceiling or tape them to the walls. Here are some additional decorating ideas to try:
- Wrap strings of white lights in tulle fabric and drape them along the edges of the ceiling. Or, hang icicle lights so the ‘icicles’ hang down along the walls.
- Tie groups of four white, non-helium balloons together and set them around the floor of the party space to resemble heaps of snow.
- Cut star shapes out of cardboard and wrap them in foil. Tape them to the ceiling or hang them by fishing line.
- Cover tables with white or silver tablecloths and set out ice skates, stuffed penguins and polar bears as table decorations.
- As they arrive, give each person a jingle bell to wear around their wrist.
- Hang blue, white or silver streamers from an open doorway. Your guests will enjoy walking through them when they enter the party area.
- Make an “icy walkway” leading up to your party venue by securing clear plastic bags to the walkway. Line your walkway with tin can luminaries for an added touch. Use clean tin cans and remove any labels. Punch holes in the cans, using a corkscrew or hammer and nail, making the shape of a snowflake or snowman. Set a tealight candle in the bottom of each can and set them along the walkway.
- Set up mini potted spruce trees or artificial trees and spray them with canned snow. You can also use canned snow to decorate windows.
Winter Party Food Ideas
It can be fun as a host to prepare and serve party food that fits your theme. For a Winter Party, try foods that are white like the snow, cold like the weather, or shaped like the snowmen outside!
Make popcorn balls in three different sizes and before they cool completely, stack the three sizes on top of each other to create edible popcorn snowmen!
Make cookie snowballs by baking sugar cookies, cutting them into circles, and frosting them in white frosting. For those who like it, sprinkle coconut on top.
Serve an all-white veggie and cheese tray and a white dip such as ranch. Try jicama, taro root, and mushrooms for the veggies, and mozzarella, swiss, and provolone for cheese.
Make frozen snowballs by freezing round scoops of vanilla icing for at least 2 hours, then rolling them in coconut.
Freeze blue Kool-Aid in ice cube trays. Serve a punch bowl of ginger ale and float the blue “ice caps” on top.
Make an easy winter-themed cake by using a round cake pan and blue frosting. Then pipe snowflakes on with white frosting and sprinkle with white edible glitter or coconut.
Ideas for Winter Party Favors
Send your guests home with a smile with Winter Party favors. Cocoa mix, chocolate candies, and frosting cookies work well as edible favors. If you would rather put together a favor bag, try including stickers, finger puppets, bath toys, or mini snow globes. Our personalized favors are also a big hit, and bring a unique aspect to your party. Try bag tags, magnets, or stickers!
Winter Party Games and Activities
If you have snow on the ground, take advantage of it! Have a snowman building contest, make snow angels, have a friendly snowball fight, and build snow forts! All of these activities will tire your guests out and they’ll be ready to come inside and unwind with a hot cup of cocoa.
Below are a few other Winter Party games and activities you may want to try!
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