What a good Christmas party invite includes
A Christmas party invite isn't the place for poetry about snowflakes, at least not only. Guests read it once and then search for it again on the day to find the address. Make sure these parts are in it:
| Part | Why it matters | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Occasion and host | Who's inviting and what kind of party | "Our annual Christmas party", "Team holiday lunch" |
| Date and time | With an end time if you have one | Saturday, December 12, 7 to 11 pm |
| Place | Full address, parking, buzzer | "Apt 4B, ring twice, the buzzer is shy" |
| Theme or dress code | So nobody shows up in a suit to a pajama party | Ugly sweater, cocktail attire, come as you are |
| What to bring | Dish, drink, gift for the exchange | "A dessert and a $20 gift for White Elephant" |
| RSVP | A date and one way to reply | "Let me know by December 5" |
| Extras | Kids, partners, dietary needs, pets | "Kids very welcome", "Adults only this time" |
Tip: Settle the date before you write a single line. If half your friends are away that weekend, the best wording in the world won't help. A quick poll in the group chat is faster than ten back-and-forth messages.
Before you send the inviteAsk your group which December days workFunny Christmas party invitation wording
Funny invites work best with friends and relaxed teams. Lead with the joke, then give the details in plain words.
🎄 Rockin' around the snack table 🎄
Join us for our Christmas party on Saturday, December 12, from 7 pm until the eggnog runs out.
📍 24 Maple Street
🎁 Bring a $20 gift for the White Elephant
RSVP by December 5
The naughty list is open for one night only. 😈
Christmas party at Jess and Sam's
Friday, December 11, 8 pm
Bring a bottle and your best bad decisions (within reason).Let us know by December 4 if you're in.
Santa's elves are on a break and someone has to eat all these cookies.
Help us out at our Christmas party:
Saturday, December 19, 6 to 10 pm
12 Birch LaneDress code: festive, ugly or both.
RSVP to Mark by December 12.
"Keep the change, ya filthy animal."
Our Christmas party is back. Saturday, December 12, 7 pm, at our place (88 Lake Road). Food, mulled wine and the movie on in the background whether you like it or not.
Text me by December 6 so we know how many cookies to bake.
We're going to sleigh this Christmas party. 🛷
Saturday, December 5 · 7:30 pm
The Garcia house, 15 Elm Court
Bring a snack to share and your loudest sweater.RSVP by November 28.
Let's get elfed up. 🧝 Christmas drinks at mine, Friday, December 18, from 8. Bring something sparkly to drink. Reply by the 14th!
Our tree is crooked, the lights are half working and the cookies are store-bought. Come anyway.
Christmas party · Saturday, December 12 · 7 pm
45 Oak AvenueTell us by December 6 if you're coming.
Christmas and holiday party invitation wording (classic and formal)
For a dinner party, a family gathering with older guests or an invite that goes out as a printed card. "Holiday party" is a good choice when not all guests celebrate Christmas.
You're invited to our Christmas party
Saturday, December 12, 2026
7 to 11 o'clock in the evening
The Thompson residence, 210 Willow DriveCocktail attire
Kindly reply by December 1
Mr. and Mrs. David Harper
request the pleasure of your company
at their annual Christmas dinnerSaturday, the nineteenth of December
at seven o'clock
14 Kensington RoadRSVP by December 10
Black tie optional
Please join us for a holiday party to celebrate the season and the end of a busy year.
Friday, December 11 · 7 pm
The Lee home, 9 Harbor ViewDrinks, good food and good company.
RSVP by December 4.
Christmas Open House 🎄
Drop by any time between 2 and 6 pm on Sunday, December 13, for cider, cookies and a warm fire. Stay ten minutes or four hours, bring the kids, bring a friend.
32 Pine Street
No need to RSVP, but a heads-up helps with the baking.
We'd love for you to join us around our table this Christmas.
Christmas dinner
Saturday, December 19, 6:30 pm
Four courses, candles and too much dessert.Please let us know by December 10 and tell us about any dietary needs.
Office Christmas party invitation wording
Work invitations should be warm but clear. Include whether partners are invited, whether there's a gift exchange and who to contact about food or access needs. Calling it a holiday or end-of-year party keeps it open for everyone.
Subject: You're invited: our end-of-year celebration 🎉
Hi everyone,
It's been a big year, and we'd like to celebrate it together. Please join us for our holiday party:
📅 Thursday, December 10, 5 to 9 pm
📍 The Riverside Room, 400 Main Street
🍽️ Dinner and drinks (alcohol-free options too)
🎁 Optional Secret Santa, $20 limit, names drawn by November 20Partners are welcome. Please RSVP by November 27 and let Priya know about any dietary needs.
Looking forward to seeing you there!
Holiday lunch time! 🥳 Friday, December 11, 12:30, at Luca's on 5th. The company is covering food. Reply here by Monday so we can book the table. Bring your appetite and leave your laptop.
Our office is turning into a Christmas party for one afternoon.
Wednesday, December 16, 3 to 6 pm, 4th floor kitchen
Hot cocoa bar, cookie decorating and the ugly sweater awardPop in when you can, even for half an hour.
Our first remote holiday party is happening! 🎄
Tuesday, December 15, 4 pm (your time zones in the calendar invite)
One hour, cameras on if you can, pajamas allowed.A small box with cocoa and cookies is on its way to you. Please check your shipping address with Tom by December 1.
It's that time again: the Christmas do! 🎉
Friday, December 11, from 12:30
Long lunch at The Crown, then wherever the afternoon takes us.
Christmas jumpers encouraged, crackers provided.Please let Sarah know by November 27 and add any dietary requirements.
Our end-of-year break-up is on! ☀️
Friday, December 18, from 3 pm
Rooftop at the office: barbecue, cold drinks, backyard cricket
Kris Kringle: $20 limit, names drawn next weekHats and sunscreen recommended. RSVP to Jack by December 4.
Tip: Send work invitations as a calendar invite as well as a message. People decline the email by accident, but they rarely miss a blocked slot in their calendar.
Theme party invitation wording
A theme needs one clear line in the invite. Here are wording samples for the most popular Christmas party themes. More themes and how to pull them off are in our Christmas party ideas.
Dig out your ugliest holiday sweater. It's finally time.
Ugly Sweater Party 🧶
Saturday, December 12, 8 pm
The Novak apartment, 5CPrizes for ugliest, most handmade and most lights.
No sweater, no entry (we have spares).
RSVP by December 6.
You're invited to a cookie exchange! 🍪
Sunday, December 6, 2 to 5 pm
Bring one dozen cookies to share, one dozen to swap and your recipe on a card.We'll have hot cocoa, boxes to take your cookies home and plenty of milk.
Let me know by November 30 which cookies you're bringing so we don't end up with eight batches of snickerdoodles.
Christmas potluck at ours! 🥧
Saturday, December 19, 6 pm
We'll make the ham, you bring a side, a dessert or drinks.
Sign up in the group chat so we don't get six potato salads.RSVP by December 13.
Come in your pajamas. We mean it.
Christmas Pajama Brunch
Sunday, December 20, 11 am
Pancakes, mimosas and a Christmas movie on the couch.Kids welcome, matching pajamas optional.
Glühwein, pretzels and twinkly lights: we're bringing the Christmas market to our backyard.
Saturday, December 5, from 6 pm
Dress warm, the fire pit is on.
Bring a mug if you have a favorite.Reply by November 29.
White Elephant Christmas Party 🐘
Friday, December 18, 7 pm
Bring one wrapped gift, about $25. Funny, useful or truly terrible: all welcome.
We'll play the dice version, so steals are guaranteed.RSVP by December 11.
Ho ho ho, the names are drawn! 🎅
Our Secret Santa party is on Saturday, December 12, at 7 pm at Emma's.
Budget: $30
Bring your gift wrapped with your giftee's name on the tag (not yours!).You'll get a private link with your name today. Don't tell anyone.
Not feeling festive? Perfect.
Anti-Christmas Party 💚
Saturday, December 12, 8 pm
No carols. No Secret Santa. Just snacks, drinks and the worst gift exchange you've ever seen.Bring the most useless gift you can find. RSVP by the 6th.
Our families get Christmas Day. You get Friendsmas. 🎄
Saturday, December 19, 6 pm
We'll cook the turkey, you bring a side or a bottle.
Paper crowns mandatory.Tell us by December 12!
Family Christmas party invitation wording
For family, the invite is often more about logistics than tone: who's cooking, when the kids eat, who sleeps where.
Christmas Eve at Grandma's 🎄
Thursday, December 24, from 4 pm
Dinner at 6, carols at 8, pajamas after that.
Everyone brings one dish. Lisa is on dessert again (sorry, everyone else).Please let Mom know by December 15 who's coming and if you need a bed.
The cousins are taking over!
Family Christmas party
Saturday, December 19, 1 to 6 pm
Cookie decorating, a craft table and maybe a visit from Santa around 3.Bring a gift for the kids' Secret Santa ($15) and a dish to share.
It's been too long. Let's get the whole family in one room this Christmas.
Saturday, December 26, from 2 pm
The community hall on River Road (we needed the space)
Food, games for the kids and a slideshow of old photos.Please reply by December 10 with how many are coming from your household.
Christmas lunch at ours! ☀️
Friday, December 25, from 12
Prawns, a barbecue, salads and Aunty Jo's pavlova.
Bring your bathers, the pool is open.Let us know what you're bringing by December 18.
Short Christmas party invites for text and group chats
Most friend parties are organized in a group chat now. Keep it to a few lines and put the date on its own line so it's easy to find later.
Christmas party at mine! 🎄
Sat Dec 12, 7 pm
Bring a snack or a bottle. You in?
Ok team, it's official: Christmas drinks
📅 Friday, December 11
📍 The Fox, from 7
React with 🎄 if you're coming
Spontaneous Christmas party tomorrow night! Nothing fancy: mulled wine, leftovers from the work party and Christmas movies. From 7, come when you want.
Save the date! 🎅 Our Christmas party is on Saturday, December 12. Proper invite with all the details coming soon.
Reminder: Christmas party tomorrow! 🎄 7 pm, 24 Maple Street. Don't forget your White Elephant gift. Can't wait!
Thank you all for coming last night! 🎄 Best Christmas party yet. If anyone left a scarf, a phone charger or an entire tray of brownies, it's here.
If you want guests to save the date before the invite goes out, our save the date wording has more short versions. Hosting in November? There's wording for Friendsgiving invites too.
Short Christmas invitation rhymes
A rhyme works well as the opening line of a card or a printed invite. Put the details underneath.
The tree is up, the lights are bright,
so come and celebrate with us tonight.
Deck the halls and pour the wine,
our Christmas party starts at nine.
Snow outside or sun and sand,
the best Christmas party in the land.
Cookies, cocoa, carols too,
it's not a party without you.
RSVP lines and the awkward bits
The last lines of an invitation do the most work. Pick the ones you need.
- RSVP: "Please let us know by December 5." / "Reply to this message by Friday." / "Regrets only."
- Adults only: "We love your little ones, but this one is an adults-only evening." / "Grown-ups only this time."
- Plus-ones: "Bring your partner!" / "We're keeping it small, so just you this time." / "Feel free to bring a friend, just tell us."
- No gifts: "Your company is the only gift we need." / "No gifts please, bring your appetite."
- Dietary needs: "Tell us about any allergies or dietary needs and we'll make sure there's something for you."
- End time: "We'll wrap up around 11." / "Carriages at midnight."
- Bring a dish: "We've got the main, please bring a side or dessert."
psst … this makes it easier
Find the day that works for everyone
- Create a poll and drop the link in the group chat
- Everyone taps the days they're free and the best one shows up instantly
- Free, no account, no app
Still working out the rest of the evening? Our Christmas party games list has icebreakers, team games and gift games that go well with any of these invites. More guides in Planning.
Frequently asked questions
What do you write on a Christmas party invitation?
Name the occasion and the host, then give the date, the start and end time and the full address. Add the theme or dress code, what guests should bring and an RSVP date with one way to reply. One warm line at the top sets the tone.
How do you word a holiday party invitation for work?
Keep it short, friendly and inclusive: "Join us for our end-of-year celebration" works for every team. Give date, time, place, whether partners are invited, whether there's a gift exchange and who to tell about dietary needs. Mention non-alcoholic drinks and an end time so everyone can plan.
What is a funny way to invite people to a Christmas party?
Play with a song, a movie or the season's chaos: "Rockin' around the snack table", "The naughty list is open for one night only" or "Santa's elves are on a break, come help us eat the cookies". Keep the practical details clear underneath so the joke doesn't hide the date.
How far in advance should you send Christmas party invitations?
Send them three to four weeks ahead, and five to six weeks ahead if the party is on one of the first two weekends of December or people need to travel. A save the date in early November helps for big or office parties. Send a reminder one or two days before.
Is it okay to send a Christmas party invitation by text?
Yes, for most friend and family parties a text or group chat message is completely normal. Put the date and address on their own lines so they're easy to find later. For formal or office parties, an email or a printed card still feels more official.
How do you say no gifts on a Christmas party invitation?
Say it kindly and simply: "Your company is the only gift we need" or "No gifts please, just bring your appetite." If you're doing a gift exchange instead, say so with the budget: "Bring one wrapped gift around $20 for our White Elephant."