Tis the season to be jolly, and every day is one day closer to your Christmas party. By now you should have all your plans in place, so now you can focus on the Christmas party invitation wording.
The invitation wording is a crucial aspect that will let your potential guests know what they can expect from your Christmas party and it provides all the necessary details to make the event a success. Though you should be jolly, something as seemingly minor as invitation wording can drive you over the edge.
Take the stress out of your Christmas party invitation wording with these carefully curated tips in holiday planning to help you write the perfect Christmas party invitation:
Christmas party invitation format
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These days, most people send E-vites for events. People can just get them in their emails or texts and RSVP right away. It takes the hassle out of waiting for it in the mail, and delays. Plus, it’s better for the environment. Sending an E-vite also gives you greater control over animation and graphics; some even come with pre-set Christmas party invitation wording. You can go all out, and include a video invitation that is more intimate or personal for your guests.
Some people still prefer to send traditional physical cards to keep in line with old Christmas traditions. That’s entirely up to you. You can send your physical card by mail or have it hand-delivered. They can be printed on customized paper with a Christmas theme and can even be hand-written to make them more intimate.
Elements of the invitation / e-invitation
While Christmas party invitation wording will differ between invitations, they should all contain similar elements. These elements make the cards as effective as possible, meaning they contain all the vital information about the party and are in line with the Christmas theme.
Here are the key elements that should be present in all Christmas party invitation wording, whether physical copies or E-vites:
01The theme of the party
The theme should be the focal point of your invitation. Your guests should know what type of party it is right away. Therefore, the Christmas party invitation wording is important. The words you use will indicate the theme. For instance, starting with words such as “Happy Holidays” or “Deck the halls” will let the guest know right away that this party has something to do with Christmas.
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02Be creative with your wording
Remember that this is an invitation, not a mandate. Your Christmas party invitation wording should be inviting and not at all pushy.
Note the difference between these phrases: “We are having a party at Howard’s Hall on Christmas Eve. Come at 7 pm” and “You are cordially invited to the 5th Annual Winter Wonderland Ball at Howard’s Hall on Christmas Eve. Please join us for a night of celebration beginning at 7 pm.
Notice how one feels forceful and rude, and the other feels more like an invitation? Remember that your choice of words matters greatly in your Christmas party invitation wording.
03Include pictures of what you’re hosting
Actual pictures of events are powerful visual tools to help persuade guests to attend your Christmas party. Be sure to choose pictures where people are having fun to appeal to your potential guests. These pictures can be stock images, but you stand a better chance of using images from past parties to give your guests a glimpse of what to expect.
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04Make your invitation stand out
You don’t want your invitation to get lost or overlooked in a pile of emails or letters. Use Christmassy objects such as glitter, sequins, candy canes, Christmas trees, gift boxes and other symbols of Christmas to help your invitation stand out. This guarantees a faster response and increases your chances of a yes.
Christmas party invitation wording: Party details
You must find a way to include all the key party details in your Christmas party invitation wording. These party details include:
01The date, time and location (plus the dress code if applicable)
The most important party details are the date, time, and location. Don’t forget to include these details when adding all the bells and whistles. Ensure these details are clearly visible and not concealed or easily glossed over in any way. You don’t want your guests to be confused, or have 20 or 30 people calling you on the day of the party trying to find out the location or time.
As for the dress code, if you don’t have one, you don’t have to include it. But if you want your guests to wear something in particular, like dressing for a black-tie event, be specific so nobody turns up in an ugly Christmas sweater.
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02Provide directions, parking and transportation information
If you have rented out a space that is unfamiliar to many of your quests, consider providing directions on your invitation. This will save your guests the headache of trying to navigate their way on the day of the party. This can be in a short form on a physical copy including details on how far away the venue is or be in the form of a link if you have provided an E-vite. You can also consider a QR code your guests can scan.
The invitation should also inform your guests if there is parking available, or warn them of potential parking restrictions so they can make the necessary arrangements. You may also offer transportation options for guests who do not drive, or those who do not wish to due to these restrictions.
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03Personalize your invitations
Personalized invitations are always a good idea. They are more appealing to guests and are more in line with the spirit of the holiday. Include your name, but also consider including each guest’s name. This might not be possible for a large Christmas party, so don’t stress yourself too much if this seems like an impossible feat.
04Food options
Your Christmas party invitation wording should also specify whether food and drinks will be provided as many people may assume this could be a potluck and show up with food. Let your guests know that the only thing they should bring is themselves unless you would prefer if they bring dishes.
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05Entertainment
What’s a party without entertainment, especially on Christmas? Your party invite may touch on the activities that will take place such as secret Santa gift exchanges, ugly Christmas sweater competitions, pin the tail on the reindeer or gingerbread house competitions.
06RSVP
Having an area for RSVP is a key part of throwing any successful event because it lets you know which guests are definitely coming. It allows you to make the necessary adjustments to your plans to accommodate these people. Be sure to include an RSVP deadline. This will give you enough time to make said adjustments.
Another way to say RSVP is “regrets”. This is when you want to say that you assume no response means the guest is coming, and that those who reach out to you are sending regrets for not being able to attend.
The kids are off from school but remember many adults work up until Christmas Eve, and it is usually the busiest time of the year so don’t think about making this a weekday thing. Your best bet is scheduling it on one of the weekends in December.
Your ideal slots are a Friday or Saturday night. Make sure this does not fall on Christmas Day. Sunday is usually not ideal since many people go to church or just prefer to spend Sundays preparing for the new week.
When is the best time to send out the invitation?
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The earlier you send out the invitation the better. Generally, invitations should be sent out at least three weeks beforehand, with the exception of weddings since people need more time to prepare for that. There’s a good chance you’re not the only one planning a Christmas party this year and you wouldn’t want your guests to be snatched up by another super host! This should also give your guests ample time to RSVP and you enough time to make any potential adjustments where necessary.
Ensure you gather the address details of all your guests and compile them. If you are sending physical invitations, this will mean the mailbox details. If you are sending E-vites, you will need the email addresses or phone numbers. Once you have all the address information, try to send all the invitations at the same time. Dedicate one day to sending everything at once, instead of fragmenting it. This decreases the chances of forgetting anyone on your mailing list. Be sure to double-check your list before you send the invitations off so every invitation ends up getting sent out.
Who should you invite?
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This is all up to you. Who do you want at your party? All your guests should feel welcomed, so make sure you are specific if you have any restrictions. For example, if you want to have an adult-only party and don’t want your guests to bring along any children, make that clear.
Of course you aren’t going to blatantly say something rude like “Leave the brats at home” if you don’t like kids. Instead, be more subtle, but strongly imply that it is an adults-only event by saying something like “This is an excuse to hire a babysitter for the evening”, or “Take a break from mommy and daddy duties for the afternoon”.
If you are planning a singles mixer and don’t want anyone already hitched there, you may add “no plus ones”, or “don’t bring a date” to indicate what kind of event it will be.
Even though your guests may RSVP right away, it’s still a good idea to follow up after sending an invitation. This is just a reminder so that your guests don’t forget about the party, or get their wires crossed. You can also use this as an opportunity to reach out to those who haven’t RSVP’d by week two. This is just your way of checking in to see if they received the invitation and to confirm whether they plan to attend or not.
While it is customary to RSVP, some people forego this step and just show up the day of the event. This can throw things out of balance, especially if you plan for and have catered to a specific number of people. Following up just eliminates some of the headaches you might otherwise encounter on the day of the event.
COVID-19 precautions when holding a Christmas party
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In most parts of the world, many of the strict COVID-19 precautions have been lifted in light of vaccinations and decreased mortality. Note that this does not mean the pandemic is over. As a responsible host, you should still be following precautions just to ensure everyone keeps safe.
If possible, secure an outdoor venue. If this is not feasible, indoor venues should be large enough to facilitate social distancing and should have modern ventilation systems. Where practical, encourage guests to wear masks, and to sanitize or wash their hands before interacting with others, and to avoid close personal contact. It’s best to prepare extra masks and sanitizer for your guests just in case. It is still possible to have a good time without putting ourselves at unnecessary risk.
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Examples of Christmas party invitation wording: For adults only (it’s for singles/couples)
With all the aforementioned in mind, here’s what your Christmas party invitation wording should ultimately look like:
01Are you on Santa’s naughty or nice list?
Come dressed to impress and have a jolly good time at The Drunken Beaver (206 Greenwich Avenue) at 7 pm on Saturday, December 18th
Bring an empty stomach- the food’s on us! Just make sure you have a designated driver because the eggnog will be flowing all night!
04Christmas comes but once a year, and it’s a time for reflection and holiday cheer
Join us at our home with your entire family at 135 Cloverfield Lane , on December 18th for a candlelight dinner, followed by a gift exchange.
Kindly bring a wrapped gender-neutral gift valued at $50 or less as we celebrate the season of giving.
RSVP to Ryan Strong at 756.324.0932 by December 1st
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Examples of Christmas party invitation wording: Office Christmas party
05Seasons greetings to all
You are cordially invited to the 12th Annual Winter Wonderland Ball at Conference Room 12 on December 17th for a divine evening of cocktails and appetizers. The venue offers free parking outside the building.
Regrets? 824.298.0984
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06Even Santa’s hardest working elves get a chance to relax and unwind before Christmas!
Jingle your way to this year’s office Christmas party for a fun-filled night of reindeer games, costume competitions, cookie decorating contests and so much more!
You don’t want to miss the festivities, especially the food and the spiced eggnog. It is all happening next Friday at 7 pm!
It won’t be a party without you, so RSVP to this email by Wednesday!
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Conclusion
With these examples of Christmas party invitation wording, you should be ready to get started on your first draft for your own party invitations. Keep working on it and tweaking it until you get it just right!
