How to Throw a Holiday Themed Party

If you're anything like me, you probably agree that the season of twinkling lights, festive sweaters, basking in the warm glow of the fireplace, and gift-giving is the best time of year. To help get you in the holiday spirit, I'm sharing a holiday themed party guide that you can use to host a celebratory breakfast with the kids and their friends.

To host this food-filled holiday party, you don't need much. Focus on a few yummy snacks, select some adorable tableware that fits your color scheme, plan a crafting activity to fill the kids with cheer, and you're on your way to an unforgettably festive morning!

Holiday themed décor

Setting up a themed tablescape is an easy way to add lots of color and character to your party. I love to plan ahead so that I can get the exact partyware I need shipped to me in time for the big day. I don’t mind using the simple party plates available at supermarkets for quick snacks at home, but when I'm hosting a party, I like to go with something a little more flashy and stylish.

How adorable are these gingerbread man plates? They just go to show that the little touches make such a big difference! I completed each place setting by layering the gingerbread man plates with solid lavender and pink plates to add even more texture and color to my table. Then, I completed each table setting with colorful striped napkins and gold-accented utensils and cups for milk or hot cocoa.

To make the table even more festive, I created DIY balloon ornaments in two different colors: blue and purple. They worked perfectly as a table centerpiece, and were both inexpensive and fun to make. This is a great craft for creative kids to help with; you'll just need balloons, tape, and glittery cardstock in any color you like.

Holiday themed party treats

For me, one of the best parts about this time of year is the number of seasonal flavors that are available everywhere. Gingerbread is one of my favorites, so I just had to make my family's signature gingerbread pancakes for this holiday themed party.

Gingerbread pancakes

I love making these pancakes once the holiday season rolls around, because they come together in just a few minutes, couldn't be easier to whip up, and aren't overly sweet. A ripe mashed banana adds just the right amount of sweetness, and the combination of spices makes our house smells heavenly when these pancakes start cooking!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 3 large Nellie’s Free Range Eggs
• 1/3 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
• 1 ripe banana, mashed
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground clove

Directions:

• In a deep bowl, combine rolled oats with eggs, yogurt, banana, milk, and vanilla until uniform. Add ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove, and stir well until mixture has a batter-like consistency.
• Heat a small skillet on medium heat and coat lightly with cooking spray.
• Pour 1/4 cup of pancake batter into to preheated pan. Cook about 2 minutes, then flip and cook the second side until just browned. Repeat with remaining batter.
• Stack pancakes on a plate or small dessert stand for a fun presentation. Top pancakes with pure maple syrup. You can even sprinkle on some powdered sugar for a snowy, winter-esque effect.

Cereal cups

In addition to a stack of gingerbread pancakes, I like to serve cereal cups when hosting this holiday themed party during breakfast. To do this, I filled mini colored cups with a blend of frosted cereal, coconut flakes, and dried fruits— I chose peaches and raspberries. Include a pitcher of milk on the table so that the kids can pour their own!

Holiday themed craft

To keep the kids entertained, don't forget to plan a holiday themed craft. I used Nellie's Free Range Egg cartons to create an upcycled Christmas tree.

Upcycled egg carton Christmas tree

To make make this festive tree, my daughter and I reused the empty egg cartons from our recycling bin, along with a few other supplies. Here's everything you'll need to make your own:

Supplies:

• 2 Nellie’s Free Range Egg cartons
• Acrylic paint
• Paint brush
• Glitter
• Scissors
• Hot glue (I recommend building the tree ahead of time so that the kids can work on the painting and decorating)
• Craft glue
• Pom poms
• Beads or mini candies

Directions:

• Cut the egg "cups" out of your empty egg cartons, leaving them attached to one another in groups of 5, 4, 3, and 2 (see photo). Cut out 1 additional cup for the top of the tree.
• Hot glue egg cups together to create a triangle.
• Paint egg cups with green acrylic paint, then sprinkle with glitter if desired.
• Use craft glue to attach pom poms and beads or mini candies to the tree.

As a parent, it's so fun to watch your kids' creativity flourish. I loved my daughter’s twist: she decided to use brightly colored mini candies as ornaments for her tree. She also came up with a smart idea: use craft snow or small white pom poms to create a snowy scene!

I hope you feel inspired to host a festive party in the comfort of your home this holiday season. If you follow these tips, you're guaranteed to create some sweet memories with your little ones!

Did you throw a holiday themed party? Tag your photos with #nelliesfreerange so we can see! Or click here to see our other themed parties in the series. And don't forget to check out Twinkle Twinkle Little Party for more inspiration.