It’s the season for cozy gatherings and festive celebrations, so what better way to get into the holiday spirit than with a Christmas pajama party? Unwrap the fun with our tips for hosting a cozy Christmas pajama party guaranteed to spread cheer and make the best memories among family and friends!

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Are you looking for a cozy and festive way to celebrate the holidays with your loved ones? Throwing a Christmas pajama party is the perfect way to have a memorable night while lounging in your comfiest holiday PJs. From festive Christmas pajamas to fun-filled festivities, we’ve got all the tips and tricks you need to plan the ultimate holiday gathering to have all your family and friends in the holiday spirit!

The following is a guide on how to throw the most epic Christmas pajama party that everyone will enjoy!

Planning the perfect holiday pajama party

I always look forward to the huge holiday gatherings with our friends and families during the holiday season. It’s the perfect time to catch up with everyone, chow down on delicious food, and let loose with holiday games and activities.

Figure out your guest list

Begin by making a list of who you would want to invite to your pajama Christmas party. You can start with close family and friends and end your list with anyone else who you would want to spend this special memory with.

When curating your list, consider your space, whether there is enough room for everyone to mingle comfortably, how much food and drinks you’ll need to accommodate everyone, and the dynamics of having a balanced mix of personalities.

If you are planning the party with a group, make sure everyone in the group has a say in who is invited.

Christmas pajama themes

We create a theme for every party to make it more festive and memorable. Past party themes have included ugly sweaters, dressing up as a Christmas character, and even a Great Gatsby-themed Christmas party.

Out of all the themes, we’ve always returned to my favorite, the tried-and-true classic pajama party.

Pajama parties allow you to create wonderful holiday memories while feeling comfortable showing off your coziest festive pajamas. Aside from being able to move freely and non-restrictively, pajamas are also the easiest and comfiest thing to wear to a party.

No one will look at you funny if you show up in a plush robe and fuzzy slippers, ready to beat all the cousins at Christmas charades!

Send out the Christmas pajama invitation

Now that you’ve decided on your theme, you must set a date for your party as soon as possible. Send out invitations with a Christmas pajama design so your guests know what type of party it will be.

Instead of physical copies, save paper and time by sending your guests an invitation online through email or social media. If you use social media to send your invitation, you can set it up as a private group with an invite-only option.

An even easier option is to download an e-invitation, edit it to your liking with your added details, and send it by text or email.

Send the invitations six weeks to two months in advance so guests can plan accordingly during this hectic season. This amount of time can give your guests time to clear their schedules and build excitement in anticipation of the party.

Set up the Christmas pajama party decorations

Decorate for your party to create a winter wonderland and a festive environment with Christmas pajama party decorations. I’m sure you will have your place already decorated for the holidays. Still, extra touches like Christmas-themed plates and silverware, holiday balloons scattered about, and tons of tinsel and twinkling lights make it unique.

Other ideas for your pajama Christmas party decorations that make your party extra special are:

• Setting up a Christmas photo booth in the corner of the room to keep photos of the fun night:
  1. Decorate a wall with a Christmas backdrop.
  2. Set up a tripod with light.
  3. Use fun Christmas photo props to add more joy to your photos.
  4. Take pictures with the Instax cameras for instant photos!

• Have Christmas movies playing in the background throughout the party. Those who need a break from the party can watch a scene on the TV for a few minutes before returning to party mode. It can be a great conversation starter between movie buffs attending the party.
• Holiday playlists are a must! Let me put you on these holiday playlists I have on repeat during the holidays.
  • Christmas Vibes Playlist – My curated list of holiday pop songs.
  • Cozy Christmas Jazz – This is my favorite cozy Christmas playlist. It will make you feel like you are in a Christmas movie, strolling around a snowy New York City night during the holidays, with lights twinkling in the background and holiday magic in the air—pure holiday bliss.
• If you have the space, set out a long table decorated nicely with holiday decor so that everyone can sit together at one table and have Christmas dinner together instead of separately.
• Set up Santa’s reserved seating in anticipation of his arrival.
• A week before the party, figure out where the food will go. Set it up according to how you would want it to be on the day of the party to figure out what you still need to buy and how the food will be presented.

Food Ideas for Christmas Pajama Party

Start with a menu

Write out a menu of holiday food favorites, from appetizers to desserts. Add an extra touch by making some of the food Christmas-themed.

For example, arrange a charcuterie board of cheeses and meats like a holiday wreath or Christmas tree.

Creating a Christmas menu can help reduce stress and ensure you know what dishes to prepare for your party. Once you decide what food you will have for your party, you can then plan out when you need to start cooking each meal, what you can make ahead for efficiency, and put in orders early for any food you want to have catered.

Christmas pot luck

There is nothing wrong with making your party a potluck party, especially if it was a group decision to have the party. You can even have a partial potluck party, where you provide all the main dishes, and guests bring desserts, appetizers, or finger foods.

I’ve seen parties have their guests bring food for the potluck with a particular theme. Some themes could be bringing a meal that starts with the first letter of their name or bringing foods that were their favorite Christmas meal.

Whatever you decide, send a group text so everyone can respond to what they will bring to the party so there are no duplicates.

Roast s’mores around a fire pit

Create a s’mores station outside so guests can roast s’mores around a fire pit. No fire pit? No problem! My family loves this starter s’mores kit for easy roasting!

Hot Chocolate Station

Set up a hot chocolate station with dairy and non-dairy options and all the fixings. Make it extra special with candy cane-flavored syrups, whipped cream, and crushed candy canes as toppings.

Bake classic Christmas cookies

Christmas cookies are a must every year. Chocolate chip or sugar cookies are perfect for the holidays. Have the kids decorate the sugar cookies as a fun activity during the party.

Bite-sized snacks

Bite-sized snacks are perfect for those guests who like to graze or have something to eat while conversing.

Common finger foods include:

• Deviled Eggs
• Pigs in a blanket
• Pinwheel sandwiches (party sizes can be found at Costco for cheap!)
• Fruit cups
• Cheeseburger sliders

Christmas-themed drinks

It’s time to get creative with specialty drinks! For Christmas-themed drinks, offer alcoholic and non-alcoholic options. Keep the alcoholic drinks away from children’s grasps so there are no mix-ups.

• Drink recipes for kids:
  • Grinch Punch: Mix Sprite, pineapple juice, Hawaiian green punch, and lime sherbert. Top the drink off with some whipped cream and green sprinkles.
  • Grinch Hot Chocolate: Make hot chocolate and add electric green food coloring. I’ve used this color before to make Grinch cookies, and it was the perfect “Grinch green” color. Top your hot chocolate with a bunch of mini marshmallows.
  • Frozen Snowball Punch: Mix pineapple juice, blue Hawaiian punch, and Sprite. Just before serving, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream (the snowball!).

• Christmas drink ideas for adults:
  • Jello Shot Christmas Tree: I made jello shots in little containers with lids and stacked them into a Christmas tree at one Christmas party. Start with a broader round base, then decrease the number of jello shots as you go up in rows as if you are building a pyramid. Add a star at the top for more effect.
  • Cinnamon Vanilla White Russian: Dip each cup’s rim in maple syrup and then in a cinnamon sugar mixture. Mix RumChata, vanilla vodka, Kahlua, and half and half. Pour the drink over the ice in the cinnamon sugar-rimmed cup. Serve with a cinnamon stick, and enjoy!
  • Holiday Shot Wheel: First, set out various types of alcohol on the table near the Shot Wheel. They have heavy-duty spin wheels like this one that are easy to write on and perfect for this activity! Write each of the different kinds of alcohol on a spin wheel. During the party, whenever someone wants to take a shot, have them spin the wheel to see what type of random shot they will drink. It’s even more fun when a group has to take the shot together. Cheers!

READ NEXT→Need help preparing for the holidays? Check out our tips for a stress-free holiday!

Christmas Pajama Party Outfit Ideas

When it comes to holiday pajama parties, the options are endless. You can wear anything from Christmas character pajamas to festive plaid colors to holiday onesies.

If you want to take it a step further, you can choose a color scheme or specific design of pajamas so everyone attending can match. For example, everyone attending has to wear a fun Christmas onesie or matching red robes with matching slippers.

This would be the ideal party to have everyone match, but remember that this may be a little difficult to plan, especially if you have an extensive guest list. Just inform your guests beforehand so they can purchase the matching pajamas and have them arrive by the party date!

Another option is to do a pajama freestyle. This is easier to do because everyone can wear whatever pajamas they want.

What to wear to a pajama party?

Here’s a list of pajama Christmas party ideas that you can wear to your next PJ Christmas party:

• Matching Family Pajamas: At one of our Christmas pajama parties, we won the outfit contest because we were the only ones who showed up in matching family pajamas. It’s so fun to wear the same thing as your crew and look festive together! Here are some great matching family pajama party ideas:

MOM TIP: Planning to wear matching family pajamas is much harder than just buying one set of pajamas in different designs because you need to make sure there are sizes available for everyone in your family in the same design. Make sure you purchase your matching family pajamas ahead of time because the closer it gets to Christmas, the fewer options there are for available sizes in the same exact pajama design.

• Flannel Pajamas: The most classic Christmas pajamas are plaid flannel pajamas. Plaid, especially in red and green holiday colors, is a typical pattern for Christmas PJs. And flannel keeps you warm during the winter. It’s a win-win pajama option for your holiday party. Here are some flannel pajama inspirations:

• Holiday Pajamas: You can’t go wrong with Santa’s face plastered on your pajamas. Anything related to Christmas and Christmas characters decorated on your pajamas is acceptable. Here are some Christmas pajamas with a holiday vibe – but make it simple and neutral:

• Holiday Onesies: I love the onesie pajamas because they’re easy to wear and keep you warm. I‘ve worn the LazyOne Red Plaid onesie to a party before and it was so comfortable. I do recommend sizing up with these! Check out these fun and stylish onesies:

• Silk Pajamas: Wearing silk pajamas is the key to elevating your loungewear look for your party. They add a touch of sophistication, making moments feel more festive and special. The silk is smooth and comfortable and can help regulate body temperature throughout the night. Here are some silk pajama party ideas to wear to your next pajama theme Christmas party:

• Don’t forget the accessories! Instead of the regular holiday pajamas, consider a Christmas color robe with velvet slippers and a silk eye mask. Here are some fun examples:

What are the best places to find matching family pajama sets on sale?

Every year, I get my family matching Christmas pajama sets to wear when we open gifts on Christmas Day. I buy them early because the closer you buy in December, the more expensive they become, and fewer options are available.

For this year, I scored these Burt’s Bees Hot Cocoa Matching Family Christmas Pajamas for my whole family for under $100! I even bought a matching bandana for the family dog. I used a coupon code to get 20% off, bringing my total down to around $80. Literally a steal!

The Burt’s Bees pajamas are my favorite because they are so comfortable, luxuriously soft, and made of excellent quality. Holiday pajamas can get expensive, so check around for coupon codes and buy only when they have sales.

MOM HACK: Take advantage of holiday sales and browse for sales codes, such as Labor Day sales, to save even more money on your shopping!

Other stores to check out that sell Christmas PJs at an affordable price are:

• Old Navy
• Shein
• Burt’s Bees Baby
• The Children’s Place
• Hannah Andersson
• Amazon

What do you do at a Christmas Pajama Party?

There are so many festive things to do during a Christmas pajama party! Keep the fun going with these fun classic activities:

How to play White Elephant gift exchange for adults

How to play White Elephant Gift Exchange:

1. Have each participant bring a gift fully wrapped to the party.
2. When ready to play, lay out all the gifts in the middle of the room so that everyone can see them.
3. Take out small separate pieces of paper and number them from one to however many gifts there are. For example, if ten people brought in a gift for the exchange, you will write the number “1” on one paper, “2” on a separate paper, and so forth until you reach number “10”. You will stop at “10” because only 10 people are participating.
4. Fold the pieces of numbered paper and throw them into a bag or a bowl. Have each participant grab one piece of folded paper. They can now open their paper to reveal what number they have.
5. Once everyone has their number, start with whoever has “1”. That person gets the first choice of what present they want to pick from the pile. They will then open the presents and show everyone what they have got.
6. The next player who has the number “2” on their paper will be next to choose their gift. However, they have two options. They can either pick a gift from the pile OR steal number one’s gift. If they choose to steal person number one’s gift, then person number one has to pick another gift from the pile.
7. A gift can only be stolen twice in the game.
8. The game continues with each person/number until all the gifts are opened.

This is a fun game we usually play with the adults. The kids have their own Secret Santa gift exchange, which is less complicated to participate in.

You can also add a twist to this game by having the participants bring a gift that is “naughty or nice.”

Secret Santa gift exchange

The kids can participate in a gift exchange of their own. It’s extra cute when the kids give gifts to each other.

To do the exchange, each participating kid would need to pick the name of another kid attending the party. They will then exchange the gift at the party.

As the party host, I highly suggest having backup toys just in case one of the kids can’t attend the party. This way, no kid will come up empty-handed during the gift exchange.

MOM HACK: Use Elfster.com to make the process easy. It’s an online Secret Santa generator, and I’ve used this website for years. You can even create a wishlist, and your “secret Santa” can see it and buy a gift straight off your list.

Favorite Things Party

If you are having a more intimate girls’ night gathering with a girls’ Christmas party, you can throw a Favorite Things party in your Christmas pajamas.

Here’s how to do a Favorite Things Party:

1. Have each guest bring 3 of their favorite items to the party. For example, if your guest has a favorite book they are currently reading, have them bring three unwrapped copies of that book to the party.
2. Write each participant’s name three times on separate pieces of paper, which you will individually fold and put in a bowl.
3. Have each person present the item they brought and explain why it is their favorite.
4. Set all the items in the front of the room so everyone can see them.
5. Draw a name from the bowl. The person whose name is called gets to pick any item from the pile and keep it.
6. Keep drawing names until all the items are done, and each person has three items from the favorite things pile.

This is a fun game to play while getting to know your friends by taking home something they love.

Playing holiday-themed games like charades or bingo

Charades is always fun to play – but make this game Christmas-themed. You can randomize the group or separate it into boys vs girls or kids vs adults. Each drawing should have something related to Christmas, whether a Christmas song, movie, or character.

Another fun game is Christmas bingo, especially with traditional Christmas characters and colors like these bingo cards.

Our Christmas Bingo Printable is a fun game for all ages and comes in packs of 100, 50, 20, and 10 printable bingo cards.

Note: This is a digital download that you will receive instantly in your email, yours to keep forever, and can print as many times as you like!

Get competitive with a gingerbread house decorating contest

Get in groups to have a contest on which group can create the best gingerbread house. Have a time limit of 30 minutes to decorate. By the end of the 30 minutes, each person can look at all the decorated gingerbread houses and vote on whose decoration was the best.

Mom hack: Buy pre-built gingerbread houses to save time and decrease frustration! We all know how annoying and time-consuming it can be putting together gingerbread house pieces. It’s like putting together Ikea furniture!

Pajama party with Santa

Have one of the dads show up as Santa in the middle of the party to pass out gifts.

Growing up, my friend’s dad would dress up as Santa every year, bust through the front door with a bag of gifts in the middle of our Christmas party, and sit by the Christmas tree calling out each kid (or adult!) one by one to give them a Christmas gift.

It was such a big commotion whenever Santa showed up because the little kids would either be scared or excited and then our parents would hype up Santa’s arrival. There were great laughs and excitement all around.

As an adult, I realize that this is what the holidays are about: creating these special moments surrounded by loved ones and friends. I laugh about it now because our Santa still shows up for our kids, and now we are the ones hyping up Santa’s arrival!

Creating pajama holiday party memories

Capture the moment with photos

Taking pictures throughout the party helps preserve the unique memories of the party by creating lasting memories that everyone can enjoy. I still reflect on our old holiday photos and reminisce on the holiday memories.
Here are some ideas:

Ensure your guests use the photo backdrop to take photos to remember the night.

Snap some candid photos of your guests and send the pictures to them the day after the party as a keepsake of memorable images. Candid photos capture the true essence of the night.

Take a group photo once everyone arrives and before the night’s chaos ensues!

Create new traditions with loved ones

Starting cute Christmas traditions with all your loved ones and friends at one party makes for the best memories.

Make this Christmas pajama party an annual tradition with all your friends, or you can even switch up the theme each year. It gives the whole family something to look forward to at the end of each year.

Sending guests home with goody bags

Create bags of party favors filled with small souvenirs from the party to send home with your guests so that they remember the night. You can fill these bags with personalized ornaments, Christmas crafts that the kids can do at the party and bring home, or bags of homemade treats.

MOM HACK: Food is a party favor! Have disposable Tupperware or to-go boxes ready for guests to take home leftover food. Send them home with full stomaches and boxes of leftovers for the next few days.

Christmas Pajama Party Planner

Get organized with a checklist to ensure you’ve covered all the bases when planning a party!

It also comes with a brain dump checklist or party to-do list to organize your thoughts and brilliant ideas on paper!

Download my Holiday Party Planning Checklist here to help you plan the most epic Christmas pajama party ever!

Make the best memories with a pajama themed Christmas party

Planning a Christmas pajama party is the perfect way to create lasting memories with family and friends in a cozy, warm, and comfortable atmosphere. From wearing the best Christmas pajama outfit to having Santa make a surprise guest appearance, there are endless possibilities for making your party truly magical. I highly encourage you to throw your own pajama party. By taking some Christmas pajama party ideas from this post, your party will surely be a night to remember for years to come!

This is exactly how to host the most memorable Christmas pajama party ever!

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