14 Holiday Party Invitations for All Types of Celebrations
The holiday season is the perfect time to bring friends, family, and colleagues together for festive celebrations. From casual ugly sweater showdowns to elegant dinner or cocktail parties, your holiday party invitation is the very first glimpse guests get of the fun to come. So it’s important to make it festive, clear, and reflective of the celebration you’re planning.
In this guide, we’ll share creative theme options, like white elephant or ugly sweater parties, and give you a number of invitation designs to choose from.
Prepping for Your Holiday Party Invitations
Before you choose the perfect invitation design, it helps to take a step back and think about the bigger picture. After all, you’re planning a holiday party, and you want to create an invitation that’ll grab people’s attention.Â
The invitation doesn’t just share the “when and where” — it sets the tone, hints at the party theme, and builds excitement for your holiday gathering. A little preparation before you send your invites will make the entire planning process smoother and your celebration even more memorable.
Decide on the Tone of Your Party
Every holiday gathering has its own unique personality. Do you envision a sparkling black-tie gala, a cozy brunch with family, or a lively ugly sweater contest with friends? Deciding on the tone of your event helps guide not only your invitations but also your décor, menu, and even your dress code.
- For formal gatherings: Think elegant invitations with metallic accents, classic fonts, and rich, minimalist designs. A formal tone is perfect for corporate events, sit-down dinners, or upscale New Year’s parties.
- For casual celebrations: Go for playful designs, bold colors, or fun illustrations. These work beautifully for neighborhood get-togethers, cookie swaps, or family-friendly holiday nights.
Choose a Theme (If You Want One)
Not every holiday party needs a theme, but it can make planning easier — and a lot more fun. A party theme helps tie everything together, from your invitations to your decorations and menu. Popular options include:
- Winter Wonderland
- Mischief & Mistletoe
- White Elephant, Secret Santa, or Mystery Maccabee gift swap
- Ugly Sweater
- Cookie Exchange
- Festivus
- Holiday Movie Marathon (yes, Die Hard is a holiday movie!)
- Holiday Brunch (maybe call it “Waffle-ing in a Winter Wonderland”)
Or If you prefer to keep it simple, a general “Holiday Cheer” or “Season’s Greetings” theme works just as well.
Make Your Invitation Reflect the Magic
Use your invitation to capture the mood you want to create. Adding festive graphics like wreaths, menorahs, snowflakes, or twinkling lights instantly sets the seasonal vibe. Coordinating your invitations with holiday cards, thank-you notes, or even gift tags can also create a thoughtful, cohesive experience for your guests.
14 Holiday Party Invitation Designs
No matter what type of holiday soiree you’re hosting, there’s an invitation design to match your vibe or theme. Plus, with a digital invitation, you can customize the colors, fonts, layout, and wording.
These holiday party invitations work perfectly for work gatherings, neighborhood get-togethers, or friends-and-family celebrations of all kinds. They’re versatile enough to be used for everything from elegant holiday dinners to lighthearted hang-out sessions.
1. Snowy Twilight Invitation
Design: Signature Greenvelope
Capture the magic of a winter wonderland with this Snowy Twilight Invitation. It also works well for a post-holiday gathering in January — giving guests a reason to celebrate after the busy holiday season has come and gone.
2. Let’s Get Ugly Invitation
Design: Lisa Travis
Enjoy a party theme that’s become a modern classic with this ugly sweater invitation. This works for both Christmas parties and more general holiday fetes. After all, there are plenty of ugly sweaters out there that don’t feature Christmas motifs.
3. Christmas Plaid Invitation
Design: Jennifer Wick
The gold accents on this plaid invitation dress it up for a chic holiday party that walks the line between formal and casual. Serve holiday-flavored mixed drinks, mulled wine, and appetizers like mini quiches, shrimp cocktail, and baked brie.
4. Holiday Sparkle Invitation
Design: Jessica Williams
Send out this sparkling invitation for a formal holiday party. Ask guests to don couture fashions for an evening of fine food and dancing. It can be easily customized for a New Year’s Eve party too.
5. Warm Drinks Cool Company Invitation
Design: Jackie Crawford
Throw a cozy gathering with this camping mug-inspired invitation. Depending on where you live, you might be able to host a campfire celebration with cider, hot cocoa, hot dogs, and s’mores. Or for an indoor party, light a fire, keep the drinks warm in crockpots, and serve charcuterie.
6. Festive and Geometric Invitation
Design: Erika Firm
Invite all the home bakers you know to a holiday cookie exchange with this mid-century modern invitation. Uncork the wine, put out sweet and savory snacks, and have everyone create an eclectic cookie tray to share during their own holiday gatherings.Â
7. Classic Pinecone InvitationÂ
Design: Jen Montgomery
This sleek pinecone invitation works well for a corporate holiday gathering. Invite your top clients for dinner and cocktails or simply celebrate a successful year with the team.
8. Mischief & Mistletoe Invitation
Design: Colin Cowie
This retro neon light design featuring mistletoe sets the tone for a fun, festive night. Add a playful touch with themed cocktails or a photo booth for laughs.
9. Swap Drop Invitation
Design: Jen Montgomery
Whether you’re hosting a White Elephant, a Secret Santa, or a Mystery Maccabee party, this holiday gift swap invitation is the perfect fit. Maybe even turn it into a charitable event by asking guests to bring an unwrapped donation for Toys for Tots as well.
10. Downtown Holiday Invitation
Design: Signature Greenvelope
Bring your friends or family together for a holiday evening downtown with this cityscape invitation. See the lights and decoration displays, go ice skating, catch a show, or go out to dinner — the options are endless!
11. Hit the Slopes Invitation
Design: Patrice Horvath Design
For a more active and sporty crew, celebrate the holidays together with a fun day on the slopes followed by hot cocoa in the lodge. Get the word out with this skiing holiday party invitation hand-painted in watercolors.
12. Golden Confetti Celebration Invitation
Design: Jessica Williams
This gold-foil confetti invitation comes in black, blue, red, or green, which makes it easy to keep it as a general holiday party invitation or turn it into a Hanukkah or Christmas party invite.
13. Just the Classics Invitation
Design: Hudson Meet Rose
Put on your coziest attire, and enjoy an evening of classic holiday movies. For a movie marathon, ask each of your guests to bring a movie that says “holidays” to them, or add a survey question to this VHS invitation design.
14. Pop Fizz Contrast Invitation
Design: Signature Greenvelope
Pop the bubbly with friends and loved ones with this champagne-inspired invitation template. The design works well for any celebration but especially for a birthday party that falls during the holiday season.
Make the Season Bright
Get ready for a season full of laughter, cheer, and unforgettable moments with family and friends. Bring everyone together with a customized digital invitation that fits the vibe of your celebration — whether it’s formal and elegant or casual and cozy.
In addition to holiday party invitation designs, Greenvelope has you covered for all your seasonal stationery needs. Check out our collections of:
