Nimanto

Guide

Holiday party invitation wording

By Nimanto · · 5 min read

The short answer

A holiday party invitation names the kind of party, the date, start and end times, the address and a reply date, then the one detail that shapes the evening: a costume theme, a potluck dish, a gift-swap limit or a dress code. In December, send it three to four weeks ahead, because calendars fill fast.

When should you send holiday party invitations?

Three to four weeks ahead is the usual rule for December parties, because weekends book up early. Office parties often go out four to six weeks ahead. Give Halloween and Friendsgiving guests about three weeks, so they can plan a costume or a dish, and New Year’s Eve guests about a month.

  • Christmas and December parties: three to four weeks, with a save-the-date in early November for a big one.
  • Office holiday parties: four to six weeks.
  • Thanksgiving dinner: three to four weeks. Canadian Thanksgiving is in October, so those invitations go out in September.
  • Friendsgiving: two to three weeks.
  • Halloween: about three weeks, more for an elaborate costume theme.
  • New Year’s Eve: three to four weeks.

How do you word an inclusive holiday invitation?

When your guests celebrate different things, name the season rather than one holiday: “holiday party”, “end-of-year party” or “winter get-together”. Offer varied food and drink, with vegetarian and alcohol-free choices, and make anything religious clearly optional. Inclusive wording is about who feels invited, not about leaving Christmas out.

Join us for a winter get-together: soup, a fire pit and good company to close out the year.

Season’s greetings. Our end-of-year party is on Friday, December 11, from 7 pm. Food for every diet, and drinks with and without alcohol.

Christmas party invitation wording

Put the theme in the first line, whether it is a cookie swap, an ugly-sweater party or a gift exchange, and give any spending limit so no one over- or under-spends.

Deck the halls and wear your worst sweater. Join us for an ugly-sweater party on Saturday, December 12, from 7 pm. There’s a prize for the ugliest.

Cookie swap: bring a dozen of your favourite cookies and the recipe, and go home with a box of everyone else’s. Sunday, December 13, 2 to 4 pm.

We are doing a gift exchange. Bring one wrapped gift under $25 if you would like to join in.

How do you word a Friendsgiving or potluck invitation?

Say who is cooking what before guests have to ask. If you are making the turkey or the main dish, say so, then ask guests to bring a side, a dessert or drinks, and to reply with their dish so you don’t end up with five pies. Ask about dietary needs at the same time.

Friendsgiving at ours. We’ve got the turkey and the gravy; you bring a side, a dessert or something to drink. Saturday, November 21, at 5 pm. Reply with your dish by November 14.

Please join us for Thanksgiving dinner. Arrive from 3 pm; we sit down at 4. Just bring your appetite.

How do you word a Halloween costume party invitation?

Lead with the costume rule, whether costumes are required, encouraged or optional, and any theme. Say whether it is family-friendly or adults only, how scary to expect, and whether there are prizes. Give an end time for children’s parties, and mention trick-or-treating if you are heading out together.

Costumes required, scares optional. Join us on Halloween night from 8 pm. Prizes for the best costume and the best couple.

Little monsters welcome. A kids’ Halloween party with crafts, pizza and a trick-or-treat walk round the block, 4 to 6:30 pm. Costumes encouraged.

What should a New Year’s Eve invitation say?

Give a start time and say whether you are seeing in midnight or wrapping up earlier. Mention food, any dress code and whether plus-ones are welcome, and help guests get home safely, with a spare bed or a note to book a ride early. A late party needs a clear address and parking.

Out with the old. New Year’s Eve at ours: dinner at 8, dancing till midnight, a toast at 12. Black tie optional. Sofas and a spare room for anyone who would rather stay.

An early New Year: a family countdown at 9 pm for little ones who won’t make it to midnight.

How do you word an office holiday party invitation?

Be clear and practical: the date, time and venue, whether partners are invited, the dress code, and whether it falls in work hours. Use inclusive wording such as “holiday” or “end-of-year”, list food for different diets, and give one reply date so the organisers can confirm numbers with the venue.

You’re invited to our end-of-year party on Friday, December 11, from 6 to 10 pm at The Foundry. Dinner, music and a few awards. Partners welcome. Dress: smart casual. Please reply by November 27 with any dietary needs.

On Nimanto, the RSVP settings set how many plus-ones each guest may bring and which questions guests are asked, so dietary needs and potluck dishes come in with each reply; see what guests are asked and reminders.

Questions people ask

How far in advance should you send Christmas party invitations?

Send Christmas party invitations three to four weeks ahead, so they arrive by mid-November for a mid-December party. December weekends fill quickly with work and family events, so a save-the-date in early November helps for a large party. Office parties are often announced four to six weeks ahead.

What can you say instead of Merry Christmas on an office invitation?

Try Happy Holidays, Season’s Greetings or Warm wishes for the season, or simply call it an end-of-year or holiday party. These include colleagues who celebrate Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or nothing at all, while still sounding festive. Keep any religious part of the event clearly optional, so everyone feels welcome to come.

How do you word a potluck invitation?

Say what you are providing, then ask guests to bring a dish in a category, such as a side, a salad or a dessert, and to tell you what they are bringing when they reply. A shared list prevents five versions of the same dish. Add a note about allergies so cooks can label their food.

Should a Halloween party invitation say costumes are required?

Say clearly whether costumes are required, encouraged or optional, because guests worry about being the only one dressed up, or the only one not. If costumes are required, give guests about three weeks’ notice and any theme. Prizes for the best costume encourage people to make an effort.