How to throw a Winter Wonderland Holiday party in a hot climate

Folks living in Southern States and Desert climates can enjoy a chilly, Mock-Winter Holiday by throwing this party for their friends, neighbors and kids. Luckily, you get to celebrate snow by choice! These are some ideas:

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• air-conditioning
• desire to have a chilly Holiday party even though you are living in a hot climate
• Fuzzy mittens, hats, scarves, snow boots
• snow cone maker
• red candles
• candy canes
• paper snow flakes
• Holiday greeting cards, poinsettias, mistletoe
• Winter-themed and holiday music

1. 
    
   greetings

   Send out invitations to your Holiday party telling guests your theme is Winter Wonderland, a North Pole party, or Christmas in July, etc. Pick a super hot day of the year when being inside with the air-conditioning running full blast is most enjoyable. Use Christmas Holiday greeting cards with pictures of snowmen as invites and ask guests to wear cold weather attire.

2. 
    
   party attire

   Party attire can be: mittens, stocking caps, Holiday sweaters with snowflakes & snowmen on them, snow boots,
   It's fine if guests mix Summer & Winter clothing such as: a bikini, mittens and Santa's helper hat for women and beach shorts, no shirt, wool scarf and knit hat for men. For kids: a parka jacket, shorts and snow boots. Guests ask what they can bring? Yes, a plate of Holiday cookies, a fruitcake, or ask for volunteers to come early to help you decorate the party room.

3. 
    
   snow cones

   Decorations:
   Ice. Have tubs of ice. Maybe an ice sculpture centerpiece.
   Use white, fake fur for tablescape. Hang holiday cards, ornaments & paper snow flakes. On tables: candy canes in clear tumblers, Christmas cactus, poinsettias, lighted spicy-scented red candles, and craft-store silk mistletoe. Lay out yards of fabric-store bolt cotton batting as "snow" all over your party room and sprinkle it with silver glitter.

4. 
    
   indoor pine tree

   Activities. Get the snowcone maker & Kool-aid toppings out for the kids. Choose games and fun activities to suit a range of ages if both kids and adults are invited.
   Adult parties can include carols & sing-a-longs, dance to the upbeat music, slow-dance & snuggle to the mellow stuff. Awards for best outfit. A table set up for making edible gingerbread houses: Guests can take their gingerbread houses home as parting gifts. Holiday cocktails like: a Hot Toddy, Bailey's Irish cream. Make a "snowflake" cocktail by rimming martini glass with white shredded-sweetened coconut before serving and/or a candy cane cocktail:
   Ingredients
   1 shot vanilla rum
   1 shot white chocolate liqueur (recommended: Godiva)
   1 shot peppermint schnapps
   Candy cane, garnish
   Directions
   Add all liquid ingredients to cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into martini glass. Garnish with candy cane.
   
   Kid friendly: Set up a small table where kids can: decorate pinecones or styrofoam balls with glue & gold glitter; crayons to color pages of Holiday coloring books; and a snowcone making station. Pop popcorn and make lots of extra for making popcorn garlands on long strings. Have artifical pine trees set up for decoration or for guests to decorate. Have small "sleigh bells", party favors wrapped in Winter Holiday paper & bows, and/or chocolate Santa figures as parting gifts.

5. 
    
   candy cane

   Play Holiday or cold Winter-themed music:
   Bing Crosby's "White Christmas", Natalie Cole's Holiday album, Elvis's "Blue Christmas", The Carpenter's "Christmas Collection", and "Jingle Bell Rock: an Oldies Rock & Roll Christmas" are some of my favorites. Modern country fans will like the "Country Superstar Christmas 3" CD.
   For kids music: "Frosty the Snowman", Alvin and the Chipmunks "A very Merry Chipmunk". Kids shows: Muppet Show Christmas, Snow White and the 7 dwarfs, and Snow Dogs.

6. 
    
   lasting memories

   Make lasting memories by making one wall of your party room the photo spot. Use a wall poster of a Winter snowscape or Holiday scene and guests can pose in front of it. Send "thanks for coming" notes to your guests a week after the party with their photos inside.

Tips & Warnings

• This is a great way to throw a surprise party!
• Always designate a sober driver.

[Lilfix]

on 3/1/2009 This sounds like a lot of fun and what better way to ease the heat...a wonderland holiday party...I'm going to have to try this for my residents...thanks for sharing! RRCR5*

[ShannaFuentes]

on 1/14/2009 Great article!

[Gardengates]

on 11/2/2008 This sounds like lots of fun. Thanks for all the great ideas on creating a successful winter-themed party.

[drenee]

on 10/14/2008 Great idea!