We all love a Christmas party, where you inevitably get drunk amongst your friends and relatives, have some festive nibbles, and generally a good boogie; however, themed Christmas parties have become more divisive in recent years. Now, I am not talking ‘Angela of The Office (US)’ themed parties, complete with Nutcrackers and civilised décor, but the ever-classy costume party.
I’m not sure if it’s the fear on people’s faces upon receipt of an invitation, the inevitable half-baked, no effort, hilarious costumes (because the less effort you put in, the worse you look), or the absolute chaos of the-night-before-realisation of the party-goer who didn’t read the invite properly the first time, but I think themed costume parties are great fun! Parties which are themed generally under the term ‘Christmas Dress-Up’ usually offer a good time: you’ve got all the resources of the supermarket’s festive section – which has been up since March – and usually the ideas flood in pretty easily. Plus, there is the added bonus of it not mattering if you are one of eight Santas in attendance – it is Christmas after all! If you do manage to come up with something unusual as your costume choice for one of these parties, you are on to a winner, baby. Personally, to fulfil this sentiment, I would recommend going as your favourite festive food item, such as a good ol’ Christmas pud.
However, specific-themed parties away from the festive season are a bit more challenging. They require forward-thinking; the ability to be crafty (and consequently dealing with the expense of such activities), and ingenuity. You will find yourself visiting a seemingly endless amount of shops, which leads you to beg, borrow, or steal from friends and family – but, at least you have an end goal. You may decide that you are going to be a Mario Kart character, a flapper girl or gangster (both classic choices), a ballerina (if the theme is The Nutcracker – thanks Angela), or even as a pirate. The list goes on. The real spirit behind such parties is reliving your childhood dress-up dreams – or nightmares – with the excuse of festive fun. The holidays are one of the few opportunities people have for time off from work, and a themed costume party is therefore a great way to celebrate!
My all-time favourite kind of party, though, is what I call the ‘chaos party’. The theme is vague – something described as simply as ‘costume party’, ‘Movie Classics’, or ‘Favourite Characters’. You know, something that will really panic your invitees. What are they going to wear? How much effort will they put in? What huge variety of drunk, homemade somethings, will fill your student house or rented halls? It is perfect. If you have got the right kind of friends, everyone will seize the opportunity to get really creative, ending up with the most unusual combinations of incredibly specific items or characters. Just imagine wannabe James Bond chatting to a goldfish in the corner, whilst his wife – the ghost of Christmas future (Muppets Edition) – grabs more drinks. Amazing, right?
Themed parties are absolutely the best kind of party. They leave you with brilliant photos, laughter, and memories for years to come – and best of all, ideas for next year! Christmas parties of this stature, in particular, are becoming a dying breed – well, I say bring them back in full force for 2021! As a time of happiness, fun and getting together, why not grab your friends and family and get suited and booted for the occasion? Let’s make up for the political mishaps of last Christmas with gusto and a silly costume.
