Create Holiday Fun – 5 DIY Holiday Entertaining Ideas

The holiday season is here, the Christmas tree is up, and now you can spend quality time with your friends and family. Whether you are having an ugly sweater party, or an elegant dinner party, here are 5 DIY holiday entertaining ideas.

Seasonal Cocktail Or Mocktail

In my family, it is customary to start the holidays with some holiday cheer and a yummy cocktail. The best thing about these cocktails is that they can be made into a mocktail and still taste just as good. You could turn either of these into signature cocktails

Cranberry Spice Whiskey Cocktail/Mocktail

This is a fun cocktail to make, and it will impress your guests. There is a step that you need to do ahead of time, so start preparing this drink a day ahead of time.

Items Needed

• 3 oz Orange Juice – No Pulp
• 1 oz Cranberry Juice
• 2 oz Texas Ranger Whiskey 
• 1/2 oz Orange Liquor – I like Cointreau
• 1/4 oz Simple Syrup
• 1/2 oz Lemon Juice
• Ginger Beer To Top Off
• Whole Cranberries
• Fresh Rosemary
• cinnamon sticks

Directions

1. Using a rock glass, add water about 1/4 – 1/2 inch.
2. Place 2 cinnamon sticks on the bottom of the glass.
3. Place the whole cranberries in the water to make a layer.
4. Add one stick of rosemary to look like a standing Christmas tree.
5. Place this in the freezer until frozen.
6. In a mixer cup, add orange juice, cranberry juice, whiskey, orange liquor, simple syrup, and lemon.
7. Stir this completely and pour in the frozen glass, leaving a 1/2 inch at the top of the cocktail.
8. Top the cocktail off with ginger beer.
9. To make this a mocktail, don’t add the whiskey or the orange liquor.

Chocolate Peppermint Martini

This is one of my favorite holiday drinks. It’s fun to make, tastes great, and looks festive at any holiday party.

Items Needed

• 3 oz Chocolate Liquor
• Chocolate syrup
• 3 oz Peppermint Infused Enchanted Rock Vodka (See recipe below)
• 5 oz 1/2 & 1/2 or Cream
• 1 Teaspoon Hot Chocolate Mix
• Candy Canes

Directions For Peppermint Infused Vodka

To make peppermint-infused vodka, fill a pint-sized mason jar with Enchanted Rock vodka, and break 4-5 candy canes into the vodka. They will dissolve and make the best peppermint-infused vodka you have ever had.

Directions for Chocolate Peppermint Martini

1. Place a couple of candy canes into a zipper bag and crush them with a meat tenderizer.
2. ​Pour some chocolate syrup onto a plate big enough that the rim of the martini glass will fit.
3. ​Dip the rim of the martini glass into the chocolate syrup and then into the crushed candy canes.
4. In a separate mixing cup, add the chocolate liquor, vodka, cream, and hot chocolate mix.
5. Shake or stir and pour into the martini glass.
6. Top the martini off with a mini candy cane.

Christmas Centerpiece

Centerpieces are one of my favorite things to create for any holiday season out of these 5 DIY holiday entertaining ideas. And creating a Christmas centerpiece is a great way to add a festive touch to any holiday table. I always use things from around my house to create my centerpieces.

Items Needed

• Candle Sticks
• Candles (I use Battery Operated Candles)
• Pine Cones
• Christmas Greenery
• Mini Christmas Tree
• Other Items Like Snowflakes, Ornaments, Etc.

Directions

1. Place the candle sticks and candles in the center of the table.
2. Surround the candle sticks with the Christmas greenery.
3. Start adding pine cones, ornaments, Christmas trees, and more.
4. Make it as big or small as you would like.

Christmas Place Setting

I know it was supposed to be 5 DIY holiday entertaining ideas, but I wanted to share some of my favorite Christmas place setting ideas, not just one. All of these can be made very inexpensively, and you don’t have to be a crafting genius to get creative and have fun.

• If you are having a large Christmas get-together, then I recommend place settings. No one likes the awkward part of wondering where they are supposed to sit in the dining room. You don’t have to break the bank to create a place setting. Here are a few different place-setting ideas that are fun and easy to create.
• Place a fun gift tag with the person’s name on it, you could even attach it to a fun inexpensive game from the dollar store.
• Create DIY Christmas ornaments for each place setting with the person’s name on it. This is a great gift idea for your guests as well.
• Find some small Santa hats and write each guest’s name on them with a paint marker or glitter paint. You could get full-sized Santa hats too and ask your guests to wear them for a fun picture.
• Make homemade cookies and decorate them with each guest’s name on them. Place them in cookie bags. It’s a fun treat for after dinner.
• Fill Mason jars with Christmas candy, or a fun cookie recipe. Write the guest’s name on the jar. It’s a great gift to take home.

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Hostess And Neighbor Gifts

Secret Santa gifts are fun to create for your friends and neighbors, and you can make a few of them at a time. They are also a perfect way to thank a hostess if you are going to someone’s home for the holidays. A bottle of wine is a great idea, but some people don’t drink, so it’s better to be safe and create a gift that everyone will love. These can be put together last minute and are perfect gifts for your friends and neighbors. I always top any gift I give off with candy canes, it’s the small touches that mean a lot. You can make up a few of these and put them in a basket by the front door to give out to those unexpected guests too. 

Charcuterie Box

Creating a charcuterie box is a lot of fun. I purchased the Christmas boxes at my local dollar store and found most of the food items at the local grocery store. You can also use shipping boxes to place the charcuterie items in, just tie a ribbon around a plain box, or use wrapping paper to decorate the outside of a plain box. I found the charcuterie board on Amazon, but be sure to check out the links for more information.

Coffee Gift

Another great gift idea is a coffee gift. Get a large coffee mug and fill it with small packages of coffee, peppermint sticks, a cookie, and anything else you want to put in there. 

Related – 10 DIY Christmas Gift Ideas

Spend Time Enjoying The Season

As always, be sure to get creative and have fun. Christmas comes and goes so quickly, and you don’t want to spend all of your time stressing about the little things. Enjoy your time with your friends and family, and remember what this season is all about. Merry Christmas.