A holiday party invitation needs six details: who is hosting, the occasion, the date and time, the location, how and when to reply, and a dress note when attire matters. As a general guide, send holiday party invitations 4 to 6 weeks ahead so guests have time to plan. Below is copy-ready wording for every December format: Christmas parties, Christmas Eve dinners, Hanukkah celebrations, office parties, cocktail hours, open houses, potlucks, ugly sweater parties, and virtual gatherings. Greenvelope's digital holiday party invitations pair any of them with designs from independent artists and RSVP tracking, and our guide to how to send holiday party invitations online walks through the steps.
The examples below use 2026 dates, with weekdays to match, and invented hosts, addresses, and deadlines: replace the names, dates, locations, and reply instructions with your own. On a digital invitation, guests reply through the invitation's RSVP button, so "Reply by" plus a date is all the instruction most cards need.
What Should a Holiday Party Invitation Include?
Every holiday party invitation should answer six questions: who is hosting, what the occasion is, when, where, how and by what date to reply, and, when attire matters, what to wear. Three December planning notes:
- Send earlier than feels necessary. Four to six weeks ahead is a good general guide; the earlier guests hear about the date, the easier a crowded December is to plan around. For an early-December Saturday, consider an October save the date.
- Set the RSVP deadline about 1 to 2 weeks out, then adjust for your vendors. Caterers, cookie counts, and gift exchanges all need numbers, and a caterer or venue deadline may move yours earlier. Greenvelope tracks every reply in real time, and you can schedule RSVP reminders for guests who have not responded.
- Name the format plainly. "Dinner," "cocktails and appetizers," "open house," or "potluck" tells guests whether to eat first, and December guests juggling three events in a weekend will thank you for it.
Christmas Party Invitation Wording
Casual
Ugly sweaters, good cookies, great company.
Christmas party at the Novaks'
Saturday, December 12 at 7 p.m.
418 Garland Street
Wear your worst sweater with pride. Reply by December 4.
Festive
Deck the halls with us!
Join the Reyes family for our annual Christmas party
Saturday, December 19, 6 to 10 p.m.
77 Holly Court
Dinner, carols, and a visit from a certain man in red for the kids.
RSVP by December 11.
Elegant
Please join us for a Christmas evening
Saturday, the twelfth of December, at seven o'clock
The home of Amara and Daniel Osei, 14 Winterberry Lane
Cocktail attire. Kindly reply by the fourth of December.
Any of these lines can go out on a Greenvelope design. Browse the full holiday party invitation collection, or go straight to the Christmas party invitation collection.
Christmas Invitation Designs to Match Your Wording
Pair the wording above with one of these Greenvelope designs, then personalize the text for your celebration.
Gingerbread Cottage, a Greenvelope design by Signature Greenvelope. An illustrated gingerbread house glows among bare, snow-dusted trees on a slate blue-grey card. It suits the casual wording above, the one with the sweaters and the cookies, where the evening is warm rather than formal.
View Gingerbread Cottage
Nostalgic Ornaments, a Greenvelope design by Lisa Travis. Vintage Christmas ornaments sit in blue and coral on a pink ground, bright and a little retro. Pair it with the festive wording above, the family party with carols and a visit for the kids.
View Nostalgic Ornaments
Christmas Plaid, a Greenvelope design by Jennifer Wick. A woven plaid pattern in deep green, red, and gold frames a dark center panel, the dressiest of the three. It carries the elegant wording above, the cocktail-attire evening written out in full.
View Christmas Plaid
Choose a design and personalize it with your wording, host names, date, time, and location. Add your guest list, then send by email, text message in supported countries, or a shareable link.
Set up the RSVP separately from the card text: add questions about meal choices or dietary needs, then track replies as they arrive. Our guide to how to send holiday party invitations online walks through each step in detail.
Christmas Eve Dinner Invitation Wording
Christmas Eve dinner wording differs from a Christmas party invitation in a few small ways. If arrival and dinner times differ, state both, and use the word "dinner" plainly so no one arrives full. If the evening has a set ending, such as leaving together for a late church service, it is worth saying so; if guests simply linger, no note is needed. Set an RSVP deadline one to two weeks before dinner, allowing extra time for travel or catering, and count heads rather than households when planning the table.
Casual family
Christmas Eve, our table, your favorite people.
Christmas Eve dinner at the Fosters'
Thursday, December 24 at 5 p.m.
88 Evergreen Way
Dinner at 6, pajamas welcome after dessert. Reply by December 15.
Traditional feast
Seven fishes, one long table.
The Moretti family's annual Christmas Eve feast
Thursday, December 24, from 4 p.m.
26 Star Lane
Courses begin at 5. Stay for coffee after dessert; the carpool to midnight service leaves at 10:30.
RSVP by December 15 so every seat is set.
Elegant
Please join us for Christmas Eve dinner
Thursday, the twenty-fourth of December, at six o'clock
The home of Elena and Marcus Webb, 9 Chapel Row
Festive attire. Kindly reply by the sixteenth of December.
Hanukkah Party Invitation Wording
Hanukkah spans eight nights, so the wording should name the night as well as the calendar date, since guests may be lighting candles at home first, and say what the evening holds: a full latke dinner, or dessert and dreidels. If the menu matters to your guests, describe it specifically and accurately rather than relying on shorthand.
Casual
Eight nights, one great party.
Latkes and lights at the Golds', on the fifth night of Hanukkah
Tuesday, December 8 at 6 p.m.
44 Linden Court
The latkes and sufganiyot are covered; bring your appetite. Reply by December 1.
Festive family
The menorah is polished and the oil is hot.
A Hanukkah celebration at the Levines', on the third night
Sunday, December 6, 4 to 7 p.m.
18 Meadow Lane
Candle lighting at sunset, dreidels and gelt for the kids, dinner for everyone.
RSVP by November 29.
Ugly Sweater Party Invitation Wording
An ugly sweater party invitation has one job beyond the standard six details: making the dress code impossible to miss, since a guest who arrives in a plain pullover has missed the point. Name the contest categories and prizes if there are any, so the competitive knitters come prepared, and put the sweater line where nobody can skim past it. On a Greenvelope invitation, the contest can start at the reply: add a survey question asking which category each guest is entering, and the RSVP doubles as the sign-up sheet for the judging.
Casual
The uglier, the better.
Annual ugly sweater party at the Brennans'
Saturday, December 19 at 7 p.m.
23 Mistletoe Lane
Prizes for ugliest, blinkiest, and best homemade. Sweater required for entry.
Reply by December 12.
Office happy hour
Sequins, tinsel, and regrettable knitwear.
The [your company] ugly sweater happy hour
Friday, December 18, 4 to 6 p.m., the atrium
Cocoa, snacks, and awards provided; the sweater is on you.
Let us know you are in by December 11.
Office and Company Holiday Party Invitation Wording
Make three things explicit on an office invitation: who each guest may bring, whether the event is during work hours or after, and what the company is paying for. Say all three plainly and the invitation answers the questions people hesitate to ask. On Greenvelope, hosts set each guest's plus-one allowance and can collect, or require, the plus-one's name with the reply, so "partners welcome" comes back as a headcount. "Holiday party" is the usual name for company events with mixed guest lists; choose the name that matches what is being celebrated and who is invited.
Here are two office holiday party invitation wording examples, one for an evening venue party and one for an on-site team lunch.
You made the year. Let us make the party.
The [your company] Holiday Party
Friday, December 11, 7 to 11 p.m.
The Foundry Ballroom, 200 Union Street
Partners welcome. Dinner, drinks, and the annual awards, all on us.
Festive attire encouraged. RSVP with your plus-one by November 30.
Cocoa, cookies, and a long lunch on the house.
A catered holiday lunch for [your company] employees
Thursday, December 17, 12 to 2 p.m., the atrium
No agenda, no laptops. Let us know you are in by December 10.
For corporate timing by company size, including the save the date question, see our corporate event invitation wording guide. Greenvelope's business holiday party invitations carry company branding and plus-one tracking, and our guide to how to collect RSVPs for an office holiday party online covers the reply side.
Holiday Cocktail Party Wording
Holiday cocktail wording states the window and says plainly that the evening is drinks and appetizers rather than dinner, with one festive line for sparkle.
Eggnog optional, good cheer required.
Holiday cocktails and appetizers at the Winslows'
Saturday, December 5, from 6 to 9 in the evening
12 Fir Street
Sparkle encouraged. Reply by November 27.
Holiday Open House Wording
An open house is December's most forgiving format, and the wording should advertise exactly that: a wide window, come-and-go permission, and zero pressure.
The door is open, the cider is hot.
Holiday open house at the Halloran home
Sunday, December 13, anytime between 2 and 7 p.m.
31 Sleighbell Lane
Drop in for ten minutes or stay for the tree lighting at 5.
A quick reply by December 6 helps us plan the cocoa.
Potluck Holiday Party Wording
A potluck invitation has one job beyond the standard six details: turning "bring something" into a plan the kitchen can count on. Spell out four things before anyone replies:
- What the host supplies. Name it: the main course, the drinks, the plates. No one duplicates what you have already covered.
- What guests should bring. Ask by category: sides, salads, breads, or desserts. "Anything you like" produces five desserts.
- How much. Suggest a serving count: 8 to 10 per dish is a common starting point, adjusted to your guest list, and it keeps six-serving pans and thirty-serving trays off the same table.
- How and when to confirm. Have guests name their dish when they RSVP, by the same deadline, so the menu settles at the same moment the headcount does.
Family Christmas potluck, host covers the main course
Our ham, your famous sides.
A Christmas potluck at the [host family] home
[Day, date], [start time] to [end time]
[Address]
We are roasting the ham and pouring the drinks. Please bring a side, salad, or dessert that serves about [number of servings], and tell us your dish when you reply.
RSVP by [RSVP deadline] via [reply method].
Office holiday potluck, contributions optional
Lunch is on [company name]. The recipes are up to you.
The [company name] holiday potluck
[Day, date], [start time] to [end time], [location]
[Company name] is providing the main dishes and drinks. If you would like to share a side or dessert, it is entirely optional; just tell us the dish and roughly how many it serves when you reply.
Let us know you are coming by [RSVP deadline] via [reply method].
Three optional lines, worth adapting to your crowd:
- "Please bring a serving utensil with your dish."
- "An ingredient card next to your dish helps guests who avoid certain foods decide for themselves."
- "If your dish needs oven or microwave time, mention it when you reply so we can plan the kitchen."
On a Greenvelope invitation, the dish request rides along with the reply: add a custom survey question to the RSVP page asking what each guest plans to bring and about how many it serves. Guests answer right after selecting their response, and each answer saves to that guest's record. The survey collects the answers; balancing the menu is still the host's job. Review the responses as they arrive, and when a third green bean casserole appears or the salad column sits empty, a quick personal note to a guest or two sorts it out.
Virtual Holiday Party Wording
Virtual holiday party invitations swap the address for joining instructions and gain one courtesy: a tighter window, since ninety good minutes online beat three hours of screen fatigue. Include the video link in the invitation details or promise it with the RSVP confirmation.
Same team, same toast, every time zone.
The [your company] virtual holiday party
Thursday, December 17, 4 to 5:30 p.m. Pacific
Joining link arrives with your RSVP. Festive backgrounds encouraged; trivia champions will be crowned.
Reply by December 10 so the trivia teams are set before we log on.
How New Year's Eve Differs from a Holiday Party
New Year's Eve sits inside the December calendar and asks a few extra things of the invitation. Say whether guests are toasting with you at midnight or heading somewhere else at eleven, give an end time, note how guests are getting home if that matters, and say whether the countdown is at midnight or early enough for children. Our New Year's Eve party invitation wording guide has copy-ready wording for every register, from casual countdowns to black tie, plus the invitation themes hosts build the night around and the send and reply dates that work for December 31.
When to Send Holiday Party Invitations
As a general guide, send holiday party invitations 4 to 6 weeks before the party, corporate parties toward the 6-week end, and New Year's Eve invitations by the first week of December; let catering, travel, and venue deadlines move your dates where they need to. Advance notice is for your guests' benefit: the earlier the invitation lands, the easier a crowded December is to plan around, and for an early-December date an October save the date gives them the most time. The full December calendar, holiday cards included, lives in the invitation timing guide, and when the RSVPs stall mid-December, the RSVP reminder texts guide has the exact nudges to send.
Related Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What should a holiday party invitation say?
Include the host, occasion, date and time with the day of the week, location, how and by what date to reply, and a dress note when attire matters. Set the RSVP deadline about 1 to 2 weeks before the party, earlier if a caterer needs numbers. Name the format plainly: dinner, cocktails, open house, or potluck. December guests juggling multiple events need to know whether to eat first.
What is good wording for an office holiday party invitation?
State the three details office invitations need: whether partners are invited, whether the event is during or after work hours, and what the company is covering. For example: "Partners welcome. Dinner, drinks, and the annual awards, all on us. RSVP with your plus-one by November 30." On a Greenvelope invitation, the host can set each guest's plus-one allowance and collect the plus-one's name on the reply form, so the wording and the final headcount stay in step.
How far in advance should you send holiday party invitations?
As a general guide, send holiday party invitations 4 to 6 weeks ahead, with corporate parties at the 6-week end and New Year's Eve invitations out by the first week of December; adjust for catering, travel, and venue deadlines. Advance notice mainly helps guests plan, so for early-December dates an October save the date gives them extra time.
How do you word a potluck holiday party invitation?
Say what the host is providing, ask for contributions by category such as sides, salads, or desserts, suggest a serving count per dish (8 to 10 is a common starting point, adjusted to your guest list), and have guests name their dish when they RSVP. On Greenvelope, a custom survey question on the RSVP page collects the dish and servings with each reply, and the host reviews the answers to balance the menu.
Should you call it a Christmas party or a holiday party?
Base the name on the actual celebration and audience: "Christmas party" for a gathering you know celebrates Christmas, "holiday party" for workplaces and mixed guest lists where several December holidays may be represented. Either way, the wording inside should match the tone of the event.
What do you write on a Christmas Eve dinner invitation?
Include the standard details plus two Christmas Eve specifics. If arrival and dinner times differ, state both, and use the word "dinner" plainly so no one arrives full. If the evening has a set ending, such as leaving for a late church service, a short note helps guests plan. Set an RSVP deadline one to two weeks before dinner, allowing extra time for travel or catering.
What do you write on a Hanukkah party invitation?
Name the night of Hanukkah as well as the calendar date, since the holiday spans eight nights and guests may be lighting candles at home first. Include the host, time, location, an RSVP deadline, and what the evening holds, such as latkes, candle lighting, or dreidels for the kids. If the menu matters to your guests, describe it specifically and accurately. On Greenvelope, the menu note sits in the invitation details, and a dietary question can go on the reply form itself.
How do you word an ugly sweater party invitation?
Make the sweater requirement unmissable, then cover the standard details: host, date and time, location, and an RSVP deadline. Naming contest categories and prizes, such as ugliest, blinkiest, or best homemade, gives guests a reason to commit to the theme rather than hedge with a plain pullover. On Greenvelope, a survey question on the RSVP collects each guest's contest entry with their reply.
What is the best way to send holiday party invitations?
Email or text works well for December parties: the invitation reaches guests quickly, and they can reply through the RSVP button as soon as they open it. Greenvelope adds RSVP tracking and reminders you can schedule for guests who have not replied.