The Ultimate Christmas Sleepover Guide

Planning a Christmas sleepover

With a whopping 84% of Brits planning to pack their bags for an overnight stay this festive season according to our recent survey, it’s important to plan your Christmas sleepover to make it truly magical. Not only will it make it exciting for those coming, but it’ll also allow you to enjoy the night without worrying about last-minute details. Let’s go over some key things to keep in mind.

1. Choose a theme

Having a Christmas theme can be fun not just for kids but for adults too. It gives everyone an idea of what to bring and how to dress, as well as what to expect. Some lovely theme ideas include:

• White Christmas – think white and fluffy blankets and whipped cream
• North Pole – candy canes and bright reds with white and a festive elf or two
• Gingerbread House – spicy, ginger and cinnamon smells, snacks and tones galore
• The Nutcracker – bring together classical music and imagery with ornate decorations
• Nightmare Before Christmas – perfect for hosts who love the spooky season as much as the festive one!

Be sure to give plenty of warning, so that everyone has a chance to plan their Christmas slumber party outfit.

2. Decorate

Whether you’re hosting, or if you’re having a virtual sleepover, ensure that you decorate. Set a room aside for the night and go crazy with the decorations. Keep them within your theme, if you can. For example, if you’re choosing a snowglobe theme, opt for white tinsel and fairy lights for a winter wonderland feel.

3. Create a slumber party haven

Sleepovers at any time of year should be cosy and comfy. Whichever room you have decided to set aside for the evening should be filled with soft pillows, blankets and cushions to make the perfect sleep space. Think of it like making a nest – lots of different soft materials come together to make those sleeping inside snooze soundly.

Christmas sleepover activities

As Carroll Stuhlmueller said: “Christmas belongs to children and to the child in all of us.” So what better way to bring the magic out at Christmas, than to have a bunch of fun activities to do? This will keep the evening fun and exciting! Here are our favourite festive activities to try out…

1. Christmas scavenger hunt

Better done in person than remotely, however, any scavenger hunt is super enjoyable. They’re great for kids and adults alike, just be sure to tweak them to the right age group.

In your home, you have a few ways of doing this. You can give each guest a list of items to collect throughout the night (make sure there are some hard-to-find items). Set a time for the scavenger hunt to end and once the time is up the person with the most items wins.

Another option is to make this more of a team activity, by setting clues and riddles. Each clue should lead to an item and another clue. The last item should be a prize that will be used during the night, maybe a family-sized box of chocolates to share.

Finally, as an online option, if there’s a social game you all play in common, try setting up a hunt in the virtual world. Who knows what adventures you’ll have along the way?

2. Set up a hot chocolate bar

Hot chocolate and winter go hand in hand, and with a little prep, it makes the most delicious hands-off drink for your slumber party. Just set up a hot chocolate bar with plenty of toppings laid out (chocolate flakes, marshmallows, and whipped cream!). The beverage itself can go in an insulated jug and don’t forget mugs for everyone. Then people can simply help themselves to any toppings and extras that they want.

This is a fabulous activity for the start of the night or it can be done throughout the night as a “break” from activities.

3. Get crafty

Whether it’s for kids or adults, getting your craft on is a lot of fun. Why not set aside some time to make your own decorations? They could be something that you plan to hang on the tree once done. You could even get everyone to make Christmas cards for each other. How exciting!

Other festive craft ideas include:

• Candle holders – better for adults to do, but surprisingly easy with some glue and gold leaf.
• Ornament painting – fun for kids and adults, go crazy with fake gems and glitter.
• Wreath making – whether you go fully traditional with pine branches, or modern with gift bow wreaths, there are lots of options to fit your theme.
• Gingerbread decorations – hang them on the tree once dry, use different shapes and cuts as table decorations, or simply eat them at the end.

4. Pin the nose on Rudolph

Let the donkey take a break and instead play pin the nose on Rudolph. Make a basic Rudolph face without the nose, but draw on where the nose is meant to go. You can do this with a piece of card or decorate a corkboard to make it look like a reindeer face – all you need is antlers, eyes and a mouth.

Next, give everyone a red circle with their name on it. This is Rudolph’s nose. Each player is blindfolded and must pin the nose in the correct place. Whoever gets the closest wins!

5. Watch a Christmas film

Is there anything more festive than watching a Christmas film? Choose an old favourite or go for something new to get everyone in the spirit of Christmas. Do this later on in the evening, when you want everyone to start quieting down. Ensure everyone has a comfy place to sit, bring in popcorn, sweet snacks, and cheeky hot chocolate from the bar, dim the lights and settle down to watch.

You can also put on other films, either as a break or as a good wind-down at the end of the night. We’ve got a list of movies to help you sleep if you want some inspiration.

There you go, that’s all our merry ideas and inspirations. Now all that’s left to do is to throw the best Christmas sleepover ever! Don’t worry too much about getting everything perfect – ensure you have fun and embrace your inner child as you host, for as it is said in A Christmas Carol:

“For it is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas”