It’s the most wonderful time of the year! With the holiday season upon us, it’s time to get festive and that starts with decking the halls! The holidays often bring on many parties and if you plan on hosting a party this year be sure that you don’t go into debt over it.
Today we’re sharing how you can throw a fun and festive Christmas party on a budget! All of the products and DIY hacks we are sharing can be done using supplies found at your local dollar store. Follow along to get into the holiday spirit and make this a Christmas party to remember!
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Not only are these mini cranberry wreaths adorable but they add a wonderful personal touch that your guests will love. With a few supplies from the dollar store along with some fresh cranberries and tree trimmings, you’ll have these wreaths made in no time!
If you’re not having a formal sit-down dinner, you could tie the wreaths around a wine glass. Not only is this a personal touch but it will help them locate their drink during the party. Finally, they can also serve as a cute party favor that your guests can take home.
https://sayyes.com/2014/12/diy-mini-cranberry-wreath-place-cards PHOTOS AND TUTORIAL HERE: SAY YES
Tableware is an essential part of every party. Thankfully the dollar store has you covered in this department too. A great way to add color to your space is to dress up your table with a table cloth.
The dollar store offers an array of colors and patterns which means there is something for every party. You could go with a classic red, or green, or keep it white and add pops of color to your table by adding candles or colored serving platters. The options are endless!
https://www.dollartree.com/search/go?w=table%20cloth PHOTOS AND PRODUCT HERE: DOLLAR TREE
If you want to dress up your table even further, you can use this Christmas mesh. It would make a great table runner but can be used in many other fun decor pieces too, such as a Christmas wreath.
The mesh is available in crimson red, snowy white, and sparkly gold or silver. As a bonus, this product is reusable too so be sure to keep it on hand for your next holiday party!
https://www.dollartree.com/crafters-square-decorative-christmas-mesh-5yd-rolls/279594 PHOTOS AND PRODUCT HERE: DOLLAR TREE
Jingle bell toss is essentially the Christmas version of pong. That said, you can make this kid-friendly game and omit the alcohol. You’ll also want to omit the liquid in the cups altogether as you won’t want the jingle bells to get wet so be sure to either double stack the cups, glue the cups down to a board, or weight the cups down with extra bells.
This game is great for both children and adults alike. Consider having prizes for the winning teams and if you’re having an adult-only holiday party you can turn it into a fun drinking game too!
https://playgroundparkbench.com/ways-to-play-jingle-bell-toss/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=pinterest&utm_campaign=tailwind_tribes&utm_content=tribes&utm_term=493928190_17515128_112425 PHOTOS AND TUTORIAL HERE: PLAYGROUND PARK BENCH
If you don’t have a set of wine glasses yet, you can get a budget-friendly set at the dollar store. This idea transforms dollar store wine glasses into fun personalized glasses for your guests.
Most dollar stores have chalk paint, but if you’re unable to find it, head to your local hobby store. Simply follow the tutorial on how to dip the stems of the glasses to create a personalized touch. Better yet, these glasses can be used for many other parties and dinners to come!
https://www.justshortofcrazy.com/chalkboard-wine-glasses-tutorial/ PHOTOS AND TUTORIAL HERE: JUST SHORT OF CRAZY
Wine glasses from the dollar store can also be used as a decor piece and this DIY project is going to show you how. You will need wine glasses, small plastic trees, plastic figurines, sugar, hot glue and a few other materials all of which can be found at your local dollar store.
You’ll be provided with thorough step-by-step instructions to create the dioramas. Once complete you’ll have a stunning decor piece for your party. The best part is that they double as a candle holder too!
https://www.popsugar.com/smart-living/Wine-Glass-Holiday-Dioramas-32784178 PHOTOS AND TUTORIAL HERE: POP SUGAR
Set the ambiance by stringing lights in your house. Not only is it festive but it’s a great way to add a soft light to your space which will help to make your space cozy!
The dollar store usually sells string lights all year round, but especially during the holidays! These LED battery operated lights would make a great addition to your party. And because you don’t have to plug them in, you can string them anywhere in your house. You could even put them in a vase to make a pretty centerpiece for your table.
https://www.dollartree.com/christmas-house-led-string-lights-10ct-sets/296548 PHOTOS AND PRODUCT HERE: DOLLAR TREE
While you string your tree with lights and hang ornaments think about where else you can place ornaments! The dollar store has many ornaments to choose from including different colors, shapes, and sizes.
Fill a vase full of ornaments for a pretty centerpiece or you can make a wreath out of them. Further, because they’re made of plastic you won’t have to worry about them breaking which means you can save your special ornaments for your tree!
https://www.dollartree.com/christmas-house-jumbo-plastic-ornaments/954547 PHOTOS AND PRODUCT HERE: DOLLAR TREE
Every party needs fun games! This game is not only fast-paced, and fun, but your guests will get prizes too! Head to your local dollar store and pick up a couple of boxes of saran wrap as well as fun little prizes for your guests.
The idea is to wrap as many gifts as you want in saran wrap until it forms a giant ball. While one person unravels layers of saran wrap another player is tossing dice in hopes to get a pair of doubles. You could also make a saran wrap ball for adults and one for children and fill each ball with age-appropriate gifts! Your guests will surely love this game.
https://musthavemom.com/saran-wrap-ball-game-fun-party-game-idea-for-kids-or-adults/ PHOTOS AND PRODUCT HERE: MUST HAVE MOM
These mop gnomes are so adorable. They would make a great decor piece for your holiday party or they could make a great gift if you plan on having a gift exchange.
The mop gnome is made out of supplies from the dollar store such as a mop, foam cone, a knitted sock, and a few other materials. This tutorial provides step-by-step instructions on how to make the gnomes. It’s so easy, even if you aren’t crafty you’ll be able to make these!
https://www.craftymorning.com/how-to-make-mop-gnomes/ PHOTOS AND TUTORIAL HERE: CRAFTY MORNING
If you’re planning on using paper plates for your holiday party a great way to dress them up is to use charger plates. They add a touch of color to your table while still allowing you to use the convenience of paper plates.
The dollar store has many chargers to choose from. Consider using these buffalo plaid plates or one of the other many charger plates the dollar store has to offer.
https://www.dollartree.com/search/go?w=charger%20plates PHOTOS AND PRODUCT HERE: DOLLAR TREE
Every foodie will appreciate these DIY cupcake ornaments. They’re made from supplies you can find at the dollar store such as a styrofoam ball, glitter, and cupcake liners.
This project is easy to make too which means you could even turn it into a fun craft to keep the little ones busy. These cupcakes would make great decor pieces for your holiday party but would also make great party favors too.
https://factorydirectcraft.com/factorydirectcraft_blog/sweeten-celebration-fun-styrofoam-ball-cupcakes/# PHOTOS AND TUTORIAL HERE: FACTORY DIRECT CRAFT
You could use ordinary serving bowls or you can get creative and utilize these fun Christmas buckets! They can be used to serve chips or whatever other types of treats you’d like to serve at your party.
Alternatively, you can also use them as a decor piece. Considering putting a mini faux Christmas tree in the bucket to display as a centerpiece on your table. The options are truly endless!
https://www.dollartree.com/christmas-sentiment-oval-buckets-5375x1325x7125-in/296512 PHOTOS AND PRODUCT HERE: DOLLAR TREE
Utensils are an important part of every party, especially if you plan on serving food. Thankfully, this is yet another item that can be found at the dollar store!
With many colors to choose from, you’ll be able to find a set that fits in perfectly with your color scheme! Plus, using disposable utensils will help alleviate some of the cleanup work after the party!
https://www.dollartree.com/search/go?w=plastic%20utensils PHOTOS AND PRODUCT HERE: DOLLAR TREE
Centerpieces are a great decorative piece that can jazz up any table. But an edible centerpiece would be even better! Allow your guests to nibble on these kiss-mas trees during the party, or make a bunch of mini trees and send them home as party favors. Alternatively, you could even turn this into a fun craft for kids.
This idea combines cone-shaped foam with Hershey Kisses to make a delicious centerpiece. This tutorial is so easy to follow that you could even let your little ones help you make them!
http://kitchenmeetsgirl.com/kiss-mas-tree-centerpieces/ PHOTOS AND TUTORIAL HERE: KITCHEN MEETS GIRL
Welcome your party guests with a pretty wreath on your front door or hang one above your fireplace mantel! Wreaths are a great decorative piece, however, store-bought wreaths are often quite pricey. The perfect solution is to make your own!
This DIY project shows how you can use pool noodles and ornaments from the dollar store to create a wonderful wreath. If you have extra ornaments on hand then you can use those too. Keep in mind, you can cut to pool noodles to create any size wreath you want!
https://www.sweetpickinsfurniture.com/2012/12/christmas-2012-mantle-with-ornament-wreath-tutorial.html PHOTOS AND TUTORIAL HERE: SWEET PICKINS
This fun DIY project transforms a few fish bowls from the dollar store into a fun decor piece for Christmas! Everything you’ll need including the fake snow, snow village pieces, and ribbon can all be found at your local dollar store.
This cute fish bowl snowman will come together quickly and will be a great addition to your party. Your guests will be surprised once they learn you made it yourself!
https://www.smartschoolhouse.com/diy-crafts/fish-bowl-snowman PHOTOS AND TUTORIAL HERE: SMART SCHOOLHOUSE
You can never have too many decorative trees, especially around the holidays. Instead of buying another tree go ahead and try this fun DIY project.
This idea combines a paper mache tree form with plastic spoons from the dollar store. Simply paint the plastic spoons with whatever color you like and then follow the tutorial to assemble the tree! This decor piece will certainly be a great conversation starter.
https://www.oneprojectcloser.com/plastic-spoon-christmas-tree/ PHOTOS AND TUTORIAL HERE: ONE PROJECT CLOSER
Everyone loves hot cocoa, especially during the holidays. So go ahead and make a fun hot cocoa station using these cocoa-filled ornaments. They simply have to grab an ornament and combine the contents with hot water!
These hot cocoa-filled ornaments would also make a great craft for younger kids, can serve as a gift, or as a party favor! The options are endless!
http://www.forkly.com/recipes/hot-cocoa-ornaments/ PHOTO AND HERE: FORKLY
These adorable Santa belt jars come together so quickly and only require a few materials and candy from the dollar store. These would make great gifts but can also serve as a sweet treat that your guests can dig into during the party.
Further, you could even turn this into a fun game for your guests. Have them guess how many candy’s are in the jar, and the guest who guessed the closest gets to go home with the delicious Santa belt jar!
https://www.littlehouseoffour.com/2015/12/dollar-store-santa-belt-jar.html PHOTOS AND TUTORIAL HERE: LITTLE HOUSE OF FOUR
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