Host a Christmas Movie Watch Party (with printables)
Now that cooler weather is here, and Halloween is over, it’s time to think about Christmas! Do you love watching Christmas movies as much as I do? There’s nothing sweeter than gathering a group of friends and family to watch a sweet Christmas movie, eat fun snacks, and make some great holiday memories.
We’ve got all you need here to get started on your Christmas movie watch party planning. From printables to recipes, we’ve got you covered!
Invitations
This invitation is printable and completely customizable. Just download it here, print it out, fill it out, and mail it. Or download it, fill it in on your computer, and email it. Easy peasy!
What to Serve
What are you going to serve at your movie watching party? Hot Cocoa is always a favorite, and a Hot Cocoa Bar lets all of your guests make their own, just to their taste. This recipe for Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate lets you make it ahead of time, and the slow cooker keeps it warm for each guest to serve themselves. Use the printable signs for the Hot Cocoa Bar and the toppings to make sure everyone knows what’s what.
Want to have some fun Christmas cookies and treats at your party? My friend Jess at Inquiring Chef has creative Christmas treat ideas.
Christmas Tree Meringues are fun and festive.
Peanut Butter Cookie Cups are total crowd pleasers.
Chocolate Mint Pinwheel Cookies are great because they’re slice and bake, so can be made ahead – just slice off and bake a couple at a time, or the whole batch for Christmas movie-watching.
Another good idea is a Popcorn Bar. Just pop a large bucket of popcorn ahead of time, and set out toppings for your guests to mix their own custom popcorn flavors. These printable Popcorn Bar and toppings signs will help everyone know the cayenne pepper from the brown sugar!
Activities to Keep Everyone Busy
What are your guests going to do before and after the movie? I’ve included some fun photo props that you can print, cut out, and add a stick to for some instant Instagram-worthy photos. I’ve used wooden skewers here, with the pointy bit cut off, but you can use anything you’d like for the sticks for these props. Craft sticks, dowels, and even straws would work.
Before your guests arrive, print out these Christmas Movie Bingo cards, making sure you have a card for each guest at your party. During the movie, play Christmas Movie Bingo. I used Sweet Tart candies for the markers for my boards, but you can use anything you’d like. How cute would M&M’s be for these?
The Hallmark Channel has tons of new Christmas movies this holiday season. For the complete schedule of new movies, download this handy list.
The Christmas Club
As most of you know, my book The Christmas Club will be a Hallmark Christmas movie this holiday season. It will premiere on Wednesday, November 27th, and replay several times during November and December. For showtimes and to find out more about the movie, visit Hallmark Channel’s The Christmas Club page.
I loved being on set during filming in July, and the outrageously talented and hardworking cast and crew were beyond kind to my husband, Brian, and me. They even gave us parts in the background (thank you Jon and Sydney!). Look for us in the oh-so-charming bakery and café, Baked Expectations. Cameron Mathison, Elizabeth Mitchell, and Gabrielle Rose were perfect in the lead roles. The other cast and background actors were terrific. Everyone had that feeling you get when you know that you’re part of something special.
Want to read the book before the movie comes out? The Christmas Club is available on Amazon in both paperback and Kindle versions. I think you’ll love it!
“From Barbara Hinske, best-selling author of the Rosemont series, comes this heartwarming Christmas tale celebrating the generosity of the human spirit and the irresistible pull of love — an instant holiday classic for admirers of It’s a Wonderful Life and The Gift of the Magi.”
Hallmark isn’t the only channel with Christmas movies! The director for The Christmas Club, Jeff Beesley, has a movie showing on Lifetime called Radio Christmas. With Jeff directing, it’s bound to be fantastic! Jeff also directed Holiday Date which airs on Hallmark on December 14. Put that one on your “must watch” list!
