11 Last Minute Holiday Celebration Ideas For Your Residential Community

How to Create Community and Camaraderie for Your Residents

Keep reading! It’s not too late to organise a special event for your residents. Whether it’s a cookie exchange, a secret santa, or a New Year’s Eve cocktail party, now’s the time to kick party planning into high gear.

Did Someone Say Party? Ingenious & Innovative Ideas for Your Build-to-Rent Community

Parties can take many forms at this time of year. Here are a few ways to bring your ideas to life:

1. Ornament Exchange

An extra benefit of this event is that the residents do much of the heavy lifting, and everyone leaves with a gift. Adding to the fun is the “white elephant” game, whereby any gift/ornament can be stolen twice, showcasing a broad range of hidden “treasures” and generating laughter. Naming Ideas:

• Merry-Go-Round Christmas Exchange
• Rockin’ the Ornaments

2. Cookie Exchange

You don’t have to be a cookie monster to love this idea. The rules are simple: bring along 2 dozen of your favourite cookies and you pick and choose cookies from your neighbours’ plates until you complete your new set of a dozen cookies to take home. Of course, the extra dozen is for cookie tasting. Bonus: award a prize to the best-tasting cookie. Naming Ideas:

• The Cookie Express
• The Cookie Sleigh Exchange

3. Ugly Sweater Contest

Establish simple rules so everyone wears the ugliest, tackiest sweater. Then, let the residents vote. Naming Ideas:

• Kitschmas Sweater Spectacle
• Tacky Threads Throwdown

4. Cocktail Party

Request every resident bring their fave holiday spirit. This is the perfect time to request champagne, elderflower liqueur, or framboise. Post a holiday menu of special drinks, including Santa Clausmopolitans, Mistletoe Martina, the Hugo, Poinsettia, Jack Frost, or mimosas. Naming Ideas:

• It’s a Christmas Bash! A Cocktail Smash!
• Ode to Christmas Spirits
• Southern Comfort and Joy
• Christmas Cheer & Holiday Beer

5. Craft Fair

This idea works to uncover your residents’ hidden talents. From woodworking to quilting to glassblowing to photography, it’s a great way to build connections within the community. Further, agree on a percentage of proceeds to benefit a local charity.

6. Potluck Dinner

Whether you grew up with the terminology “hot dish” or not, the goal is to bring a food item to share with your fellow residents. Naming Ideas:

• Deck the Crockpots
• Prancer’s Potluck Party

7. New Year’s Eve Celebration

Many of your residents may opt to stay in and avoid driving on New Year’s Eve, but that doesn’t mean they have to miss out on a party. Host one in your clubhouse, game room, or even workout/cycle room. Pick a theme: Elegant, Rockin’ 50s, Hollywood Glamour, or jeans. It’s easier to cater for this affair and let your coffers determine how much to pass on to residents. Naming Ideas:

• In One Year and Out the Other
• Hello 2024
• Resolutions & Reunions
• Jingle Bell Ball

8. Bingo Nite

A game like bingo brings together fun, laughter, and your residents. Make it a casual weekday event and source prizes from local businesses looking to reach your resident demographic. Naming Ideas:

• Snowman Bingo
• Christmas Movie Bingo
• Hallmark Movie Bingo

9. Toys for Tots

Suggest a local charity to support that is distributing gifts to children this holiday season. Ask residents to bring a small, unwrapped gift to donate. Make the event even more fun and communal by asking residents to bring a story, photo, or even their cherished childhood toy.

10. Gift Wrapping Party

This event solves a pressing problem for residents: when, where, and how to wrap their gifts outside of prying eyes. Set up a table with wrapping paper, ribbons, tape, and gift cards. Offer a hot beverage station (hot cider, mulled wine, coffee, and tea), and you’re all set! Or reach out to your local Girl Scout or Boy Scout troop to see if they would like to turn your event into a fundraising event by asking for donations for each package wrapped. Naming Ideas:

• It’s a Wrap
• Wrap Up the Holidays

11. Movie Night

Pick a holiday movie or two and encourage residents to cosy up with a tub of popcorn with friends and family. You determine if Die Hard, Elf, Love Actually, or It’s a Wonderful Life make the list. Feel free to leverage your social media account or community forum to allow residents to vote, too. Naming Ideas:

• Winter Movieland
• [Your Community name] Movie Night

The Benefits of a Community Party

Get-togethers bring joy, build camaraderie, and create community. Not so obvious, however, are the long-tail effects – including positive social media posts, resident satisfaction, and even inquiries from prospects. Events also work well to showcase your employees, reward high performers, or introduce new staff.

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Don’t forget to deliver invitations (printed on your office machine) via your Parcel Pending by Quadient smart lockers. You can always add to the festivities by tethering the invitation to a candy cane, speciality chocolate, or candle.

Ready to kick off the new year with a smart locker system that keeps your residents’ packages safe and secure? Please speak with one of our sales representatives today!