I love Christmas theme parties. It’s a chance for me to wear stockings and not feel awkward, a chance for me to give ridiculously cool gifts that make me even more excited to give than receive, and a chance for me to catch up with my high school buddies. There’s so many types of Christmas parties that its impossible for me to not contain my excitement come December 1^st (and sometimes even longgg after the party has ended!).

Looking to get into the holiday spirit? Here a few of my favorite ways (and you can even plan ‘em on the fly!):

The White Elephant gift exchange is one that is always interesting.  Some people end up with some pretty awesome, useful gifts and others…well not so much.  At a White Elephant gift exchange, each party-goer brings a gift, usually a gag gift or something that will put a smile on everyone’s face.  Then once you pick your gift, you have a choice to keep it or trade it for something you really want. But watch out and keep your gift guarded because that $15 iTunes giftcard you snagged may turn into someone’s grandma’s antique porcelain statue. Ew.

Christmas Cookie Exchanges are Christmas parties you don’t want to miss out on.  With chocolate chip, peanut butter cup, and sugar cookies galore, be prepared to leave with a full stomach and a sugar high.  So here’s the deal, each person brings one dozen cookies (and a couple to sample,) then the exchange begins! You can swap cookies, mix and match with your friends, or grab one of each. Just be sure to leave with how many cookies you came with…but if it were me I would most likely leave empty handed. What? I like cookies!

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Do you have a large group of friends you want to buy gifts for this holiday season, but lack the cash to get a great gift for each of them? (Editor’s Note: Story of my life, people. It’s hard being this popular!) Secret Santa gift exchanges are a fun solution!

If you’re not familiar with Secret Santa (also called Pollyanna or Kris Kringle), it’s a type of gift exchange where everyone in a group draws the name of someone else to purchase a gift for, instead of each person having to buy multiple gifts.

Elfster makes planning a Secret Santa exchange so much easier! To use Elfster to plan your Secret Santa, get started by registering for the site.  Once you do that,  create your gift exchange by filling out the name and description of the exchange, setting a spending limit (optional), and setting dates for signing up and exchanging gifts.  Then, use the site to send your friends an invitation e-mail to sign up and join your Secret Santa! Read More »

Every year I find myself entering December with the same longing in the pit of my stomach. I see couples holding hands and sharing hot chocolate. All the stores are decked out in twinkling lights and ornaments. Every car that passes has a Christmas tree strapped to the top. And while I want to be home with friends and family, drinking fun holiday drinks and decorating the Christmas tree, I’m stuck in my 4 by 4 cell studying crap I could really care less about.

And with my luck, I always end up with a final on the very last possible day, which has me rushing home on the 23rd and trying to cram all of my holiday activities into 48 hours.

It just isn’t right.

But just because I’m holed up in my dorm studying during the most wonderful time of the year, it doesn’t mean that I (or anyone suffering like me) can’t enjoy a little holiday cheer. Since most of us won’t be seeing much of the world outside of the library over the next few weeks, here are some ways to bring the holidays to us:

Decorate.
Yes you live in a tiny box and chances are your school has 8 million rules about what you can’t bring in to the dorms. But there are still ways to deck out your room for the holidays. The best $15 I have ever spent was on a mini Christmas tree from WalMart. You can also get them at Target and Borders. They come in a variety of colors (of course I bought it in hot pink) and come with the most adorable mini ornaments and tinsel to decorate. If a tree isn’t a thing, why not relive your glory (read: kindergarten) days and make a snowflake chain? It’s super cute and festive, and a fun way to take a break from the studying and recharge that noggin. Read More »

We may have outgrown classroom “Secret Santa” parties and Snow Balls chaperoned by parents who enforce the “no-grinding” policies set forth by the high school gym teacher. But college offers a whole new world of holiday parties.

If you had fun on Halloween, just wait and see what the Festivous season has in store. Here are some ideas so you can throw your own rager for Christmahannukwanzakuh… or whatever you celebrate.

Tacky Christmas Party

Now’s the time to dig out the sweater you got last year from Aunt Millie – the one with real pom poms sewn on to represent snowflakes, with bedazzled reindeer flying across the front. If you don’t have your own tacky Christmas sweater, rummage through your mom’s closet or hit up the Salvation Army. These parties have been gaining quite the reputation over the last few years, with party goers trying to out-ugly each other. Decorate with lawn ornaments from the Clearance rack at K-Mart, and serve Malt Liqour to your guests. Who doesn’t love a white trash Christmas?

Hannukah Song Party

Who says you have to put your Halloween costume in the closet on November 1? Give your best celebrity costume another go by throwing a party where everyone goes as their favorite character from Adam Sandler’s “Hannukah Song.” Once everyone gets nicely buzzed, the phrase “OJ Simpson- not a Jew!” will echo through the halls, and “Put us together- what a fine lookin’ Jew” will be the pickup line of the night. Read More »

Secret santas and fruit cake — two simple holidays staples I consider pretty innocent and wholesome. But in last night’s episode of Nip/Tuck, they were anything but. Santa’s secrecy reached a new level and that cake had some serious scandal baked inside.

Let’s begin with the love triangle.

Julia, Christian and Sean were seemingly adorable with their litte secret santa tradition. But beyond who’s buying what for who (like it’s hard to figure out with 3 people), Julia and Christian were secretly falling in love, leaving poor, mid-life crisis Sean out in the cold.

I couldn’t believe it took him so long to figure things out. But I guess it was quite appropriate for him to realize the truth once they revealed their gifts to each other. Merry Christmas Sean. Although it seemed like he was willing to accept the circumstances, I doubt Sean will give Christian his blessing.

Side note: Was this episode all about Julia or what? Not only were two guys practically fighting over her, but Eden was out to get her with her homemade fruit cake.

Honestly, what in God’s name was this about? Read More »