Christmas Party Invitation Wording and Email Templates (25+ Ideas)

Good Christmas party invitation wording does three jobs: it sets the mood, it gives every detail a guest needs, and it asks for a reply by a clear date. Below you will find 25 examples you can copy for office parties, family dinners, friends and quick text invites, plus a timeline for when to send each message.

December fills up fast. Most people get two or three party invitations for the same weekend, so the wording matters less than the timing. Get both right and your party is the one on their calendar.

When to send Christmas party invitations

For most parties, send the invitation 3 to 4 weeks before the date. For office parties, big family gatherings and anything on a Friday or Saturday in mid December, send a save the date first.

If your party is on Saturday 12 December 2026, that means a save the date by mid October for a company event and the invitation by the third week of November.

What to include in a Christmas party invitation

Guests will message you if any of these are missing, so put them in the first version:

1. Host and occasion: who is throwing it and what kind of party it is.
2. Date and start time, plus an end time for office parties.
3. Venue with a map link, and parking or transport notes.
4. Dress code: festive, cocktail, or ugly sweater. Say it plainly.
5. Food and drink: a full dinner, nibbles, or potluck. This decides whether people eat first.
6. Plus-ones and kids: say yes or no. Silence makes people guess.
7. Gift exchange rules: Secret Santa, a price limit, or no gifts please.
8. RSVP deadline and how to reply, and a question about dietary needs if you are serving a meal.

Office Christmas party invitation wording

Keep work invitations warm but inclusive. Many teams say "holiday party" so everyone feels welcome.

1. "You are invited to the [Company] Holiday Party. Join us on Friday 18 December from 6pm at [Venue] as we celebrate a great year together. Please RSVP by 8 December."
2. "Thank you for everything you did this year. Let us say it properly: dinner, drinks and music at [Venue], Friday 18 December, 7pm."
3. "Our annual holiday celebration is back. Partners are welcome. Let us know by 8 December so we can set the right number of seats."
4. "Festive attire encouraged, ugly sweaters celebrated. The [Team] Christmas party is on Thursday 17 December at 5:30pm in the office lounge."
5. "Please join the leadership team for an evening of holiday cheer and appreciation. Dinner is served at 7:30pm. Tell us about any dietary needs when you reply."
6. "Secret Santa is on! Bring a wrapped gift under [amount] to our holiday party on 18 December and leave with a surprise."

Christmas party invitation email to employees and staff

A Christmas party invitation email to employees needs four things in the first lines: the date, the time, the place and the RSVP deadline. Most office parties are announced this way, so a clear subject line gets it opened and the details up front get it answered.

Subject lines for a Christmas party email to staff

Put the date in the subject line. People search their inbox for it in December.

Office Christmas party email template

Hi team,

To thank you for a brilliant year, we would love you to join us for our holiday party.

When: Friday 18 December, 6pm to 10pm Where: [Venue and address] What: Dinner, drinks, music and Secret Santa (gifts under [amount]) Plus ones: Partners are welcome

Please reply by 8 December and tell us about any dietary needs. Everything is covered by the company.

See you there, [Name]

Christmas lunch or dinner invitation email

Hi everyone,

Our team Christmas lunch is on Wednesday 16 December at 12:30pm at [Restaurant]. The company is covering food and soft drinks.

Please reply by 4 December with your menu choice and any dietary needs.

Thanks, [Name]

For an evening dinner, add the dress code, whether partners are invited and how people get home (a taxi budget or the last train time).

Short company-wide Christmas party announcement

Use this for a quick note in the staff newsletter, Slack or Teams, with the full invitation linked underneath:

Save the date: our holiday party is on Friday 18 December from 6pm at [Venue]. Invitations with the RSVP link are in your inbox. Please reply by 8 December.

Christmas RSVP reminder email

Send it one week before the party to anyone who has not answered. Keep it short and give them one link:

Hi [Name],

A quick reminder that our holiday party is next Friday, 18 December. We are confirming numbers with the venue on Tuesday. Could you reply by then? It takes ten seconds: [RSVP link]

Thanks, [Name]

How to ask for an RSVP for a Christmas party

Give one deadline and one way to reply. "Please RSVP by 8 December" with a single link works better than asking people to reply to the email, message a colleague or fill a spreadsheet. Ask for menu choices and dietary needs in the same reply, so you do not need a second round. A digital invitation collects every answer in one guest list, shows who has not opened it, and lets you send the reminder above to those people only.

Send the invitation three to four weeks ahead, put the RSVP date in bold, keep the wording inclusive, mention whether partners are invited, and say clearly if anything is not covered.

For a large company event, a digital invitation with a corporate template and QR code check in at the door saves a long queue at the entrance.

Family Christmas party and dinner wording

7. "Christmas dinner is at ours this year! Join us on 25 December at 2pm. Bring your appetite; we have the turkey covered."
8. "The whole family under one roof for Christmas. Join us at [Address] on 24 December from 5pm. Kids very welcome."
9. "Grandma's famous trifle is back. Christmas lunch at [Address], 25 December, 1pm. Please reply by 10 December so we know how many chairs to borrow."
10. "It has been too long since we were all together. Come for Christmas Eve drinks and dinner on 24 December, 6pm."
11. "Potluck Christmas! We bring the main, you bring a side or dessert. Reply with what you are bringing by 15 December."

Christmas party invitation wording for friends

12. "Eat, drink and be merry at our Christmas party! Saturday 12 December, 8pm, [Address]."
13. "Deck the halls and bring your best ugly sweater. Prize for the worst one."
14. "Friendsmas is happening. Food, games and far too much mulled wine. Saturday 19 December from 7pm."
15. "Cookie exchange and cocoa night! Bring a dozen cookies and leave with a mix. Sunday 13 December, 3pm."
16. "All I want for Christmas is you... at my party. 12 December, 8pm. RSVP by 5 December."
17. "White Elephant gift swap: bring something funny under [amount]. The weirder, the better."
18. "Twas the night before the night before Christmas... join us for drinks on 23 December."

Christmas party save the date wording

A save the date only needs the occasion, the date, the town and a promise that details will follow.

19. "Save the date! The [Company] Holiday Party is on Friday 18 December. Invitation to follow."
20. "Pencil us in: Christmas at the [Family name]s, 24 December. Details coming in November."
21. "Hold the date for our Christmas party, Saturday 12 December. You will want to be there."
22. "Before December fills up: keep 18 December free for our end of year celebration."

Short text and WhatsApp invites

23. "Christmas party at mine on the 12th, 8pm! Can you make it? Reply by Saturday."
24. "Office Xmas drinks Thursday 17th from 5:30. Let me know if you are in so I can book the table."
25. "Festive dinner at ours on the 20th, 7pm. Dress cosy. Yes or no by the 14th?"

A text works for a small group. For more than 15 or 20 guests, replies get lost in the chat, which is why a link that collects answers in one place is easier.

Sending your holiday party invitation

Paper looks lovely but arrives slowly in December, when the post is at its busiest. A digital holiday party invitation lands the same day, you can send it by WhatsApp, email or a link, and changes are easy if the venue moves.

With einvitation you pick a design from the party templates, paste in your wording, and send it to your whole list. Replies and plus-ones arrive in one guest list, and you can send a reminder to anyone who has not answered. Our guide to managing RSVPs online covers the replies side in more detail.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Sending in December. By then most weekends are taken.
• No RSVP date. "Let me know" gets you answers on the day.
• Vague plus-one rules. Decide before you send, not when someone asks.
• Forgetting the end time for work parties. People plan travel and childcare around it.
• Skipping the reminder. A friendly nudge 2 days before brings up attendance more than anything else.

Send your Christmas party invitations this week

Pick your timing from the table, copy the wording that fits your crowd, and fill in the eight details above. Then choose a Christmas party invitation template and send it before everyone's December calendar fills up.

Frequently asked questions

How far in advance should you send Christmas party invitations?

Send most Christmas party invitations 3 to 4 weeks ahead. For an office party or a big family gathering, send a save the date 6 to 8 weeks ahead and the full invitation about 4 weeks before. Casual parties with friends can go out 2 to 3 weeks before.

What do you write on a Christmas party invitation?

Include the host, the date and time, the venue, the dress code, what food and drink to expect, whether plus-ones and kids are welcome, any gift exchange rules, and an RSVP deadline. Add one warm opening line that sets the tone, festive for friends and appreciative for work.

Should a work party invitation say Christmas or holiday?

Many companies use "holiday party" or "end of year celebration" so every employee feels included. If your team celebrates Christmas together and everyone is comfortable with it, "Christmas party" is fine. Keep the wording consistent across the save the date and the invitation.

Do you need a save the date for a Christmas party?

Not for a small party with friends. A save the date helps for office parties, large family gatherings and anything on a popular December weekend, because guests book those dates early. Send it 6 to 8 weeks ahead and follow with the full invitation.

Is it OK to send a Christmas party invitation by text or WhatsApp?

Yes, for casual parties it is completely normal. Keep it short with the date, time, place and a reply date. For larger groups use a link that collects replies in one place so answers do not get lost in a group chat.

How do you write a Christmas party invitation email to employees?

Open with the date, time and place, then the RSVP deadline in bold and one link to reply. Add the dress code, whether partners are invited and what the company covers. Put the date in the subject line and send a short reminder one week before to anyone who has not answered.

What should the subject line of a Christmas party email say?

Say what it is and when: for example "You're invited: Holiday Party, Friday 18 December". The date in the subject line makes the email easy to find again, and it gets opened more than a vague "Exciting news".