How to Throw a Chrismukkah Party

What do you get when you combine Hanukkah with Christmas? Chrismukkah! We share our best tips for throwing an unforgettable holiday party that will help your friends and family celebrate both holidays together.

By: Erica Reitman

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Salty + Sweet Cheese Board

Mixing holidays, mixing cheese boards - yep, we love it all! Embrace the Christmas and Hanukkah idea by creating a mixed cheese board with salty and sweet snacks. Place small treats like chocolate-covered pretzels, raspberries or blueberries, Swedish fish and chocolate-covered nuts in small bowls on top of the cheese board.

Chrismukkah Decorations

Your guests will love this fun take on a holiday banner. Instead of "Happy Holidays" switch it up to "Happy Challah Days" to cheekily honor all of those celebrating Hanukkah. Combine typical Chrismas decorations with Hannukah decor to create a display that represents both holidays.

A Hanukkah Tree

Tie wooden dreidels to faux branches using fishing wire to create a Hanukkah tree.

Pull-Apart Christmas Tree

Make pull-apart Christmas tree bread by rolling refrigerated crescent dough into small balls. Next, shape the balls into a Christmas tree shape, and brush with melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Bake according to package instructions. Garnish with rosemary, and serve with marinara sauce for dipping.

Light the Menorah

Let everyone join in on the Hanukkah fun by lighting the menorah as a group. Print out a phoenetic version of the Hanukkah prayer for any guests who don't know it, and have everyone can sing together. Learn more about menorahs and the story of Hanukkah here.

Slow Cooker Apple Cider

Make a big pot of boozy apple cider for your guests in the slow cooker, so everyone can help themselves throughout the evening. Add cranberries, orange slices and cinnamon sticks for color. Try our hot hard apple cider recipe.

Sandwich Cookie Hanukkah Gelt

An original Hanukkah tradition was to give children Hanukkah gelt or gold chocolate coins. Make your own Hanukkah gelt by spraying thin chocolate sandwich cookies with food-coloring spray. Serve them at the party, or put them in a pretty bag and pass them out to kids (or adults) as party favors.

Get Creative On Your Dinner Table

Bring your Chrismukkah decorations to the dinner table. Use small Christmas trees or greenery as a centerpiece, and use little wooden dreidels and ribbons to wrap each dinner napkin.

Winter White Snack Mix

Continue the sweet-and-salty theme of your cheese board with this pretty winter white snack mix. Use a base of white cheddar popcorn, and add yogurt raisins, yogurt-covered pretzels, white chocolate chips and mini pieces of white chocolate wafer cookies. Mix everything together in a festive bowl, and serve in small cups for easy snacking.

Doughnuts for Everyone

Sufganiyots or jelly-filled doughnuts are a delicious holiday tradition. Add Christmas flair with bright red raspberries and powdered sugar. Use a napkin holder to serve, and stack the jelly-filled sufganiyots in the middle.

Candy Cane Cocktails

An easy way to turn any cocktail into a festive signature cocktail is to simply add a candy cane. We added candy canes to delicious Chrismukkah grapefruit cocktails, and poured them into sparkly, festive glasses.

Hot Cocoa Bar

A hot cocoa bar is a great addition to any holiday party. We called our cocoa the "Chrismukkah brew" to keep with the theme. Set up a station where guests can grab marshmallows, candy canes or little chocolate chips. Serve the cocoa with biscuits or other cookies.

Dreidel Games for the Kids

Dreidels are one of the most important symbols of Hanukkah. They are four-sided tops with a different Hebrew letter on each side. The four letters form the acronym nes gadol hayah sham, or "A great miracle happened there." This references the story of Hanukkah in which the oil for the lamp in the ancient synagogue lasted eight nights instead of one. Leave dreidels out for the kids to help celebrate. Choose red and green ones as a nod to both Hanukkah and Christmas.

Gift Wrap Station

On your party invite, encourage guests to bring any gifts they want to wrap. Then, set up a gift wrap station stocked with wrapping paper, ribbon, tape, scissors and bows.

Caramels To-Go

Set up a table by the front door with wrapped caramels and paper satchels. Guests can make their own to-go bags before they head home.