Christmas is a time to celebrate if ever there was one wiith everything from warm country snugs to sparkling city lights offering an endless supply of Christmas delight. If you are celebrating your hen party over the festive season, here is a wonderful list of 10 winter activities you can do to spoil your your bride-to-be and have a lot of fun at the same time. We're talking mulled wine, Christmas PJs, ice skating, and sequins - what's not to love? Now sit back, and enjoy the merry-making. And last but not least, Alexa, play Mariah Carey!
Christmas Hen Party Ideas
Christmas Markets
There's no better way to start start building the Christmas hen party vibes than by visiting a Christmas market. Soak up the holiday cheer with a hot chocolate or mulled wine, and you won't even have to pay a dime because the majority are free to explore. Put Galway City, Waterford's Winterval Festival and Yulefest Kilkenny on your list. If you fancy going abraod, some of Europe's most well-known most magical cities - Vienna, Munich, and Prague - have wonderful Christmas markets.
Pantomime
The panto is always great fun and is an activity suitable for everyone - even grown up kids. Start your night with a pre-pantomime meal and bubbles to get the giggles going before the show. There are also adult pantos on around the country with Cork's Adult Panto by Chattyboo Productions is one of the originals.
Stay in a Cosy Cabin
A weekend getaway in a hidden cabin with a blazing fire in front says cosy season has arrived. This is undoubtedly a more laid-back and informal choice for a Christmas hen party, so think hen party games, indulge in cheeseboards, sip mulled wine by the fire, and slip right into matching comfy Christmas PJs to watch a Christmas or wedding-themed movie. Bliss! We have a post with 13 unique Airbnb's here for just that.
Ice Skating
We simply can't think of a funnier Christmas Hen Party activity than a bunch of hens skating in loops in heaps of laughter! Make sure you check with each one before booking this activity in case it may not suit everyone physically. Invest in some matching Christmas hats and have everyone wear them to keep everyone together!
Wreath Making Workshop
Embrace your inner flower lover with this original DIY idea. As a bonus, everybody gets to take home a beautiful, festive winter wreath as a memento of the hen party. Gather the items you need yourself by ordering a DIY wreath-making kit like these from The Flowersmith Studio which also come with video tutorials, or look for a pop-up workshop near you such as Flowerpop.
Festive Cocktail-Making Class
Sip, sip, hooray! Learn how to make mouthwatering festive beverages from the pros, just in time for Christmas. Check out The Vintage Cocktail Club, or 37 Dawson Street. Follow this activity with a night out, like a gig or an event like Bingo Loco, or a meal.
Festive Afternoon Tea
Who doesn't enjoy tea, cake and teeny, tiny sandwiches? And sure, we'll have a glass of bubbles too while we're at it. Afternoon tea is the ideal hen party crowd-pleaser and we have a huge list right here of the best spots in Ireland for an afternoon tea hen party many of which offer festive Christmas menus.
'Ugly Sweaters' Party
Imagine something showy, bright, battery-operated, and wrapped in tinsel. Yes, it's the ugly jumper you're wearing for the entire hen party - very Bridget Jones. Asking everyone to come dressed in the ugliest Christmas sweater they can find is not only hilarious but very snug on a cold winter's evening. Your gang will love this one and it will make for one epic photo!
Secret Santa
As one of your Christmas hen party activities, ask every attendee to give a small present (funny or sentimental) to the bride. The task is for the bride to guess who it's from. Use a Santa sack to give this game a holiday twist. Alternatively you can give everyone a name so that everyone gets a present too. It could be a good ice breaker for those who don't know each other.
12 Hens (Pubs) of Christmas
We have all heard of the 12 Pubs of Christmas right? The festive pub crawl where everyone enjoys a drink at each stop along the way (and they don't all have to be alcoholic drinks - we totally support you swapping your beverage for a packet of peanuts!). Now, let's infuse some Christmas hen party fun into the mix. Simply make up a fun rule for each pub, such as no names, no pointing, funny accents only or that you have to sing your words. This is guaranteed to have your group in fits of laughter from beginning to end!
The step is to plan the games! Check out these 14 Totally Free Hen Party Printables right here and follow us on Instagram for more ideas.
