From Eggnog to Roulette: A Casino-Themed Christmas Party

It’s the time of the year when we need to spruce up our homes with holiday cheer and decorations. However, it might become boring doing the same thing year after year, and when you host a Christmas party, you want to be unique. 

That’s why we explore an exciting theme for this year’s celebration. Join us as we look at how you can throw the perfect casino-themed Christmas party without losing the holiday cheer.

Set the Casino Atmosphere

The first step is to set the scene of your party. The atmosphere is the first impression your guests will get of the space, and it’s time to prepare your resting Grinch face as you welcome them. Decide on the type of casino experience you want to mimic. Do you want the glitz and glamour of modern casinos? Or the elegance of a retro party?

1. Use low lighting to set the mood but with various elegant lights and maybe neon glow party decorations

2. Decorate one of the tables as a casino table, like a blackjack or poker table

3. Use festive decorations interspersed with card decoration, the Las Vegas sign, and a red carpet

4. Place props like card decks, dice, and other ornaments to create a casino atmosphere

5. Set the dress code as formal or semi-formal to ensure it feels like a casino visit

Cocktail Food and Drink Like at Casinos

Food and drink are a significant part of any party, and it’s also part of the casino culture. If you’re looking for some options for your casino party’s drinks and food items, then have a look at the following options.

• Fancy mocktails in martini, margarita, and hurricane glasses

• Eggnog in martini glasses or glass teacups

• Grape juice and water in wine glasses

• Finger foods like shrimp poppers, crab cakes, and smoked salmon blinis on platters as starters

• Buffet-style table with scrumptious steak bites, cold meat and crackers with dips, vegetable and fruit sticks, mince pies, and gourmet burgers and pizza

• Dessert table with casino-inspired desserts, like roulette cake, gold coin chocolates, card and chips cookies, and a slot machine dispensing candy

Handpick Your Library of Games

There are various casino games available that you can easily transform into entertainment for your party. If you’re wondering what’s the easiest one, then your answer is poker, as you just need a deck of cards and a round table. 

However, you can also play other table games, such as blackjack or baccarat, or transform slots into entertainment, as noted below.

Casino Games: How to DIY

Of course, you can buy various casino games like a shot glass roulette wheel, but you can also design and create your own version of these games. Below, we look at a few DIY projects you might consider for your party:

1. Bake small cookies and decorate them as casino chips, or use cardboard cutouts

2. You can create a simple “roulette” wheel with a round piece of wood and divide it into 37 sections

   ❄ Paint the slots numbered one to 36 in alternating black and red colours, with the zero slot green

3. Buy a few decks of cards, and cover your round poker table in a green tablecloth or velvet

4. Poker tables generally have wooden “rails” that are all along the edge of the table

   ❄ Add LED lights around the inside edge of the table’s rails

   ❄ You can also add a white rectangular outline in the middle of the table, though it’s not required

5. Use cardboard or large papers to create the table bet layouts for blackjack, baccarat, and roulette

6. Use your laptop to display slot games’ demo mode, or purchase slot software to create your own game

Lowering the Disco Ball to Good Music

No casino experience is complete without music. If you really want to stand out, consider hiring a band or person for live music, which will complement the holiday cheer. While you can indulge in some traditional Christmas jingles, be sure to transition into slower music as the night progresses. 

This change will set the mood and create an intimate atmosphere. Remember to match your music with your casino theme, such as 80s music for a retro theme or classical pieces for a 007 James Bond theme.

Create Casino Christmas Promotions

Possibly receiving rewards is one of the reasons so many people visit casinos, though it shouldn’t be the focus of it. Jump on the trend and keep it fun with a few casino-themed prize giveaways. 

At the start of the night, as your guests arrive, you can collect tickets for a raffle you host. You can add it to a large glass bowl to heighten the excitement, or go fancy and use a lucky ball machine to pick a ticket.

You can also prepare a variety of small prizes for winners of your table games, slot-themed games, and more since you’re not always playing with real money. These prizes can be handed out as the night progresses or in a prize-giving ceremony at the end. 

Just make sure you keep track of who won what if you do it at the end of the night! Prizes create a memorable experience and heighten the excitement for all your guests.

DIY Casino-Style Tournament Prizes

Find some ideas for casino tournament prizes:

• Handmade money or “I owe you a favour” vouchers

• Gift baskets with chocolate and other seasonal delights

• Lucky packs with cards or other games

• Eggnog, or other seasonal drinks

• Plaque title cards for the Best Player, Highest Winner, and Most Games Played

• Add casino-themed items to all prizes, like poker chips or cookies shaped like chips or cards

Plan the Party and Always Gamble Responsibly!

When you plan your party, it’s important to consider how many guests will come and how you’ll set up your house to make it easy to navigate. Before you start DIYing and buying decorations, decide your budget and stick to it. 

As with any casino, you should also promote responsible gambling practices. So, ensure to set up responsible gambling signs, maybe use play money, and never encourage gambling with money you can’t afford to lose.