If you’re looking for Christmas party ideas or maybe something for a ‘Very Merry Unbirthday,’ celebrate in style with an Alice in Wonderland themed festive party. You and all your guests will be grinning like Cheshire cats as you all journey down the mysterious rabbit hole into a land brimming with mischief, magic and mayhem! You never know who you might meet.
If you had a world of your own, would everything be nonsense? Well, at an Alice in Wonderland themed party, that’s exactly what you’ll find! It’s no surprise that this is a really popular theme for parties at any time of year, but it feels especially magical at Christmas. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland have influenced many a party and with so loads of fantastic theming ideas out there, from classy to wacky and everything in between, it’s not hard to see why.
With so many different twists to take on the much-loved classic, your Alice in Wonderland party can be whatever you make it. The Mad Hatters Tea Party is a popular variation for a corporate Christmas party. Join the Mad Hatter, the March Hare and the Dormouse for a riot of a sit-down meal with cake, laughter and, of course, lots of tea. Alternatively, how about spending the evening getting to know the tyrannical and deranged ruler of Wonderland by theming your event around the Queen of Hearts’ garden, populated by flamingos, of course!
Any venue can work for this fun theme. There’s even an Alice in Wonderland themed cottage in Brighton if you’d to cut out a bit of the decorating work. Looking Glass Cottage is a boutique home where up to eight people can stay that’s packed with references to the books and films including playing cards, keyholes, lots of looking glasses and more.
But don’t worry if your venue isn’t ready made. The key to pulling off a successful Alice in Wonderland party is committing to the theme, being colourful, theatrical and extravagant. All you need to do is decorate your venue with loads of larger than life, Alice-inspired props and décor and encourage your guests to wear fancy dress to fully embrace the theme.
There’s so much choice when it comes to what to wear for an Alice in Wonderland party. To get the best photos, we highly recommend coming in fancy dress as your favourite character whether that’s in the style of the original Lewis Carroll book, the 1951 Disney animated classic or Tim Burton’s more recent and very surreal films. Think Alice in a blue party dress and headband or the Red Queen in a heart printed dress, red wig and tiara. Alternatively, you can keep things a little bit simpler by just wearing a wacky hat. The bigger the better, we reckon! You could even have a bash at making one yourself if you’re feeling creative.
Take inspiration from the famous story and have ‘Drink Me’ welcome drinks. Then why not have a sit-down Mad Hatters tea party with a two-course meal to really treat everyone? Don’t forget to include lots of tea! Alternatively, a buffet with tempting finger food would also work well. Think feather-light sandwiches and dainty sweet treats. If you’re wondering what to include for dessert, we think your guest would love cake pops and cookies that look just like love hearts or playing cards or cupcakes adorned with the words ‘Eat Me.’ Just don’t be surprised if people start dramatically growing or shrinking in size!
Theming a Wonderland Christmas party isn’t just about the props and décor. Transport your guests to a fairy-tale land by including live entertainment for an experience no one will forget in a hurry. How about a White Rabbit or Playing Card characters to greet your guests? What better introduction to this theme? Create an immersive and magical fairyland with roaming characters like Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee or even magicians and dancers to really dazzle your guests.
Because this is one of our most fun Christmas party ideas, it’s likely that music and dancing will feature heavily so you’ll probably want to have a disco, complete with a DJ or live band. Another fun addition would be to install a black and white dancefloor that looks like a chequered board where your guests can bust out their best Futterwacken celebratory dance.
If you want to get really creative, why not bring the outdoors inside? Lay out some fake grass and create your own lawn where you can play croquet with flamingos. Not real ones, of course! It’s a great way to break the ice and get all your guests involved in the fun from the get-go as they unleash their inner Queen of Hearts!
Other props that fit the theme beautifully include giant playing cards, toadstool seating, oversized clocks, topiary trees, white picket fences, giant keys, mirrors, birdcages, arrows to guide everyone around the venue and a throne that’s fit for a queen. Don’t forget to hire a photographer or arrange for a designated friend, family or workmate to take photos throughout the night to help you all remember how much fun you had for years to come. We sense a new profile picture coming soon!
If you’re becoming curiouser and curiouser about an Alice in Wonderland Christmas party theme, it’s time to get organising. Get those invites out as soon as possible to ensure your guest aren’t singing “I’m late, I’m late for a very important date! No time to say hello, good-bye, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!”