How to Host a Cheesy Holiday Movie Watching Party

You know what’s even better than curling up on the couch with a warm blanket, a hot drink, and a DVR full of cheesy Christmas movies? DOING IT WITH A FRIEND.

Okay, okay, all you introverts, I get it. Sometimes you’d rather chill with Netflix all by yourself. Me too! But when it comes to the cheese-tastic nature of holiday TV movies, I still say it’s even more fun to share them with other, like-minded friends who appreciate a well-timed snowball fight or magical sleigh ride just as much as you do.

{After all, this IS why Anna and I are dissecting the newest holiday movies every Tuesday afternoon on Facebook Live!}

Of course, everyone is even more busy than usual during the holidays, so vegging out in front of the TV for every installment of a Countdown to Christmas probably won’t work — for you or your friends. So why not pick a couple of the best (or worst!) movies, invite a few friends over, and enjoy some cheesy goodness together?! Here are some tips…

When to Have the Party:

When planning this party, you’re going to want to start early. November and December calendars fill up fast, and you don’t want your favorite people to miss out on this event. You should also decide in advance how many movies you want to watch. Without commercials most holiday movies are about 90 minutes, so if you attempt to watch three of them, that means you’re planning for a party that lasts nearly five hours!

Instead of holding your guests hostage for half a day, you might instead consider a come-and-go, open house type of shindig. Or just pick one or two movies. One or two of THE CHEESIEST movies. Because if you’re going to go cheesy movie watch party, you might as well go all in.

ALL IN.

I’m thinking about hosting a cheesy little party over Christmas break. You know, around the time my mom friends are starting to really understand that line in It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year: “Mom and Dad can hardly wait for school to start again”! Another good time might be befor the holidays really get started; you’d just have to choose from movies that aired in previous years.

As far as invitations go, I’m pretty partial to the Facebook event route. But you could get more creative and really play up the cheese factor. Maybe you print out a little invite and deliver it with a bag of Cheez-Its or a piece of string cheese. (Or, in the spirit of the season, a string cheese snowman.) You could also get real crafty and make an invitation that looks like a movie ticket. (I did a quick search on Pinterest – “movie ticket invitation” – and found lots of options, some of them easier than others!)

What to Eat at the Party:

When I first started thinking about a party devoted to holiday movies, I knew I wanted to play up the silliness of it all. But which way to go — CHEESY or CORNY? I decided I’d rather make a bunch of foods with cheese than with corn, so here we are. (Because food that matches the theme of the party is a given, right?)

Any cookbook (or Pinterest board of party foods) can give you endless options for cheesy foods. But I have some tried-and-true favorites that I think would be perfect for this kind of party!

Jalapeno Popper Dip is my very favorite dip, both to make and to eat. And it’s one of my most frequently requested dishes, too! Diced jalapenos add just the right amount of kick to this creamy dip, although my husband would say the best part is the bacon. (I mean, let’s be honest: bacon is pretty much the best part of everything.) Either way, it’s a crowd-pleaser and number one on my list of snacks to make for this party. I usually serve it with tortilla chips, but next time around I’m giving Ritz crackers a try.

Spicy Corn Dip (pictured) is another great, cheesy dip — and it offers the bonus of being both cheesy AND corny! I’ll be honest; this dip isn’t much different than jalapeno popper dip, but I think the corn adds a sweetness that makes it different enough. But if you’re looking for a cheesy corn dip without bacon (WHY?), definitely give this one a try. Deemed “magically delicious” by a couple of my friends, it’s perfect with corn chips (especially the giant scoop kind)!

Crab Rangoon Dip is tried and true for others, but a new recipe for me — and I can’t wait to try it! Just as cheesy as the others, I think it’ll offer a different kind of flavor to this collection of dips!

When I hold my cheesy holiday movie watching party, I’ll probably make a pot of the old standby, too — Velveeta + Ro-tel Dip (possibly with a little sausage or black beans thrown in for good measure).

Of course, we’ll need to balance out all that salty, cheesy goodness with something sweet. I’m thinking rice krispy treats cut into hearts, and a giant bowl of white chocolate-drizzled popcorn. (I’m always looking for an excuse to make this Cinnamon Toast Crunch White Chocolate Popcorn!)

If you wanted to provide a more substantial meal — while still sticking to the cheesy theme — I’d go for some kind of sliders. Ham and cheese is an obvious choice, but a quick search brought up pizza sliders with pepperoni and mozzarella, pulled pork sliders with crunchy onion strings on top, and French dip sliders with a worcestshire sauce on top. YUM! I’ll have one of each, please.

A veggie tray would round out any snack table (and offer a healthy option to balance out all the delicious, gooey cheese), and a cheese tray or charcuterie tray would “fancy up” your get-together a bit. And, of course, no holiday movie watching event would be complete without mugs of hot cider (spiked or not!) or hot chocolate.

What to Do at the Party:

Well, obviously you’re going to watch a cheesy holiday movie! But…is that all?

As much as I adore holiday TV movies, I realize this party might need a few other activities for guests who have already seen the movie or aren’t as enamored with predictable or sappy romantic comedies! So, with that in mind, I’ve been collecting adult coloring books and colored pencils to share with my friends. And what better occasion to use my Holiday Movie BINGO Card?! Perhaps the first person to get a BINGO gets a fun little holiday gift, like a tin of fudge or box of candy canes, a mug or ornament, or a DVD of the cheesiest holiday movie you can find!? (And yes, I do realize that BINGO card could also be used as a drinking game. Who am I to tell you what to do?!?)

You could also bake a bunch of sugar cookies and set them out with frosting and sprinkles, inviting guests to decorate their own Christmas cookies. Or search for super simple craft projects that you all could complete in an hour or so while watching a movie. (I’m talking about the kind made from buttons or paint chips or popsicle sticks, the kind that take very little concentration but keep your hands busy while the movie is on. Nothing fancy at all!)

One more tip for your party planning: Don’t forget to set the movie-watching mood! Lower the lights (perhaps light some candles or bring a few extra lamps to place around the room for a warmer feel), and make sure your guests have plenty of comfy seating, cozy blankets, and soft pillows to choose from!