59-480: Christmas Party or Xmas Party may refer to: A party , held to celebrate Christmas Christmas Party [ edit ] Films [ edit ] The Christmas Party (film) , a 1996 Finnish crime comedy film Music [ edit ] Xmas Party Album , a 2014 album by the Vengaboys Christmas Party (The Monkees album) or
118-601: A bon voyage party). Retirement parties for departing co-workers fall into this category. Several are described in Japan in Shusaku Endo 's 1974 novel When I Whistle . Festival A festival is an event celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures . It is often marked as a local or national holiday , mela , or eid . A festival constitutes typical cases of glocalization , as well as
177-544: A buffet is provided. Guests choose food from the buffet and eat while standing up and conversing. Women guests may wear cocktail dresses ; men may wear blazers . At some informal dinner parties, the host may ask guests to bring food or beverages (a main dish , a side dish , a dessert , or appetizers ). A party of this type is called a potluck or potluck dinner. In the United States, potlucks are very often held in churches and community centers. A garden party
236-528: A masquerade ball , guests wear masks to conceal their identities. Guests at a costume party or a fancy dress party wear costumes. These parties are sometimes associated with holiday events, such as Halloween and Mardi Gras . In English and American culture during the Christmas season, it is traditional to have a Christmas caroling party. People go from door to door in a neighborhood and sing Christmas carols . Some popular Christmas carols are " We Wish You
295-572: A state dinner . In the 18th century, in France and England, it became fashionable for wealthy, well married ladies who had a residence "in town" to invite accomplished guests to visit their home in the evening, to partake of refreshments and cultural conversation. Soirées often included refined musical entertainment, and the term is still sometimes used to define a certain sophisticated type of evening party. Society hostesses included actresses or other women with an influential reputation. The character of
354-488: A 1724 play by Ludvig Holberg "Christmas Party" (short story) , a 1957 Nero Wolfe novella by Rex Stout Television [ edit ] "Christmas Party" ( Nero Wolfe episode) , a 2001 adaptation of the novella "Christmas Party" ( The Office ) , a 2005 episode of the U.S. series " Xmas Party ", a 2008 episode of The Inbetweeners The Christmas Party , a 1997–2003 Cartoon Network programming block See also [ edit ] Office Christmas Party ,
413-470: A 2016 comedy film Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Christmas Party . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Christmas_Party&oldid=1259858478 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
472-724: A Christian saint as well as a celebration of the time of the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere, where it is particularly important in Sweden. Winter carnivals also provide the opportunity to utilise to celebrate creative or sporting activities requiring snow and ice. In the Philippines , each day of the year has at least one festival dedicated to harvesting of crops, fishes, crustaceans, milk, and other local goods. Scholarly literature notes that festivals functionally disseminate political values and meaning, such as ownership of place, which undergoes transformation in accordance with
531-767: A Merry Christmas ", " Deck the Halls ", " The Twelve Days of Christmas ", " Frosty the Snowman ", " Jingle Bells ", " Silver Bells ", " Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town ", and " O Holy Night ". In Spain, this type of party is called El Aguinaldo . It is the same as in England and the United States, but the only difference is that the children who sing the carols are given tips. Christmas songs are called villancicos in Spain; they are mainly sung by children at small parties. Dance parties are gatherings in bars or community centers where
590-412: A conventional greeting or congratulation to each person in the receiving line. In this way, the line of guests progresses steadily without unnecessary delay. After formally receiving each guest in this fashion, the hosts may mingle with the guests. Somewhat less formal receptions are common in academic settings, sometimes to honor a guest lecturer , or to celebrate a special occasion such as retirement of
649-408: A desire for escapism, socialization and camaraderie; the practice has been seen as a means of creating geographical connection, belonging and adaptability. The word "festival" was originally used as an adjective from the late fourteenth century, deriving from Latin via Old French . In Middle English , a "festival dai" was a religious holiday. The first recorded used of the word "festival" as
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#1732798516873708-462: A dinner followed by speeches or by a presentation extolling whatever the money is being raised for. It is very common to charge an admission fee for parties of this kind. This fee may be as high as several thousand dollars, especially if money is being raised for a political campaign . In some places, parties to celebrate graduation from school, college, or university are popular. A graduation party may be held on campus or external, and transportation
767-422: A feature of many cultures. In Western cultures , birthday parties include a number of common rituals. The guests may be asked to bring a gift for the honored person. Party locations are often decorated with colorful decorations, such as balloons and streamers. A birthday cake is usually served with lit candles that are to be blown out after a "birthday wish" has been made. The person being honored will be given
826-617: A garden party at the Palais de l'Elysée in Paris on Bastille Day . A cocktail party is a party at which cocktails are served. It is sometimes called a "cocktail reception". Women who attend a cocktail party may wear a cocktail dress . A cocktail hat is sometimes worn as a fashion statement. In Anglo-American culture, a tea party is a formal gathering for afternoon tea . These parties were traditionally attended only by women, but men may also be invited. Tea parties are often characterized by
885-529: A global tourist prospect although they are commonly public or not-for-profit . Many festivals have religious origins and entwine cultural and religious significance in traditional activities. The most important religious festivals such as Christmas , Rosh Hashanah , Diwali , Eid-al-Fitr and Eid-al-Adha serve to mark out the year. Others, such as harvest festivals , celebrate seasonal change. Events of historical significance, such as important military victories or other nation-building events also provide
944-547: A large number of guests, often at prestigious venues such as Buckingham Palace , the White House , or Government Houses of the British Empire and Commonwealth . The hosts and any guests of honor form a receiving line in order of precedence near the entrance. Each guest is announced to the host who greets each one in turn as he or she arrives. Each guest properly speaks little more than his name (if necessary) and
1003-509: A large warehouse, field, or even tens of thousands in a sporting arena, amusement park, or other large space. Raves are associated with illegal drugs such as ecstasy and psychedelic drugs . A house party is a party where a large group of people get together at a private home to socialize. House parties that involve the drinking of beer pumped from a keg are called keg parties or "keggers." These parties are popular in North America,
1062-503: A noun was in 1589 (as "Festifall"). Feast first came into usage as a noun c. 1200 , and its first recorded use as a verb was circa 1300. The word gala comes from Arabic word khil'a , meaning robe of honor. The word gala was initially used to describe "festive dress", but came to be a synonym of "festival" starting in the 18th century. Festivals have long been significant in human culture and history and are found in virtually all cultures. The importance of festivals, to
1121-437: A respected member of staff. Receptions are also common in symposium or academic conference settings, as an environment for attendees to mingle and interact informally. These gatherings may be accompanied by a sit-down dinner, or more commonly, a stand-up informal buffet meal. Receptions are also held to celebrate exhibition openings at art galleries or museums. The featured artist or artists are often present, as well as
1180-511: A result of which there is a wide range of ancient and modern harvest festivals . Ancient Egyptians relied upon the seasonal inundation caused by the Nile River , a form of irrigation , which provided fertile land for crops. In the Alps , in autumn the return of the cattle from the mountain pastures to the stables in the valley is celebrated as Almabtrieb . A recognized winter festival,
1239-434: A secluded area of a forest ("bush"), where friends gather to drink and talk. These parties are often held around a bonfire . Beach parties are held on a sandy shoreline of a lake, river, or sea, and also often feature a bonfire. School-related parties for teenagers and young adults include proms and graduation parties , which are held in honor of someone who has recently graduated from a school or university. A pool party
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#17327985168731298-471: A specific person, day, or event, such as a birthday party, a Super Bowl party, or a St. Patrick's Day party. Parties of this kind are often called celebrations . A party is not necessarily a private occasion. Public parties are sometimes held in restaurants, pubs , beer gardens , nightclubs , or bars , and people attending such parties may be charged an admission fee by the host. Large parties in public streets may celebrate events such as Mardi Gras or
1357-464: Is a large formal party that features ballroom dancing . Women guests wear ball gowns ; men wear evening dress . A block party is a public party that is attended by the residents of a specific city block or neighborhood. These parties are typically held in a city street that has been closed to traffic to accommodate the party. At some block parties, attendees are free to pass from house to house, socializing, and often drinking alcoholic beverages . At
1416-605: Is a party in a park or a garden. An event described as a garden party is usually more formal than other outdoor gatherings, which may be called simply parties, picnics , barbecues , etc. A garden party can be a prestigious event. For example, invitations by the British Sovereign to garden parties at Buckingham Palace or at the Palace of Holyroodhouse (in Scotland) are considered an honor. The President of France holds
1475-423: Is a party in which the guests swim in a swimming pool. A singles dance party and mixer is a party which is organized for people who are not married and who want to find a partner for friendship, dating, or sex. Usually a "mixer game" is played, to make it easy for people to meet each other. For example, each guest may be given a card with an inspiring quotation on it. The game is to find a potential partner who has
1534-433: Is a party that is not made known beforehand to the person in whose honor it is being held. Birthday surprise parties are the most common kind of surprise party. At most such parties, the guests will arrive an hour or so before the honoree arrives. Often, a friend in on the surprise will lead the honoree to the location of the party without letting on anything. The guests might even conceal themselves from view, and then when
1593-459: Is a social gathering at which people eat dinner together, usually in the host's home. At the most formal dinner parties, the dinner is served on a dining table with place settings . Dinner parties are often preceded by a cocktail hour in a living room or bar, where guests drink cocktails while mingling and conversing. Wine is usually served throughout the meal, often with a different wine accompanying each course. At less formal dinner parties,
1652-500: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Party A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing , conversation , recreation , or as part of a festival or other commemoration or celebration of a special occasion. A party will often feature food and beverages , and often conversation, music, dancing, or other forms of entertainment. Some parties are held in honor of
1711-414: Is provided when location is far away. A shower is a party whose primary purpose is to give gifts to the guest of honor. Traditionally, a bridal shower is a way for an engaged woman to be "showered" with gifts for her upcoming married life (see hope chest ). Guests are expected to bring a small gift related to the upcoming life event. Themed games are a frequent sight at this sort of party. A new twist on
1770-619: The Catholic , Eastern Orthodox , and Anglican liturgical calendars there are a great number of lesser feasts throughout the year commemorating saints, sacred events or doctrines. In the Philippines , each day of the year has at least one specific religious festival, either from Catholic, Islamic, or indigenous origins. Buddhist religious festivals, such as Esala Perahera are held in Sri Lanka and Thailand. Hindu festivals , such as Holi are very ancient. The Sikh community celebrates
1829-601: The Chinese New Year , is set by the lunar calendar, and celebrated from the day of the second new moon after the winter solstice . Dree Festival of the Apatanis living in Lower Subansiri District of Arunachal Pradesh is celebrated every year from July 4 to 7 by praying for a bumper crop harvest. Midsummer or St John's Day, is an example of a seasonal festival, related to the feast day of
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1888-695: The National Peanut Festival in the United States, or the Galway International Oyster Festival in Ireland. There are also specific beverage festivals, such as the famous Oktoberfest in Germany for beer . Many countries hold festivals to celebrate wine . One example is the global celebration of the arrival of Beaujolais nouveau , which involves shipping the new wine around the world for its release date on
1947-506: The Philippines , aside from numerous art festivals scattered throughout the year, February is known as national arts month, the culmination of all art festivals in the entire archipelago. The modern model of music festivals began in the 1960s-70s and have become a lucrative global industry. Predecessors extend back to the 11th century and some, such as the Three Choirs Festival, remain to this day. Film festivals involve
2006-650: The Vaisakhi festival marking the new year and birth of the Khalsa . Among the many offspring of general arts festivals are also more specific types of festivals, including ones that showcase intellectual or creative achievement such as science festivals , literary festivals and music festivals . Sub-categories include comedy festivals , rock festivals , jazz festivals and buskers festivals ; poetry festivals, theatre festivals , and storytelling festivals ; and re-enactment festivals such as Renaissance fairs . In
2065-400: The baby shower for a pregnant woman is the gender reveal party , made possible by modern ultrasound technology. A housewarming party may be held when a family, couple, or person moves into a new house or apartment. It is an occasion for the hosts to show their new home to their friends. Housewarming parties are typically informal and do not include any planned activities other than a tour of
2124-453: The curators who organized the exhibition. In addition or instead, a celebratory reception may be held partway through or at the end of an exhibition run. This alternative scheduling allows guests more time to see the exhibition in depth at their own pace, before meeting the featured guests. Some food is often served, as in academic gatherings. Refreshments at a reception may be as minimal, such as coffee or lemonade, or as elaborate as those at
2183-479: The Latin American quinceañera . Since medieval times, children have dressed specially for birthday parties; there is evidence to suggest historical birthday parties existed in Germany as kinderfeste . A children's party or kids' party is a party for children such as a birthday party or tea party . Since medieval times, children have dressed specially for such occasions. A surprise party
2242-635: The United Kingdom, and Australia and are often attended by people under the legal drinking age . Sometimes, even older party-goers run afoul of the law for having provided alcoholic beverages to minors. Arrests may also be made for violating a noise ordinance, for disorderly conduct , and even for operating a " blind pig ", an establishment that illegally sells alcoholic beverages. On college campuses, parties are often hosted by fraternities . Outdoor parties include bush parties and beach parties. Bush parties (also called "field parties") are held in
2301-487: The attendees in the form of "goodie bags". Children and even adults sometimes wear colorful cone-shaped party hats . Birthday parties are often larger and more extravagant if they celebrate someone who has reached what is regarded in the culture as a milestone age, such as transition from childhood to adulthood. Examples of traditional coming of age celebrations include the North American sweet sixteen party and
2360-460: The calendar in use at the time. The Sed festival , for example, celebrated the thirtieth year of an Egyptian pharaoh 's rule and then every three (or four in one case) years after that. Among the Ashantis , most of their traditional festivals are linked to gazette sites which are believed to be sacred with several rich biological resources in their pristine forms. Thus, the annual commemoration of
2419-622: The consumption of specially prepared food (showing the connection to "feasting") and they bring people together. Festivals are also strongly associated with national holidays. Lists of national festivals are published to make participation easier. The scale of festivals varies; in location and attendance, they may range from a local to national level. Music festivals, for example, often bring together disparate groups of people, such that they are both localised and global. The "vast majority" of festivals are, however, local, modest and populist. The abundance of festivals significantly hinders quantifying
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2478-657: The festivals helps in maintaining the buoyancy of the conserved natural site, assisting in biodiversity conservation. In the Christian liturgical calendar , there are two principal feasts, properly known as the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord (Christmas) and the Feast of the Resurrection (Easter), but minor festivals in honour of local patron saints are celebrated in almost all countries influenced by Christianity. In
2537-400: The first piece of cake. While the birthday cake is being brought to the table, the song " Happy Birthday to You " or some other birthday song is sung by the guests. At parties for children , time is often taken for the "gift opening" wherein the individual whose birthday is celebrated opens each of the gifts brought. It is also common at children's parties for the host to give parting gifts to
2596-472: The gods, goddesses or saints: they are called patronal festivals . They may also provide entertainment , which was particularly important to local communities before the advent of mass-produced entertainment. Festivals that focus on cultural or ethnic topics also seek to inform community members of their traditions; the involvement of elders sharing stories and experience provides a means for unity among families . Attendants of festivals are often motivated by
2655-415: The guests dance to house music , techno music , or disco . The music for dance parties is usually selected and played by a disc jockey . A spin-off of dance parties, the rave involves dancing to loud house music , techno music , or industrial music . Rave parties may be attended by as few as a score of people in a basement or, more likely, by a few hundred people in a club, to as many as thousands in
2714-511: The high culture-low culture interrelationship. Next to religion and folklore , a significant origin is agricultural . Food is such a vital resource that many festivals are associated with harvest time. Religious commemoration and thanksgiving for good harvests are blended in events that take place in autumn , such as Halloween in the northern hemisphere and Easter in the southern. Festivals often serve to fulfill specific communal purposes, especially in regard to commemoration or thanking to
2773-426: The honoree enters the room, they leap from hiding and all shout, "Surprise!". For some surprise birthday parties, it is considered to be a good tactic to shock the honoree. Streamers, silly string , and balloons may be used for this purpose. Evidence of a party, such as decorations and balloons, are not made visible from the exterior of the home or party venue, so that the honoree will suspect nothing. A dinner party
2832-474: The hostess determined the character of the soirée and the choice of guests. Famous soirée hostesses include Hester Thrale . A dance is a social gathering at which the guests dance. It may be a casual, informal affair, or a structured event, such as a school dance or a charity ball. Dances usually take place during the evening. An afternoon dance is formally known as a tea dance . Some dances feature specific kinds of dancing, such as square dancing . A ball
2891-552: The impetus for a festival. An early example is the festival established by Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Ramesses III celebrating his victory over the Libyans. In many countries, royal holidays commemorate dynastic events just as agricultural holidays are about harvests. Festivals are often commemorated annually. There are numerous types of festivals in the world and most countries celebrate important events or traditions with traditional cultural events and activities. Most culminate in
2950-641: The last few centuries – some traditional festivals in Ghana , for example, predate European colonisation of the 15th century. Festivals prospered following the Second World War. Both established in 1947, Avignon Festival and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe have been notable in shaping the modern model of festivals. Art festivals became more prominent by the turn of the 21st century. In modern times, festivals are commodified as
3009-415: The new house or apartment. Invited family members and friends may bring gifts for the new home. A welcome party is held for the purpose of welcoming a newcomer, such as a new club member, a new employee, or a family's new baby. In many cultures, it is customary to throw a farewell party in honor of someone who is moving away or departing on a long trip (often called a "going away party" and sometimes called
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#17327985168733068-402: The present, is found in private and public; secular and religious life. Ancient Greek and Roman societies relied heavily upon festivals, both communal and administrative. Saturnalia was likely influential to Christmas and Carnival . Celebration of social occasions, religion and nature were common. Specific festivals have century-long histories and festivals in general have developed over
3127-433: The same quotation. Couples who have matching cards may be given a small prize. These parties are sponsored by various organizations, both non-profit and for-profit. A fundraising party, or fundraiser, is a party that is held for the purpose of collecting money that will be given to some person or to some institution, such as a school, charity, business, or political campaign . These parties are usually formal and consist of
3186-654: The screenings of several different films, and are usually held annually. Some of the most significant film festivals include the Berlin International Film Festival , the Venice Film Festival and the Cannes Film Festival . A food festival is an event celebrating food or drink. These often highlight the output of producers from a certain region. Some food festivals are focused on a particular item of food, such as
3245-434: The signing of a peace treaty ending a long war. A birthday party is a celebration of the anniversary of the birth of the person who is being honored. While there is historical precedent for birthday parties for the rich and powerful throughout history, the tradition extended to middle-class Americans around the nineteenth century and took on more modern norms and traditions in the twentieth century. Birthday parties are now
3304-527: The third Thursday of November each year. Both Beaujolais nouveau and the Japanese rice wine sake are associated with harvest time. In the Philippines, there are at least two hundred festivals dedicated to food and drinks. Seasonal festivals, such as Beltane , are determined by the solar and the lunar calendars and by the cycle of the seasons , especially because of its effect on food supply, as
3363-479: The title track, 2018 Christmas Party (RuPaul album) or the title song, 2018 Christmas Party (She & Him album) , 2016 Christmas Party , an album by the Kelly Family , 2022 "Christmas Party", a song by Eraserheads from Fruitcake , 1996 "Christmas Party", a song by Megan Trainor from A Very Trainor Christmas , 2020 Literature [ edit ] The Christmas Party (play) ,
3422-517: The total there of. There exists significant variation among festivals, beyond binary dichotomies of sacred and secular, rural and urban, people and establishment. Among many religions , a feast is a set of celebrations in honour of God or gods . A feast and a festival are historically interchangeable. Most religions have festivals that recur annually and some, such as Passover , Easter, and Eid al-Adha are moveable feasts – that is, those that are determined either by lunar or agricultural cycles or
3481-519: The use of prestigious tableware , such as bone china and silver . The table, whatever its size or cost, is made to look its prettiest, with cloth napkins and matching cups and plates. In addition to tea, larger parties may serve punch or, in cold weather, hot chocolate. The tea is accompanied by a variety of easily managed foods. Thin sandwiches such as cucumber or tomato, bananas , cake slices , buns , and cookies are all common choices. Formal receptions are parties that are designed to receive
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