Made Up Holiday
Get Creative with What Your New Holiday is Going to Be!
Why wait for the usual holidays when you can create your own? A made-up holiday party is a chance to celebrate something completely new, embrace creativity, and give your guests an experience unlike any other. Whether it’s a ridiculous, heartfelt, or quirky occasion, this guide will help you invent a holiday, plan a fun and immersive party, and turn it into a tradition people will look forward to every year.
Planning
Choosing Your Made-Up Holiday
First, decide what you’re celebrating. Here are some fun made-up holiday ideas to spark inspiration:
Opposite Day Deluxe – A day where everything is backward. Guests wear clothes inside out, talk in opposites, and swap roles (kids act like adults, bosses serve employees).
Lost Story Day – Everyone brings a short story they “found” (whether made-up or an old favorite) and shares it dramatically over snacks.
Plant Parenthood Day – A celebration of all things green and leafy. Guests adopt a new plant or swap cuttings while enjoying herbal-themed drinks.
Topping Chaos Day – A food-focused event where guests must create and try out outrageous pizza or ice cream toppings. Sweet and savory combos encouraged.
Future Fashion Fest – A holiday where everyone dresses in their vision of future fashion, whether it’s space-age chic, medieval throwbacks, or 80s cyberpunk.
Nap Appreciation Day – A party dedicated to cozy relaxation, complete with blanket forts, ASMR soundscapes, and hot cocoa. Bonus: a scheduled “group nap” break.
Or make up your own. Ask guests for wacky suggestions and pick the best one.
Invitations & Hype
Since this is an entirely new holiday, build anticipation with:
Official “Holiday Decree” Invitations – Send invitations as royal scrolls, futuristic transmissions, or secret society summons. Use Canva for custom designs.
Holiday Lore & Backstory – Invent a fake history behind the holiday and share it with guests. Example: “Topping Chaos Day was first celebrated in 1973 when a bored chef dropped peanut butter on pizza and accidentally created a movement.”
Custom Calendar Add-On – Add your holiday to Google Calendar and send invites to make it feel official.
Creating the Holiday Experience
The key to making a made-up holiday feel real is immersive elements.
Decor & Ambience
Design a holiday symbol (like a flag, mascot, or special emblem) and display it.
Create a “Holiday Ritual” – Maybe it’s lighting a candle, doing a silly dance, or yelling a special greeting.
Themed music and lighting – Match your holiday’s vibe, whether calm for Nap Appreciation Day or neon for Future Fashion Fest.
Dress Code & Accessories
Encourage guests to dress according to the theme, such as business casual pajamas for Nap Day or futuristic metallics for Future Fashion Fest.
Provide custom-made badges or pins that declare them as “Founding Members” of the holiday.
Interactive Holiday Traditions
Make your holiday stand out with traditions.
The Grand Ritual – A central activity that happens at every celebration, like sacrificing the first pizza slice to the toppings gods.
Holiday Honor Roll – Each year, add a guest’s name to a Hall of Fame for best costume, best contribution, or most dedicated to the holiday.
The Story of the Holiday – Guests take turns improvising how this holiday began, adding to the lore as the night goes on.
Surprise Exchange – Everyone brings a random object, wrapped or not, and guests swap items blindly. The sillier, the better.
“Official” Holiday Speeches – Assign guests to give mini TED Talks about the deep meaning of the holiday—whether serious or hilariously absurd.
Food & Drink
Make your holiday tasty and thematic with:
Signature Holiday Dish – Invent a special food that must be eaten every year.
Example: "Moon Cheese Bites" (mini grilled cheese sandwiches for Future Fashion Fest).
Example: "Snooze Juice" (lavender-infused lemonade for Nap Appreciation Day).
Limited-Edition Holiday Drink – Create a signature cocktail or mocktail exclusive to the event.
Use a unique mix of ingredients that somehow works.
Give it a ridiculous backstory, like “Legend has it that the first Nap Day founder drank this before their longest recorded nap.”
Making It a Tradition
Turn your made-up holiday into a tradition by:
Setting the Date – Make it the same time every year so it becomes official.
Documenting It – Take photos or record a “historical” video about how the holiday went.
Creating a Holiday Founder’s Club – Make special perks for early adopters of the holiday, like first dibs on next year’s party theme.
Merch – Design a t-shirt or stickers with inside jokes from the party. Websites like TeeSpring let you create custom swag.
Keep the Fun Going Post-Party
After the celebration, keep the holiday spirit alive by:
Posting recaps with funny highlights.
Sharing an official holiday anthem playlist.
Voting on next year’s potential theme variations.
Creating a holiday website or Instagram page where people can submit ideas for traditions.