Christian Theme Party Ideas

Christianity encompasses many different traditions, including Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant. Celebrating is a significant part of the Christian tradition; for example, the Catholic liturgical calendar has as many feast days as fasting days. A Christian-themed party is an opportunity to partake in the spirit of celebration while enjoying the fellowship of like-minded believers.

Send print or email invitations listing the date of the party with a graphic such as a dove, symbol of the Holy Spirit. Consider including a brief inspirational quotation, a verse from the Scriptures, or a line from the Lord's Prayer in either English or Latin. If the party falls on or near an important feast day, make it a theme of the party and mention it in the invitation. Stylize the invitation by writing it on parchment and rolling it up in the form of a scroll before mailing or hand-delivering it.

For a traditional aesthetic, fill the venue with historic symbols of the Christian faith, such as bells and candles. If the party takes place during the day, turn off all electric lights and allow sunlight to filter in from outside as it does in a cathedral. Line scented candles along the tables and mantel and light them as night approaches. Purchase a few banners with verses from the Bible and hang them from the ceiling. Following the liturgical calendar, hang regular banners that are colored green, purple, yellow or red, depending on the time of year. For example, purple banners are appropriate during Lent and gold or white around Christmas.

Depending on your budget, you can prepare food for the party or request that everyone invited bring their own dish to create a potluck. Serve dishes straight out of the Bible by offering fish, beef, flatbread, eggs, olives, grains and honey, along with sweet fruits such as grapes and pomegranates. Remember that some Christian traditions permit the use of alcohol, while others discourage it. If the guest list includes men and women from a wide variety of denominational backgrounds, be sensitive that not everyone may share the same preferences.

Play Christian Pictionary or Charades by writing the names of various people and events from the New Testament on slips of paper. Have the group divide into two teams, with one person from each team acting out or drawing clues for their group. The first team to guess correctly wins the round, and the team with the most correct guesses at the end of the game wins. Raise the difficulty level by including events from Christian history such as the martyrdom of Polycarp or Luther nailing the 95 Theses to the door of the church. Stage a dramatic reading of scenes from the Bible, or improvise your own skits in which each guest plays the part of a different character. Create a Christian music playlist for the occasion featuring artists such as U2, Jon Foreman and Lecrae. If you or your guests are in the mood for classical, play choral and symphonic music by composers such as Palestrina, Bach and Handel.