Paperlust Christmas invitations: Australian designers

Here at Paperlust we are committed to supporting and promoting Australian designers. Our design competitions help up and coming artists get their work out there, as well as providing a reputable platform for them to sell their work from, without the pressure of printing and providing customer service and troubleshooting. Our customers receive a quality, unique Xmas invite that is totally customised, and our designers know their work is being handled with integrity as well as enjoyed by many. What’s not to like?

Many designers, many options

By throwing a bunch of different designers into the mix we can offer you an eclectic range of styles to suit all tastes. Designs range from Christmas flora and Santa themes to simple gold foil spots. We are a luxury brand so you have your choice of a range of premium print types: digital cards, real foil, metallic prints or white ink.

Christmas invitations online

Convenient

Why go online for holiday party invitations? Isn’t it too risky? Despite this common perception, if you do your homework you can weed out the bad ones and find a reputable company with good customer reviews. Shopping online also means browsing for a Christmas party invitation template while kicking back on the couch with a hot cuppa. Christmas just got that much less stressful!

More options

You also have a wider range of options at your fingertips online than in physical stores, and because they haven’t been printed yet, you can change the colour, sizing and general design to suit your taste exactly, with no extra fuss. Not to worry - we have professional design assistants double checking your work and submitting it for your final approval before it goes to print. Online Xmas party invitations are not only practical (they get delivered right to your door) but you also have access to amazing designers that you won’t find at the newsagent and can track down the best deal for your budget by applying filters.

Choosing a Christmas party theme

Christmas may already seem like a theme all on its own - and it is - but if you want to add a twist and make your Christmas bash really stand out, a theme is a great way to establish a fun vibe right from the outset. Some great ideas for themes are below.

• Ugly sweater Christmas party 
• Santa hat party
• Christmas masquerade ball
• Winter Wonderland party
• Christmas around the world party (great for a multicultural office)
• Christmas murder mystery party

If you are looking for Christmas templates but can’t find one to match your theme, why not customise one of our Christmas party invitations to give your guests an indication of the kind of party you’re having? You can express your theme on your invites through your choice of Christmas invitation colours, Christmas invitation wording, Christmas invitation images or illlustrations, and Christmas invitations backgrounds or frames. 

Some of the most common Christmas invite decorations and themes include bells, snowflakes, Christmas trees, gifts, nativity scenes and Santa motifs, but there are no rules that say you must stick to any of these! With Paperlust, you can go as traditional or casual as you like. 

Christmas party invitations wording

Everyone wants to make sure that they nail their Christmas party invitation wording, but before you get the finer nuances right, the first question you need to ask is: what information do you actually need to include? We’ve outlined the basics and then you can adapt this format to suit your needs.

• What the event is - A Christmas party! Apart from the theme of your design, make sure your wording makes it clear what kind of event you’re hosting. Is it a formal party with ties for the boys and heels for the girls? Or just a Christmas barbecue in the backyard? If you have a theme, be sure to make it obvious on your invitation (i.e. ‘You’re invited to Hayley and Jacob’s ugly sweater Christmas party!’) so that people can be prepared. If you're hosting a corporate party, make sure that's clear as well. 
• Location - Don’t assume that everyone invited will be familiar with the location you have chosen, even if it is your home. While guests can map search public venues, it is still courteous to include at least an address, but also extra directions if the place is tricky to find. You don’t want people to arrive late and flustered … or worse, not at all. 
• Time - Unless it’s a kids party, people don’t usually include an end time on the invitation. You could say something like ‘from 6pm till late’ or ‘7pm onwards’ or casual phrasing like ‘drop in any time between 6 and 10’. Your wording will show how important it is for people to adhere to a strict start time, or whether you don’t mind if guests just pass through. For an evening party, unless you specifically state it, your start time will also imply whether it includes dinner. Usually anything from 7pm will just mean ‘nibbles’ and drinks, so guests should make sure they eat before.
• Dress code - If you have a dress code, your Christmas invitation wording should make this clear, as it’s something that guests often get confused about. A great way to provide clarification without making your Christmas invite look cluttered is to send a group message with a few example photos of the dress code for each gender (your dress code may be very specific if the party is themed).
• RSVP details - It’s an easy one to forget but having clear RSVP details is crucial if you want to be organised. It’s a good idea to include a phone number as well as an email for guests to contact, and make sure that you choose an RSVP date that allows enough time to plan details like catering and decorations.
• Additional information - Is your party kid friendly? If not, you should definitely communicate this to your guests, but your invitation may not be the best place. Consider word of mouth or a group text.

The way you actually word all this information is completely up to you, and may range from formal and serious Christmas invitation wording right through to funny Christmas party invitation wording. Anything goes when it comes to Christmas! Browse our guide to writing Christmas cards for a few tips on Christmassy wording!

Christmas party etiquette

Whether host or guest, everyone wants to make sure they do the right thing socially at Christmas party and not step on any toes. Although Christmas parties aren’t laden with as much etiquette as weddings, we’ve listed a few do’s and don’ts to help you avoid putting a foot wrong.

DO: Proofread and use consistent language on your invitation.

DO: Give yourself and your guests plenty of time by sending out your invitations well in advance.

DON’T: Put anything about gifts on the invitation (as host) or bring a present for the host (as guest) at a Christmas party. The exception to this is Secret Santa information (also known as a Kris Kringle or gift exchange), if you choose to do it.

DON’T: Forget RSVP information. If you do, there’s a chance a lot of your guests will also forget. Either way, it just results in you chasing up a lot of people - valuable time that you could be using to plan your party!

The guest list: who to invite?

Consider your budget

We all know a lot of people and choosing who to invite is often the awkward part of Christmas parties. But we understand that you may not have a million dollar budget, so who gets axed from the list? First consider your budget and how many guests you can afford. Next look at your venue and think realistically about how many people it can comfortably accommodate. 

Type of event

What kind of event are you planning? Are you envisioning an intimate family affair or a big bash that you’re willing to throw some serious cash at? If it’s family then your guest list is easy (and you have a convenient excuse for why you’re not inviting certain people) but you may want something in between that and the big bash option. Draft a core list of people who are very close to you, or you hang out with regularly, then assess how many spaces you have left and judge it case by case.

How to cut down on numbers

Do you invite your boss or work colleagues? It depends. If you work in a small office and are inviting everyone but them, then it’s best to just add them to the list to avoid an awkward situation later on. If you are part of a large social community however, it is perfectly okay not to invite everyone. Think of people who have invested one on one time with you and who have recently invited you to events of theirs. In the end, it’s your party.

Timing your Christmas party invitations

Usually when planning an event we recommend 4-6 weeks notice for guests, but because Christmas is such a busy time, we recommend sending out invitations 6-8 weeks earlier than the date if possible. Unlike weddings, with Christmas parties it is not customary to send out save the dates so the earlier people receive your holiday party invite, the more people will be able to come.

Christmas in July

Maybe you love the idea of Christmas in July and are on the hunt for Christmas in July invitations. Not everyone is into it but if you love a bit of Christmas cheer to break up the monotony of winter then you may be looking for Christmas invitations with a twist. Generally Christmas in July parties are smaller than in December and focus more on friends, so you may want to just extend a Christmas dinner invitation to your selected group of guests. The best part is that you can choose any Christmas template from our website and personalise it to include a Christmas in July theme. Easy!

Secret Santa anyone?

You’ve customised your holiday invitation template to a unique invite that your friends will love. You’ve finalised the guest list and picked your font, theme and dress code. One last thing to decide: do you want to do a Kris Kringle? Just make sure that if you do, specify a reasonably low maximum amount to be considerate of everyone’s situation. 

Hot tips: 

Usually the lower the budget, the more fun the presents are! It’s a good idea to have a few extra presents wrapped and ready to go in case some guests forget. Secret Santa may not be advisable if you have a large guestlist.  

Christmas party invitations on a budget

Christmas time can get pretty pricey for all of us so we understand if you don’t have heaps of cash to spare after you’ve paid for food, presents and decorations. You may be looking for free Christmas invitation templates Word or free printable Christmas invitations but beware that free doesn’t always mean free. Consider the time and money it will take to print them yourself, and the quality of the image you may end up with. The time involved sourcing, editing and printing your free download Christmas invitation templates can be more than any of us can afford at one of the busiest times of the year. Plus, Christmas party invitation templates for free download typically aren't the most high quality designs, meaning you can spend far more time looking for the right one. Another risk of Christmas invitations templates free for Microsoft or Mac is that they can be scams, looking to infect your computer with a virus, or perhaps just ripping off designs from other people. It pays to beware! 

Instead of free Christmas invitation templates, why not select one of our more affordable options, like a design using Digital Printing? That way you can be guaranteed quality and still stay within your budget. Plus we've curated the very best designs to make the whole process easy and fast for you. Win!

Christmas lunch invitations

Our Christmas party invitations aren't just for parties happening in the leadup to the big day - they're also a popular choice for people to extend invitations to friends and family for their official Christmas day celebrations. What better way to build anticipation for Christmas day than with a real-life paper Christmas lunch invitation template? There are a range of different styles of Christmas lunch invite to match the way you celebrate, whether you're having a casual bbq in the backyard or a formal sit-down meal. All you need to do is change the wording on one of our Christmas party invitations and voila! The perfect Christmas lunch invitations. 

Summary

Choosing Paperlust means that you will be supporting local designers and helping them build a platform for their portfolio. We also make sure that you get exactly what you want and that there are no hiccups along the way. So whether you’re hosting a classy, intimate dinner party or a huge backyard blowout, Paperlust is committed to helping you find the perfect Christmas party invitation for your holiday party. Merry Christmas!

Got your Christmas invitations sorted? Check out our collection of Christmas cards to help keep the celebrations going! 

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