Christmas Party icebreakers?

• fan_from_texas

  Every year, Mrs. FFT & I host a Christmas Party for the 20/30-somethings in our church. We're expecting around 40 people. While we know all (most?) of them, they don't all know each other all that well. Because it's a church-related Christmas party, we can't simply get everyone drunk to get the conversation flowing between people who don't know each other. In the past, we've done some general sort of icebreaker to get people talking, e.g., when people came in, we put a stickie on their back with the name of a Christmas character, and they were tasked with asking questions to figure it out.
  
  There are a lot of people who are terrified of showing up to a party where they don't know (m)any of the others, so we want to make this as easy on them as possible. The ideal for this is something that is relatively easy, gets people talking, but then fades away. Any suggestions or ideas?
  
  Thanks in advance.
• gorocks99

  

  fan_from_texas wrote:something that is relatively easy, gets people talking, but then fades away.

  Sounds just like Lindsay Lohan! HEYYOOOOO
• raiderbuck

  white elephant?
• fan_from_texas

  raiderbuck wrote: white elephant?

  Solid idea, but we've got that one covered. We do a white elephant gift exchange later on in the evening.
  
  We also do some limited door prizes to get people in earlier in the evening.
• nc52

  

  screw it just get everybody drunk. nothing quite like that opening shot of jager
• vball10set

  marijuana--for medical reasons,of course
• se-alum

  

  Strip Poker??
• darbypitcher22

  

  Some sort of team building activity... have them make snowmen or some stupid shit out of marshmallows and junk
• fan_from_texas

  gorocks99 wrote:

  fan_from_texas wrote:something that is relatively easy, gets people talking, but then fades away.

  Sounds just like Lindsay Lohan! HEYYOOOOO

  A++++. Would read again.
• Sage

  

  Just get people to talk about themselves. All people love talking about themselves.
• sleeper

  

  gorocks99 wrote:

  fan_from_texas wrote:something that is relatively easy, gets people talking, but then fades away.

  Sounds just like Lindsay Lohan! HEYYOOOOO

  LOL
• cbus4life

  Turn it into a swingers party at the beginning. Should ease the tension and make everyone VERY comfortable with one another.
• fan_from_texas

  cbus4life wrote: Turn it into a swingers party at the beginning. Should ease the tension and make everyone VERY comfortable with one another.

  
  I believe my thread has officially failed.
  
  
• cbus4life

  Seriously, a game is usually a good way to go.
  
  I like the idea of having people try to guess the Christmas character on their back, we did that during our first program get-together in graduate school, and it worked great. Though, instead of Christmas characters, we did all sorts of random people, entertainment, academia, authors, artists, businessmen, etc.
• Fab4Runner

  

  http://www.diva-girl-parties-and-stuff.com/christmas-party-games.html
• tk421

  

  Sage wrote: Just get people to talk about themselves. All people love talking about themselves.

  Not all people. I don't like talking period.
• Cleveland Buck

  

  Hire a couple strippers.
• tk421

  

  I betcha those church folks are wilder than you think. I wouldn't give up on the booze just yet.
• Sage

  

  Also, Rufilin.
• nc52

  

  tell them its church wine
• burt07

  Yankeeeee swap.
• Woops

  Encourage the hot girls to make out.
  
  seriously...
• dwccrew

  

  cbus4life wrote: Turn it into a swingers party at the beginning. Should ease the tension and make everyone VERY comfortable with one another.

  I like this idea. Get a fish bowl and have all the men put their keys in it. Then the women pick out a set of keys.
  
  Seriously FFT, with your experience on JJ and here, what ideas did you expect to get? LOL
• hang_loose

  This is goofy but BINGO PARTENERS!!!! But on a blind draw for your partener.
• Firad

  

  Start with straight shots and then pop bottles!