Elegant Christmas Party Invitations: 20+ Lines and Video Designs for a Dressed-Up Evening

An elegant Christmas party invitation is short and dressed up: the host's name, "the pleasure of your company", the date and time written out, the place, a clear dress code such as "festive cocktail attire" or "black tie", and a reply-by date. Below are 20+ lines for galas, formal dinners and dressy work parties, each paired with a video design.

Looking for something cozier or funnier? We have separate guides for cozy Christmas party invitations and funny Christmas party invitations. For the basics of any Christmas party invite, start with our Christmas party invitation ideas and wording guide.

Featured TwistInvite DesignsElegant Christmas InvitationsBrowse ballroom, candlelight and dinner designs in the app, add your event details and a video message, and share one link guests RSVP to in their browser. Featured TwistInvite DesignChristmas invitation designsPersonalize a design in the TwistInvite app and share one link. Guests can RSVP in the browser, no account needed.Explore Invitations →

What Makes a Christmas Invitation Read "Elegant"

• Fewer words. Elegant wording is short. Puns and exclamation marks read casual.
• A request line: "request the pleasure of your company" or "invite you to an evening of". "Join us" works for modern elegance.
• Date and time in full, with an end time or "until late" so guests can plan.
• A real dress code. "Festive cocktail attire", "black tie optional" or "black tie". Avoid "dress fancy".
• What the evening is: a seated dinner, cocktails and canapés, a dance, carols by the piano.
• Who's invited, by name, and a reply-by date. Elegant parties are usually catered, so numbers matter.

Quick Picks

Christmas Galas and Black-Tie Balls

Traditional

Modern elegant

Champagne, a string quartet and the tallest tree in town.
Join us for a Christmas Gala, Saturday, December 19, from 8 p.m. until midnight.
Black tie. Please reply by December 5.

Pair it with: Christmas Gala Ballroom. A lit ballroom with towering trees, a grand piano and guests in red gowns and black tie, under "Christmas Gala" in gold script. The lettering names the event, so it works for galas and balls rather than small dinners.

An Evening With Music and Dancing

Pair it with: Christmas Ballroom Waltz. Seen from above, a couple waltzes across a marble floor, her red gown sweeping out, beside a gold-lit tree under a navy arched ceiling and "Merry Christmas" in gold. Best for a dressy party with dancing.

Candlelit Cocktails and Carols

Pair it with: Christmas Candlelight Piano. A grand piano with sheet music, candles along the keys and a glowing tree in a wood-paneled room, with "Merry Christmas" across the top. Best for a cocktail evening with music, or a carol party.

Formal Christmas Dinners at Home

Pair it with: Christmas Moonlit Dinner. A long table set with red wine, garlands and wrapped gifts in pastel paper, with a moonlit window and "Merry Christmas" above. It's softer and more whimsical than the ballroom designs, so it suits an elegant dinner at home that still feels warm. For more dinner wording, see Christmas dinner invitation wording.

Dressy Work Christmas Parties

For office-specific etiquette (plus-ones, budgets, non-religious wording), see our office Christmas party invitations guide.

Dress Code Lines

Short Versions for a Text

• Christmas Gala, Sat Dec 19, 8 p.m., black tie. Your invitation: [link]
• Carols and cocktails by candlelight, Dec 12, 6–9. Dress festive. [link]
• Christmas dinner at ours, Sat Dec 19, drinks at 7. Reply here: [link]
• An evening of dancing, Fri Dec 18. Please RSVP by Dec 10: [link]

Tricky Lines, Said Elegantly

• Adults only: "An evening for grown-ups. We hope you'll enjoy a night off."
• No plus-one: "We've reserved a place in your name."
• No gifts: "Your company is the only gift we'd like."
• End time: "Cocktails from seven until ten."
• Seated dinner: "As dinner is seated, we'd be grateful for your reply by December 10."

Say It in a 15-Second Video Message

"Good evening. On December nineteenth we're dressing up, lighting every candle and celebrating the season with the people we love. We'd be delighted if you'd join us. Black tie. Details are in the invitation."

In the App you can hold to record it, upload a photo of last year's tree or your table, and import a piece of music, such as a piano carol, as the audio.

When to Send

December weekends fill fast, so send a little earlier than you would the rest of the year.

How to Send It as a Video Invitation

1. Pick one of the designs above in the TwistInvite App, where invitations are created and edited.
2. Add your event details, your own photos, video or audio, and a hold-to-record message.
3. Share the link by text message (SMS) or in any chat, with your chosen wording as the message.
4. Guests open it in their browser and answer Going, Can't make it or Maybe without an app or account; you follow replies in the App.

The free plan includes 3 events a month, free templates, RSVP tracking and 15-second video messages. Premium is $2.99 a week, $8.99 a month or $39.99 a year (USD; the App Store sets local prices). Open the TwistInvite App to browse elegant Christmas designs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should an elegant Christmas party invitation say?

The host, a request line such as "request the pleasure of your company", the date and time in full, the place, a clear dress code, what the evening is and a reply-by date.

What does festive cocktail attire mean?

Cocktail attire with a seasonal touch: a suit with a festive tie or pocket square, or a cocktail dress in velvet, sequins, red or green.

How far in advance should I send an elegant Christmas party invitation?

Four weeks for a dinner or cocktail party and six to eight weeks for a gala. Send a little earlier than usual because December weekends fill quickly.

Is it OK to send a formal Christmas invitation by text?

Yes. Keep the formal wording, send it with the same lead time as paper and add a personal call or message for your most important guests.

Do guests need an app to RSVP?

No. Guests open the link in any browser and answer Going, Can't make it or Maybe without downloading anything or creating an account.