A tree trimming party is one of the easiest December gatherings to host. The tree is the activity, the decorations are the décor, and the food can be as simple as cocoa and cookies. Guests come over, hang ornaments, untangle lights, and leave with the feeling that they helped start the season.
This guide covers what to put on a tree trimming party invitation, wording you can copy for friends, families and kids, timing, and a few ideas that make the night feel special. For more December party ideas, see our Christmas invitation guides. To build one in a few minutes, try the video invitation maker.
What Is a Tree Trimming Party?
A tree trimming party, also called a tree decorating party, is a get-together where guests help decorate the host’s Christmas tree. It usually happens the weekend after Thanksgiving or in early December, right after the tree goes up. Some hosts keep it small with close friends; others make it an open-door evening for neighbors and families.
The common thread is a shared task. Guests often bring an ornament, someone handles the lights, and the night ends with turning the tree on for the first time.
What to Include on the Invitation
- Date and time. Early evening works well: 5 to 8 pm for families, 7 to 10 pm for adults.
- Address and any parking or entry notes.
- What to bring. An ornament, a favorite cookie, or nothing at all. Say which.
- Who is invited. Kids welcome or adults only, partners, roommates.
- The plan. Decorating, cocoa, carols, a movie after. One line is enough.
- RSVP date. A few days before, so you know how many mugs and cookies you need.
Tree Trimming Party Invitation Wording
For friends
- “The tree is up and very naked. Help us fix that! Tree trimming party, Saturday, December 6, 7 pm. Bring an ornament and your best carol.”
- “Lights, tinsel and terrible Christmas music. Come trim the tree with us on Friday, December 5, at 7. Cocoa and cookies provided.”
- “We have a tree, three boxes of ornaments and zero plan. Join us Saturday at 6 to make it look good.”
For family
- “Our family tree trimming is back! Sunday, November 30, from 4 to 7 pm at Grandma’s. Bring an ornament that means something to you.”
- “Help us decorate the tree and kick off the season together. Saturday, December 6, at 5 pm. Dinner after.”
For a kids’ tree decorating party
- “Calling all elves! Help us decorate our tree on Saturday, December 13, from 3 to 5 pm. We’ll make ornaments, drink cocoa and turn on the lights together.”
- “Little decorators wanted. Bring your kids, we’ll bring the paper chains and glitter (sorry in advance).”
For neighbors or an open house
- “Stop by between 6 and 9 pm on Friday to help trim our tree and have a cup of mulled cider. Come for a few minutes or stay all night.”
If you want guests to drop in over a few hours, our holiday open house invitations guide has more drop-in wording. For a bigger wording bank, see Christmas party invitation wording.
How to Plan the Night
- Put the tree up and the lights on before guests arrive. Lights are the fiddly part and best done by one person. Leave the ornaments for the party.
- Set out the ornaments in boxes by type: glass, kid-safe, handmade. Keep fragile heirlooms for yourself.
- Have a soundtrack. A carol playlist, or a speaker someone can control.
- Plan one moment: the star or tree topper, then turning off the room lights to see the tree lit up.
- Keep food easy. Hot cocoa bar, cookies, popcorn, a cheese board, or a pot of chili for a longer evening.
Two to three hours is plenty. Most of the decorating takes about an hour, and the rest is eating and talking around the tree.
A Sample Timeline
For a 7 to 10 pm party with about a dozen adults:
- 6:30 pm: lights already on the tree, ornaments sorted, cocoa warming, playlist on.
- 7:00 pm: guests arrive, hang their coats and get a drink. Ask each person to hang the ornament they brought first.
- 7:30 pm: the main decorating push. Hand out boxes by type so the glass goes high and the kid-safe ornaments go low.
- 8:15 pm: the tree topper, then lights off in the room for the first full look. This is the photo moment.
- 8:30 pm onward: food, dessert, a carol or a holiday movie in the background.
For kids, compress the same plan into about two hours, start earlier, and do the topper before anyone gets tired.
How Much Food and Drink
A tree trimming is a grazing party, not a dinner. Plan roughly two mugs of cocoa or cider per guest over the evening, four to six cookies or small sweets each, and one savory option such as a cheese board, chili or sliders if the party runs past dinnertime. If you invite guests to bring cookies, you only need to cover drinks and one savory dish. Say on the invitation whether dinner is included, so nobody arrives hungry expecting a meal.
Ideas That Make It Memorable
- Ornament exchange. Each guest brings a wrapped ornament and leaves with a different one.
- Ornament-making table. Salt dough, paper snowflakes, popcorn and cranberry garlands. Great for kids.
- Name the ornament. Write the year and the guest’s name on the back of the ornament they bring, so it comes out every December.
- Cocoa bar. Marshmallows, peppermint, whipped cream and cinnamon. Our hot cocoa party invitations guide has more ideas.
- Cookie decorating. Pair the tree with a cookie table; see our Christmas cookie decorating party invitations guide.
Sending the Invitation
Tree trimming parties are usually planned a week or two out, so a text or WhatsApp message is the natural way to invite. A video invitation turns that message into something people look forward to opening.
With TwistInvite, you pick a Christmas design in the app, add the date, address and what to bring, and include a photo of last year’s tree or a short video if you like. Share the link by WhatsApp or SMS. Guests open it in their browser and answer Going, Can’t make it or Maybe, without an app or account, and you can ask how many people are coming. The replies show up in the app.
Send the invitation one to two weeks ahead for friends and family, or two to three weeks for a busy weekend in December. More timing advice is in when to send party invitations.
Picking a Style
- Cozy and classic: fireplaces, stockings, warm lights. Good for family.
- Playful: animals, snow, bright colors. Good for kids and casual friends.
- Pink and pastel: a modern take that suits a girls’ night or a first apartment tree.
Ready to invite your decorators? Open the Christmas designs in TwistInvite, or browse our holiday party invitation templates. For a more relaxed get-together, see our cozy Christmas party invitations guide.
More Tree Decorating Party Wording for 2026
Extra copy-ready wording for specific situations this season, plus the 2026 dates. Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26, 2026, so most tree trimming parties fall between November 28 and mid-December.
Quick Answer: How to Word a Tree Decorating Party Invitation
Say it’s a tree trimming or decorating party, give the date, time and place, and tell guests whether to bring an ornament, a snack or nothing. Copy one:
Help us trim the tree! 🎄 Saturday, December 5 at 6 pm. Cocoa, cookies and Christmas music. Bring an ornament if you’d like to leave your mark.
Tree Trimming Party: Sunday, November 29, 4–7 pm. We have the tree, the lights and the snacks. We just need you.
Our tree is naked and needs help. Decorating party Friday the 4th at 7. Ugly sweaters encouraged.
When to Host in 2026
- Weekend after Thanksgiving (Nov 28–29): popular for families who put the tree up right away.
- First weekend of December (Dec 5–6): the most common choice for friend groups.
- December 12–13: works for families who wait for a fresh tree or travel early.
Send invitations two to three weeks ahead, so early to mid-November.
Tree Decorating Party Invitation Wording
Classic
Tree Trimming Party
Saturday, December 5, 2026 · 6 to 9 pm
The Parkers’ · 22 Maple Lane
Lights, ornaments, cocoa and carols. Please RSVP by November 28.
Bring an ornament
Come trim the tree and bring one ornament that means something to you. We’ll hang them all and share the stories. Sunday, December 6 at 5.
Ornament exchange
Tree trimming + ornament swap! Bring one wrapped ornament ($15 limit) and leave with a new one. Saturday, December 12 at 7.
Family and kids
Kids’ tree decorating party! Saturday, November 28, 2–4 pm. Paper chains, popcorn garland and a cookie table. Parents stay for coffee.
Funny
We bought a tree bigger than our ceiling. Please come help. Decorating party Saturday at 6.
Untangling lights is a team sport. Join the team: Friday, December 4 at 7.
First tree in a new home
Our first tree in the new place! Help us decorate on Sunday, November 29 at 4. Housewarming and tree trimming in one.
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Wording for Specific Situations
Small apartment, small tree
Tiny tree, big party. Help us decorate our 4-foot tree on Friday at 7. Space is cozy, so RSVP soon.
Office lobby tree
Help decorate the office tree on Monday, November 30 at 3 pm. Bring an ornament that represents your team.
Grandparents and family tradition
Every year we decorate Grandma’s tree together. This year it’s Sunday, December 6 at 2. Bring the kids and your appetite.
Short Texts and Reminders
Tree trimming at ours Saturday at 6! Reply if you can make it 🎄
Reminder: bring your ornament for the swap tomorrow. Cocoa will be hot.
Running late? Come anyway. The star goes on at 8.
Reminder, Change and Thank-You Messages
Tomorrow is tree night! Bring your ornament, wear something comfy and come hungry.
Our tree delivery is late, so we’re moving the party to Sunday at 5. Same plan, same cocoa.
Thank you for helping trim the tree! Every time we see your ornament we’ll think of you.
The photo from last night is in the group chat. Best-looking tree we’ve ever had.
Safety Note to Add for Real Trees
If you’re decorating a fresh tree, water it before guests arrive, keep candles well away from the branches and turn the lights off when the party ends. A short line such as “We’ll keep real candles away from the tree” reassures parents of small children.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Leaving the lights for the party, then spending the whole night untangling them.
- Not saying whether to bring an ornament, so half the guests do and half don’t.
- Hosting too late in the evening for families with young kids.
- Forgetting to put fragile heirlooms out of reach of small children.
- Sending invitations the week of, when December weekends are already booked.
More holiday guides: Christmas party ideas for adults · Holiday party save the date · Christmas cookie decorating party invitations · Christmas party invitation wording
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a tree trimming party?
A get-together where guests help the host decorate the Christmas tree, usually with cocoa, cookies and music, in late November or early December.
What do you bring to a tree trimming party?
An ornament is the classic gift. Some hosts also ask guests to bring cookies or a snack. Follow what the invitation says.
When should I have a tree trimming party?
Right after the tree goes up, usually the weekend after Thanksgiving or the first two weekends of December.
How long should a tree trimming party last?
Two to three hours. The decorating takes about an hour; the rest is food and conversation.
What should a tree trimming party invitation say?
The date, time and address, what to bring, whether kids are invited, a one-line plan for the night and an RSVP date.
Should guests bring an ornament?
It’s optional but fun. Ask them to bring one to hang or to swap, and say so on the invitation.
What food do you serve at a tree trimming party?
Easy finger food: cookies, popcorn, sliders, a cheese board and a hot cocoa or mulled wine bar.
Create it in the TwistInvite app
Download free on iPhone or Android, then share one link with your guests.