4 fun Christmas party ideas your friends will actually enjoy

Christmas isn't just a holiday for kids -- there are plenty of Christmas party ideas that adults can enjoy together.
Christmas is one of the most festive times of the year and most people associate it with Santa, presents and parties with their families. Want to throw a party for grown-ups this Christmas season? Try one of these four great ideas for Christmas parties that adults are bound to enjoy.

There's no better way to spice up a party than serving a few delicious cocktails. So, throw a fun and exciting Christmas party by mixing up specialty Christmas-themed cocktails. Gather favourite recipes from friends, family or online recommendations and always consider using ingredients that are unique to the season. Some ideas for Christmas-appropriate cocktails include peppermint schnapps with hot chocolate and cinnamon whiskey with hot tea.

Before a Secret Santa party, every guest is discretely given the name of another guest. Each guest then buys a present for her assigned party-goer. At the party, gifts are put into one large bag and then distributed to the guests they're intended for. Once the gift is opened, each guest has to guess the identity of their Secret Santa.

Another great way to celebrate the spirit of giving is to throw a holiday party for charity. Ask that each guest brings two cans of food as the price of entry to your party. At the end of the party, gather the cans and bring them to a local food bank or shelter. Be sure to call ahead to make sure the organization accepts donations.

The ugly holiday sweater party is quickly becoming a tradition. At an ugly sweater party, guests are required to wear an ostentatious, gaudy holiday sweater in order to attend. This gives guests a chance to shop at thrift stores, vintage stores and online for the ugliest Christmas sweaters they can find. At the party, everyone will have a blast laughing at the other guests' sweaters and taking hilarious photos. Make the ugly sweater party a contest by judging whose sweater is the ugliest. Prepare a small gift or stocking for the winner to take home as a reward.

The holidays are certainly a great chance to spend time with family, but they're also a great opportunity to have fun with friends. So pour a holiday cocktail or don your ugliest sweater and enjoy! Who knows, you might even be more energized and recharged when it comes time to enjoy family events.