Holiday party invitation messages for WhatsApp, with examples
A holiday party invitation on WhatsApp says what the party is, when and where it is, what to bring or wear, and asks guests to reply by a set date. For a December party, send it in early to mid November, before the month fills up. Below are eight messages you can copy for the office, family, friends, a club and a potluck.
By Junaid Siddiqui, founder of Avently · Updated 14 October 2026
What to include
- The party. Dinner, drinks, a potluck, games. Guests plan their evening, and their appetite, around it.
- Date and start time.Written in full: “Saturday 12 December, 7 pm”. Add an end time for a work party, so guests with a train or a babysitter can plan.
- Where. The full address, and parking or the nearest stop if it is not obvious.
- Bring or wear.A dish, a gift under a set amount, “festive sweaters welcome”. Leave it out if there is nothing to ask.
- The RSVP.A direct question and a date: “Can you let me know by Saturday 5 December?”
Eight holiday party invitation messages
1. Office holiday party
Hi everyone, you’re invited to our end-of-year holiday party on Friday 11 December, 5:30–8:30 pm, in the fourth-floor lounge. Food, drinks (with plenty of non-alcoholic options) and a few silly games. Everyone is welcome. Please reply by Friday 27 November and tell us about any dietary needs.
2. Family holiday dinner
Hi Auntie Rosa ❄️ We’re hosting the family holiday dinner at our place on Sunday 20 December from 5 pm. Could you let us know by Sunday 13 December if you can come, and how many of you? We can’t wait to see everyone. — Lucia & Mark
3. Friends’ holiday party
Holiday party at ours! 🎉 Saturday 12 December, 8 pm till late. Snacks, music and a very competitive quiz. Bring a friend if you like, just tell me when you reply. Let me know by Saturday 5 December if you’re in!
4. Christmas party
Hi Jess 🎄 Our Christmas party is on Saturday 19 December from 7 pm at 18 Birch Lane. Mulled wine, mince pies and a Secret Santa (gifts under $20). Festive sweaters encouraged. Can you let me know by Saturday 12 December if you’re coming?
5. New Year’s Eve party
Ring in 2027 with us! 🥂 New Year’s Eve, Thursday 31 December, from 9 pm at our place. Food, drinks and a countdown on the balcony. Please reply by Sunday 20 December so we can plan the food, and tell us if you’re bringing anyone.
6. A club’s end-of-year social
Hi Omar, the running club’s end-of-year social is on Thursday 10 December at 7 pm in the community hall. Food, a short look back at the year, and awards for the most dedicated runners. Please RSVP by Thursday 3 December so the committee can order the right amount of food.
7. Holiday potluck
Holiday potluck! 🍲 Sunday 13 December, 1 pm at Priya’s place. Bring a main, a side, a dessert or drinks, and tell me which when you reply by Sunday 6 December, so we don’t end up with six desserts.
8. Team holiday lunch
Hi team, let’s close out the year with a holiday lunch on Wednesday 16 December at 12:30, at the restaurant across the road. Everyone is welcome, whether or not you celebrate anything this month. Please reply by Wednesday 9 December with any dietary requirements.
Every example ends with a date. In December most guests have several invitations, and a date is what turns “maybe” into an answer. For more wording for the reply request, see how to politely ask guests to RSVP.
When to send, and when to follow up
- Invite in early to mid November.For a party in December, that is three to five weeks ahead. Work parties and New Year’s Eve plans get booked earliest.
- Set the RSVP date about a week before. Enough time to order food and drinks, and to chase anyone who has not answered.
- Allow for travel. Many guests go away over the holidays. For a party in the last week of December, ask about plans in the invitation, so a guest who will be out of town can say no early.
- Remind once or twice at most. Two or three days before the RSVP date, only to the guests who have not replied. Wording for that is in RSVP reminder messages.
Asking about food
Holiday parties are built around food and drink, and a work or club party will have a wide mix of needs. Ask as part of the RSVP, with a short list and a “none” option, so you can tell no requirements apart from no answer.
Any dietary requirements? Vegetarian, vegan, halal, kosher, gluten-free, allergies, or none.
Ask only the guests who are coming. A guest who says no should not have to answer a food question. More on the wording is in collecting dietary requirements.
Keeping an office invitation inclusive
December holds Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and the New Year, and some colleagues mark none of them. A work invitation that assumes one holiday leaves some people wondering whether it is meant for them. A few choices make the difference.
- Name it for the season.“Holiday party” or “end-of-year party” invites the whole team.
- Say everyone is welcome.One line, “whether or not you celebrate”, answers the question before anyone asks it.
- Plan food and drink for everyone. Non-alcoholic drinks that are more than water, and food for the dietary needs your team gives you.
- Keep it optional and in reach. During or straight after working hours suits colleagues with long commutes or caring duties.
Send it to each guest, not the group
Posting one invitation in the team or family group feels quicker, but the replies arrive mixed into the conversation, and the people who never open the group never see it. Sending each guest their own message gets you one clear answer from each. Doing that by hand for a long list is where the time goes, which is what collecting RSVPs over WhatsApp covers in more detail.
How this works in Avently
- Step 01
Each guest gets their own invitation
Avently sends every guest a WhatsApp message addressed to them by name, with your event name and date, and Yes and No buttons. Add your own holiday card as the invitation image. Guests who say yes get a link to an event page with the venue, a map link and add-to-calendar buttons.
- Step 02
The yeses answer your follow-up questions
Guests who say yes are asked your questions, such as dietary needs or what they will bring, with options to tap. Guests who say no are thanked and not asked anything else.
- Step 03
You see the headcount as it comes in
Every answer lands in your guest list as it arrives. From the dashboard you can remind the guests who have not replied, at most twice each.
Common questions
What should a holiday party invitation say?
What the party is (a dinner, drinks, a potluck), the date and start time, the address, anything guests should bring or wear, and a clear request to reply by a set date. For a work or club party, add a line asking for dietary needs.
When should I send invitations for a December holiday party?
In early to mid November. December weekends fill up fast with work parties, family plans and travel, so an invitation that arrives a month ahead gets a place in the calendar before the other invitations do. Set the RSVP date about a week before the party.
Should an office party be called a holiday party or a Christmas party?
At work, “holiday party” or “end-of-year party” is the safer choice, because colleagues celebrate different holidays or none. Among family and friends who all celebrate Christmas, call it a Christmas party. What matters most is that everyone at work feels the invitation includes them.
How do I word an inclusive office holiday party invitation?
Call it a holiday or end-of-year party, say that everyone is welcome, mention non-alcoholic drinks and food options, and ask for dietary needs with a list that includes vegetarian, vegan, halal, kosher, allergies and none. Keep the party optional and hold it during or just after working hours.
Is it OK to send a holiday party invitation on WhatsApp?
Yes, for family, friends, clubs and most workplaces where people already message each other on WhatsApp. Send each guest their own message rather than posting in a group, so every answer comes back to you and nobody’s reply is lost in the chat.
How do I ask guests what to bring to a holiday potluck?
Ask in the invitation and give categories: “Can you bring a main, a side, a dessert or drinks?” Ask guests to tell you which when they reply, so you do not end up with six desserts and no mains.
Avently sends your holiday party invitation to each guest on WhatsApp, collects the headcount and the food answers, and reminds only the guests who have not replied.
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