• Make your Christmas party a costume party, too.christmas - new year party - red & green image by rgbspace from Fotolia.com
  
  Christmas may have started as celebration of the birth of Jesus in the Christian religions, but the holiday has evolved to encompass all manner of elements that broaden the appeal of the season to the secular world as well. Christmas parties are often seen as a "reason for the season," and coming up with an original Christmas costume idea is essential. Thankfully, all a person needs is a few boxes and some decorating supplies to bring smiles to the faces of party goers everywhere.
  
  

Present

• Everybody likes presents, especially at Christmas, and with a simple costume, you can make your presence the present. Simply find a large square box---the sort large appliances come in, like televisions, microwave ovens or home stereo systems---and make sure it's large enough to fit over your body and cover most of your torso. Cut out the bottom of the box completely, then cut out a hole from the top to allow for your head to pop out and holes on each side to allow for easy arm access.
  
  Decorate the box with festive wrapping paper and trim with ribbons and a large bow. Complete the costume with a large gift tag from Santa declaring that you are the best Christmas present ever. Come party time, slide the box over your head and stick your arms through the holes in the side.
  
  

Television Show

• Some of the most evocative memories of childhood Christmases come not just from times spent around a tree opening presents, but also from evenings spent sitting cross-legged in front of a television screen watching the yearly Christmas specials starring stop-motion versions of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman. You can hearken back to that time by becoming a living tribute to those shows. Take a large box big enough to fit over your head, then decorate it like an old-timey television with knobs and dials and a rabbit ear antenna. Cut a hole out of the bottom to allow the box to slip over your head, and cut out the screen portion to allow people to see your face "on the television." Dress all in black so as to not distract from your Christmas special, then act out your favorite scenes from those childhood shows. Memorize the lyrics of some of the best songs for maximum nostalgic impact.
  
  

Santa in a Sleigh

• Everyone who still believes in Santa Claus---or simply wants to recapture the fun of pretending to believe---knows the arrival of the red-suited one is the cause of much excitement at any holiday party. However, Santa costumes are easily found at party stores in most cities, so if you are going to rock the red coat and white beard, you have to come up with something that will distinguish you from the other wannabe Santas. An easy way to do this is to bring his sleigh. Take a very large box, like the kind that would house a refrigerator, and decorate it to look like Santa's sleigh. You can wear your Santa costume, then don the sleigh so that it aligns perpendicularly to your body, as though you are actually in the sleigh. Be sure to cut a large hole in the bottom side to fit your body, then another one on the adjacent side to fit the rest of your body. Use suspenders to hang the sleigh from your shoulders, and sling a red pack of "presents" across your back for party guests. Hilarity will ensue as you try to navigate the room with this huge sleigh, making you the most unforgettable Santa in the room.