12 Must-Try December Events to Delight Your Residents
Looking for fresh and festive ways to boost resident retention and create memorable experiences in your apartment community this winter season? In this episode of The Multifamily Mix, I’m sharing 12 creative resident event ideas perfect for engaging residents and simplifying your multifamily marketing strategy. From elegant galas to grab-and-go treats, these ideas are designed to help property managers and leasing teams strengthen connections, foster loyalty, and make your community the place everyone loves to call home!
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Winter Regency Ball - Three Ways
Step into a world of elegance this winter with a “Winter Regency” theme! Embrace the sophistication and charm of Regency-era festivities (think Bridgerton!), complete with formal gatherings, refined treats, and a touch of winter magic. These events invite residents to celebrate the season with a regal twist, whether attending a grand party, grabbing delightful treats, or enjoying virtual fun from home.
(1) Winter Regency Frosted Ball
Host an enchanting winter ball that immerses residents in the elegance of a Regency-inspired evening. Picture sparkling lights, grand décor, a Regency-style photo booth, and cozy lounge areas, all set to the sounds of soft classical music to create an unforgettable ambiance.
(2) Grab & Go: Snowflake Winter Treats
If a grand ball doesn’t fit your schedule, offer something time-friendly and quick. For those on the go, set up a table of elegant winter-themed treats for a sweet grab-and-go experience.
Curate your treats: Offer winter-themed/white treats like macarons, vanilla meringues, and white chocolate truffles; the list is endless.
Package them up in gift bags or mini boxes with white or silver ribbon to give a polished, wintery look.
(3) Go Virtual - “Caption This” Contest
Bring the fun online with a Regency-themed caption contest! Post winter-themed Regency images and encourage residents to create clever captions.
Choose fun images like a couple dancing at a winter ball or a snowy estate.
Ask residents to add funny clever captions (e.g., “What is the Duke whispering?” or “What’s the Dowager Countess thinking as she gazes out?”).
Encourage interaction: Let residents vote on the best captions, and offer small prizes for the funniest or most creative responses.
This creates a fun and interactive way for residents to connect, even from afar.
Members: Grab your pre-made digital graphics to make this event easy and breezy!
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4. Bark and Biscuits Gingerbread
Get ready for a unique twist on the traditional gingerbread house decorating competition—designed especially for our four-legged friends! This festive event invites residents to construct and decorate gingerbread houses with a playful twist: they’re all for the dogs.
Build & Decorate: Set up stations where residents can create gingerbread dog houses using dog-friendly “frosting” and edible decorations just for pups.
Pet-Friendly Treat Station: Add a special treat table with a variety of safe, tasty snacks for the resident pups to sample.
Judge & Award: Add some friendly competition by having a panel of judges (maybe even the dogs themselves!) select winners for categories like “Most Creative” or “Best in Show.”
5. Frost and Frosting Event
Ti’s the season for cookie decorating and cookie exchange parties. Bring a little sweetness to your residents’ winter season with a hands-on cookie decorating event.
With sugar cookies in seasonal shapes, frosted icings in cool winter colors, and plenty of festive sprinkles, this event is all about creativity and connection. Perfect for all ages, this activity lets residents design their own delicious treats to share, give, or enjoy themselves.
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6. Brownie Bar Take and Bake
Sweeten your residents with these dessert events featuring a brownie take-and-bake station where residents can craft the perfect brownie mix to enjoy at home.
Choose toppings: Set up a toppings station with festive mix-ins like crushed candy canes, chocolate chunks, and marshmallows so residents can customize their brownies.
Take home & bake: Provide each resident with a baking kit that includes their chosen mix-ins, brownie mix, and instructions for baking at home.
7. Winter Workshop Craft Stations
Invite residents to a cozy Winter Workshop where they can make seasonal crafts, wrap gifts, and snap a festive photo or two.
This event includes several fun stations (pick one or all three!) that allow residents to get crafty and enjoy a relaxed, seasonal atmosphere. It’s a one-stop shop for all things crafts, creating an inviting space for residents to come together and get creative.
Card Bar: Set up a station with cards, stamps, and embellishments so residents can make their own festive cards.
Wrapping Station: Provide wrapping paper, ribbons, and tags for residents to wrap their gifts in style.
Photo Booth: Add a winter-themed photo booth with props so residents can capture seasonal memories.
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8. Frosty Frenzy Games
Snowball fight, anyone? Host a day of fast-paced fun with indoor Winter Games, inspired by classic winter activities, featuring Minute to Win It-style challenges that bring out residents’ competitive spirit.
Members, we’ve given you the instructions and event invites for these and more:
Snow Shovel Race: Give each participant a spoon or small shovel to carry cotton balls in a relay race.
Cup Tower Knockdown: Stack cups in a tower and let residents knock them down with soft “snowballs.”
Snowball Fight: Wrap up the fun with an indoor snowball fight using soft white balls.
9. Candy Cane Lollipops
Make winter treats easy and fun with peppermint marshmallow lollipops, perfect for a quick snack or a festive party treat.
Stick peppermint candy canes into marshmallows and freeze for 15 minutes.
Microwave a few pieces of chocolate melting chips.
Dip a frozen pop into the chocolate, covering half of your marshmallow and immediately sprinkle or roll it in crushed peppermint.
10. Virtual Super Ugly Contest
Encourage some winter fun with a virtual Ugly Socks & Sweater Contest, where residents can showcase their tackiest looks from the comfort of their homes!
Highlight special dates like National Sock Day (Dec 4) and Ugly Sweater Day (Dec 20) to boost participation or run the contest throughout December. Residents can post photos of their wildest socks and sweaters and vote for their favorites in a fun, interactive online contest.
11. Shake It Up Mixology Party
Shake up the season with a fun DIY cocktail and mocktail class, perfect for residents looking to learn festive drink recipes.
Learn & Mix: Host a mixologist to demonstrate how to create a variety of festive cocktails and mocktails.
DIY Stations: Set up stations with all the ingredients and drink recipes for residents to try making their favorite drinks.
Take Home: Provide recipe cards or mini ingredient kits so residents can recreate the drinks at home.
12. Champage & Confections
Start the New Year with a sparkling “Champagne & Confections” gathering, a mix-and-mingle event that combines festive drinks and delectable desserts.
