Make Your Holiday Party with a Little Twist

Parties are an integral part of the holiday season, when friends and family gather to celebrate and give thanks. For holiday hosts, parties are a great opportunity to make the season even more festive with an event that guests won't soon forget. The following are just a few themes to make your holiday party as memorable as it is merry.

Christmas sweater party: Christmas sweater parties have grown in popularity over the last decade, when revelers have tried to outdo one another with the most outrageous holiday-themed sweater. Give prizes for the most outlandish sweater and let guests know early on so they can begin their hunt for a holiday sweater that's so ugly or outrageous you can't help but love it.

Christmas costume party: Costume parties aren't just for Halloween. This holiday season, consider making your holiday bash a costume party, encouraging guests to dress up as their favorite characters from holiday tales like "Frosty the Snowman," "A Christmas Carol" or any of the host of beloved holiday legends.

Caribbean Christmas: The weather come the holiday season may be the one thing to put a damper on the festivities. To combat blue feelings from potentially inclement weather, consider a Caribbean theme for your holiday party this season. Rather than wearing sweaters and long pants, wear beach attire and give the party a touch of the Caribbean. Outfit your home in beach decor and serve food and drinks reminiscent of the Caribbean instead of more traditional holiday fare like eggnog and gingerbread cookies.

Film festival: Holiday movies are another tradition of the season, so why not invite friends and family over for a holiday film marathon? Include classics like "It's a Wonderful Life" and "A Christmas Story" and encourage guests to submit their own favorites for consideration.

Christmas karaoke: For those who love to belt out their favorite holiday tunes, consider throwing a Christmas karaoke party that allows guests to perform their own renditions of their favorite Christmas carols. Purchase a home karaoke set and ask guests in advance of the party if there are any particular songs they'd like to perform.

Glassman as Scrooge is "the glue for a very large cast," he said, working with nearly 100 performers from the community. Many of the younger actors are making their Civic stage debut, he added, and he is enjoying their contribution.

By profession, Glassman is a general dentist in Allentown with a practice concentration in chronic pain management, joint dysfunctions and sleep disorders. His lectures extend nationally and internationally. His "second family" has been Civic Theatre, where he and his wife, Sharon, have been actively involved since 1975. He’s served as both a member of the board and as chair of the board of governors. He was the driving force behind the transition leading to Civic's 19th Street Movie Theatre operation.

Scrooge #3 One of Glassman's most memorable roles at Civic was playing Morrie Schwartz in Mitch Albom's best-selling memoir, "Tuesdays with Morrie." Others include Oscar in "The Odd Couple" and McMurphy in "One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest." But, he said, his most challenging role was portraying Roy Cohn in Tony Kushner’s "Angels in America." He still gets emotional in the recall.