More Americans are hosting at home, and casual get-togethers are growing fastest. The 2026 At-Home Entertaining Report from HomePage News, published by the International Housewares Association, found that 57% of consumers hosted a casual gathering in the past year, up from 47% in 2025, with Gen Z the most likely to host more often.
What's trending
Home is becoming the party venue of choice. The 2026 At-Home Entertaining Report from HomePage News, a service of the International Housewares Association, found that consumers are hosting more celebrations at home and plan to keep doing so.
- 57% hosted a casual gathering in the past year, up from 47% in 2025.
- 58% hosted an occasion-based gathering, up from 49%.
- Over the next 12 months, 12% expect to host "much more often" and 16% "somewhat more often."
- Among holidays, Thanksgiving leads at 66%, followed by Christmas and Hanukkah at 59%.
Why it's resonating
Younger adults are driving the change. In the report, 22% of Gen Z respondents expect to host much more often and 25% somewhat more often, up from 16% and 19% in 2025.
The reasons are practical as well as personal. Spending time with loved ones was the top motivation (51%), followed by marking celebrations (37%) and affordability (31%). That last point fits a wider 2026 picture, with Omnisend reporting that half of US shoppers say rising grocery costs make holiday hosting stressful. The report also found that 31% call cleanup the hardest part of hosting, a big reason casual formats are so appealing.
What it means for Christmas gatherings
Put those findings together and the 2026 Christmas party looks relaxed, affordable and easy to clean up after. A Christmas pajama party ticks every box: guests come as they are, the food can be cocoa and cookies, and the main event is a movie on the couch. It works for families with young kids, groups of friends and multigenerational gatherings alike.
Hosts are keeping the planning casual too, often texting a digital invitation instead of mailing cards. A hand-painted Christmas pajama party invitation you can edit in Canva is one example of that approach, with a phone-sized version for the group chat and a 5x7 version to print.
The bottom line
The data points to one clear shift: Americans want to gather at home more often, with less formality and less fuss. Expect this Christmas season to be full of cozy, casual get-togethers, and fewer big, expensive productions.