The holidays are for your people
November and December fill up fast. Work parties, family dinners, a calendar that suddenly has no room in it. Somewhere in there is the get-together you actually look forward to: the one with your besties, your sisters, the people you have been meaning to see all year.
These are the best holiday group ideas we have seen work, from Friendsgiving to Christmas. Every one of them is something you do together, not side by side, and every one of them can happen with the whole spa reserved for your group. Robes on, warm towels, a long scalp massage, bubbly in the lounge, and nobody there but the people you love.
1. Friendsgiving, minus the dishes
Most Friendsgiving ideas end the same way: someone hosts, someone cooks too much, and the host spends the afternoon in the kitchen. Flip it. Start the day at the spa, give thanks for your people over snacks and drinks in the lounge, and let everyone take a turn being taken care of for once.
Head to someone's place for the potluck afterward, hair freshly washed and blown out, shoulders loose, everyone in a better mood than they arrived in. It is the Friendsgiving the host finally gets to enjoy too.
2. A Christmas get-together that isn’t another dinner reservation
If your group's tradition is "pick a restaurant and try to hear each other over the table next to you," this is the year to change it. A private spa day gives you the whole space and time to actually talk between treatments.
Of all the Christmas party ideas for adults, this is the one nobody has to dress up for, travel far for, or clean up after. Christmas sweaters in the photos are encouraged.
3. The gift exchange where the gift is the day
White elephant is fun until someone goes home with a fourth candle. Do the exchange in the lounge before treatments start, then let the real gift be the afternoon itself. Or skip the exchange entirely: everyone chips in for the guest of honor, and everyone still gets the full experience.
Whoever organizes it gets a cake moment for their guest of honor, too. That part is on us.
4. The home-for-the-holidays reunion
November and December are the only time of year when everyone is back in town at once. College roommates, cousins, the group chat that never quite manages to meet up. Pick a date, send one link, and get your favorite people in one room for a couple of hours.
We are on the second floor of Artesia City Plaza, right on the Long Beach / Orange County border: about twelve minutes from Long Beach, eight from Cerritos and ten from Lakewood. Easy for everyone to meet in the middle.
5. The office holiday party your team will actually want
Most office holiday party ideas come down to a catered lunch in the conference room. For a smaller team of five to ten, a reserved spa day is the thank-you people remember: everyone is out of the office, off their phones and genuinely relaxed by the end.
It works especially well for teams who spend the whole season on their feet or on deadline. Bring your team, we handle the rest.
6. The holiday photo everyone actually likes
Every guest gets a VIP robe and slippers, and leaves with freshly washed, conditioned and blown-out hair. The group photo at the end is the one that makes it onto everyone's holiday card. No filter required.
7. The year-end reset
Not every holiday get-together needs a theme. Sometimes the best idea is simply closing out the year together, rested and glowing, before January asks everything of you again. Make it the first annual. Your group will hold you to it.
What a holiday group spa day at Lavie Bella looks like
Our Holiday Group Special is a private group spa day for 5 to 10 guests, with the entire spa reserved for your group: no strangers, no shared space.
Every guest gets the full 75-minute Gold head spa: scalp analysis, shoulder and neck massage, hot towel, organic wash, deep conditioning and a light blow dry, plus VIP extras (mini facial, mineral foot bath and a relaxing scalp massage). Snacks and drinks are set out for everyone (with a 21+ celebratory option), and your guest of honor gets a cake presentation.
How it flows: we rotate guests through treatment while the rest of the group relaxes together in the lounge. Plan on about two and a half hours from start to finish.
The holiday price: $110 per guest instead of our regular $125 group rate. Pick any open date through December 27, and the holiday price applies when your reservation is made before December 2. Holiday dates go first, so lock yours in early.
How to reserve: choose your group size, pick your date from the live calendar, and hold it with a deposit. The balance is paid at your visit.
Quick answers
What is a good holiday party idea for a small group? A private group spa day. At Lavie Bella, 5 to 10 guests reserve the entire spa, every guest gets the 75-minute Gold head spa, and the group relaxes together in the lounge between treatments.
How long does a holiday group spa day take? About two and a half hours for the 75-minute Gold experience, because guests rotate through treatment while the rest of the group relaxes together.
How much does it cost? The Holiday Group Special is $110 per guest (regularly $125) when your reservation is made before December 2, for any open date through December 27.
How far ahead should we book? As early as you can. Holiday dates go first, and many groups lock in their date a month or more ahead so everyone can make it.
— Lavie Bella Head Spa · Artesia