Activities and games to play at yearly holiday gatherings are office Christmas party ideas. For example, holiday-themed murder mysteries, card crafting, and storytime. These drills are meant to amuse visitors and spread holiday cheer. These gatherings are also referred to as “office Xmas parties,” “corporate holiday parties,” and “Corporate Christmas parties.” ”.
27 office holiday party ideas
The following list of 27 suggestions for games, activities, themes, and foods to include in your upcoming office holiday party:
1. Karaoke
A karaoke party can be a good time for your team to enjoy music together. A fun party activity is to rent one or more karaoke machines and take turns singing to your favorite songs. Think about adhering to a theme, like holiday music or retro tunes from a certain era.
2. Retro game day
It’s a great chance to play some traditional card or board games with your coworkers if you host a game day for them. Bring in your team’s favorite childhood game so that everyone can play it. Adding a little friendly competition to your party can keep your guests entertained and having fun.
3. Flashback snacks
Another way to incorporate a retro theme into your celebration is to ask guests to bring snacks from a specific era. For instance, you could serve your team only snacks with an 80s or 90s theme. This could be a fun chance to introduce your team to some of your favorite childhood snacks and create a memorable throwback atmosphere.
4. Holiday potluck
Ask each visitor to a holiday potluck to bring a dish to share with the group. Create a sign-up sheet so that each guest can choose to bring a special dish. Team members who don’t like to cook can still participate in the potluck by bringing serving utensils, plates, cups, and other serving supplies.
5. Hot chocolate bar
A hot chocolate bar can be a fun way to celebrate the holidays in your workplace during the winter. Your guests can select the type of hot chocolate they want to enjoy by choosing from flavors like milk, peppermint, or caramel. Allow guests to personalize their drinks by providing a variety of toppings like whipped cream, marshmallows, crushed peppermint, and sprinkles.
6. Rent a puppy
Some animal rescue groups provide the option to rent puppies, which they deliver to your workplace for your staff to play with and pet. The puppies gain by becoming accustomed to being around people, and your team gets to spend time with puppies as a result. Before planning this type of event, make sure no one on your team has any pet allergies or concerns about dogs.
7. Charity or volunteer event
A charity event or volunteer day for your organization can be great ways to break up the routine workday and make a difference in your community, even though they may not be traditional office parties. You can give back to your community by organizing a charity raffle at your annual holiday party or by volunteering in your neighborhood. There are numerous volunteer opportunities available, especially during the holiday season, to prepare food or purchase gifts for nearby charities.
8. Selfie station
By setting up a selfie station, you can give your guests the opportunity to capture memories of your holiday party. Include different background options for guests to use. Additionally, you can offer costume accessories like hats or wigs so that your visitors can accessorize before taking pictures.
9. Food truck
For the catering at your holiday party, think about using a food truck. In the warmer months, hosting a food truck in the office parking lot and inviting your team to have a picnic outside is a fun way to celebrate holidays. Additionally, working with a local operator of a food truck is a great way to support local businesses.
10. Cookie decorating
Decorating cookies can be a fun holiday party activity. Giving your team members a variety of cookie flavors in various shapes and providing them with embellishments like vibrant frosting and edible glitter allows them to use their imagination. You can also do a theme like decorating gingerbread houses.
11. Baking contest
Baking competitions are fun for contestants and judges. Encourage your office staff to sign up to bake their best dish, and ask those who don’t to serve as judges. Think about providing the contest winner with a prize, such as a gift card or special treat.
12. Donut delivery
Getting donuts delivered to your workplace is another fun food idea. To give your team a little treat while the office party is going on, you can either hire a donut food truck or place an order for them from a nearby bakery. By requesting donuts with seasonal themes or flavors, you can further enhance the festive atmosphere.
13. Company cooking class
An enjoyable team-building activity for a small group is taking a cooking class. Everyone can participate in the class by learning a new recipe and honing their cooking skills. This can serve as a fun diversion from the routine workday and a unique replacement for the standard office party.
14. Sporting event
A fun substitute for the standard office party is to take your coworkers to a sporting event. Games of basketball, football, or hockey are excellent events to attend in the fall and winter. When you watch a baseball or soccer game in the spring or summer, your group can go outside and spend the day supporting their preferred teams.
15. Arcade games
A fun office party activity is renting some vintage arcade gaming consoles or visiting an arcade. Your team can take part in classic video games that test their problem-solving skills, reflexes, and even their ability to cooperate to overcome obstacles. This might be entertaining for a boardwalk party theme in the summer or a good indoor activity in the winter.
16. Gift exchange
A holiday gift exchange is a classic office party activity. Assign your team members at random to purchase a gift for a teammate. Set a budget so that everyone is aware of the general amount to spend on a gift for their partner.
17. Movie night
A comfortable and enjoyable way to spend time with your coworkers is to host a movie night. Outside of working hours, you can host this party at someone’s house. This event can be made enjoyable and memorable by inviting everyone to come dressed in their favorite pajamas and by offering movie snacks like popcorn and pretzels.
18. Unwrapping game
The unwrapping game is an exciting and competitive activity. Give each of your party guests a wrapped present. Make them use oven mitts and have a race to see who can open their gift the quickest. Whoever unwraps their gift first earns a prize.
19. Costume party
Any time of the year, costume parties can be entertaining. Setting a theme, such as favorite TV characters or ugly holiday sweaters, inspires your guests to put together imaginative and thematic outfits. You could also hold a costume competition with prizes.
20. Ice skating
Another activity you can do with your coworkers is go ice skating. Outdoor skating rinks can be festive settings for a work party, depending on your region and the season. In warmer months, indoor ice skating rinks can be a fantastic alternative.
21. Bowling
Bowling can be a fun party activity for work teams that enjoy competition. Having your office party at a bowling alley enables everyone to unwind from the office and interact while having fun. Most bowling alleys also provide snacks and drinks to enjoy.
22. Escape room
Escape rooms are interactive puzzle games that demand cooperation from your team to overcome obstacles. They are an excellent choice for work teams because they promote collaboration and original problem-solving. This can be a good option for cold or hot months since the majority of escape rooms are located indoors.
23. Office superlatives
A creative and enjoyable way to appreciate your team members and acknowledge their unique qualities is by bestowing office superlatives. Giving distinctive prizes like “office best dressed” and “most likely to become the next CEO” is a good way to celebrate the distinctive qualities of each member of your team. These can be funny or genuine.
24. International potluck
Instead of the usual office potluck, ask each guest to bring a dish from a different nation. Each participant can be given a country at random, and then instructed to learn about that culture and produce a dish that reflects it. Everyone has the opportunity to experiment with new recipes and sample a wide variety of international cuisine.
25. Cafe crawl
Doing a cafe crawl with your team can be a great way to get everyone out of the office for the afternoon if you live in a neighborhood with a lot of cafes or coffee shops. Stop into some local cafes for drinks and baked treats. Sample different tea and coffee blends while supporting local businesses.
26. Dinner cruise
Purchase dinner cruise tickets for your team as a more upscale party option. In order to show your team how much you value their efforts, have a nice dinner together. Invite everyone to dress up and spend the holidays with you all.
27. Mystery party
Your office team can participate in a mystery party while having dinner or snacks and solving a mystery puzzle. This keeps visitors interested in the narrative as they cooperate to solve the mystery. Mystery parties are great for team-building.
Why have an office holiday party?
Office holiday parties are a wonderful way to celebrate a holiday while boosting team spirit and demonstrating your concern for your coworkers. A holiday party is a fun occasion for your office staff to unwind, spend time together, and form meaningful connections that enhance their interpersonal and teamwork skills. The members of your team may get to know one another better and forge solid working relationships when they spend time together outside of work.
Tips for planning an office holiday party
Here are some suggestions to take into account when organizing an office holiday party:
Choose a theme
You can make decisions and make sure your party is cohesive by using a central theme. Knowing your party’s theme makes it simpler to select activities, foods, and decorations that go with it. For instance, you might throw a party with the theme “snow day” that features a hot chocolate bar, a competition to see who can make the best snowman, and winter-themed decorations.
Set a budget
Making an appropriate budget will help you determine how much to spend on party supplies. You may have a larger or smaller budget to use depending on your office and the purpose of the party. It’s crucial to know how to balance your budget when hosting large gatherings so that you can secure the ideal location, prepare enough food for every guest, and provide games and entertainment that will appeal to a wide range of guests.
Account for guests dietary preferences
If you intend to serve food at your party, try to find out in advance about the dietary requirements and preferences of your attendees. When you work to accommodate guests’ dietary needs, you make them feel important. This includes visitors with allergies, food sensitivities, and other restrictions. Providing a variety of food options for all of your guests ensures that everyone can participate fairly.
Office Holiday Party Ideas: 3 ways to spice things up
FAQ
What do you do for an office Christmas party?
- DIY Ugly Christmas Sweater Party. …
- Setup a Whodunnit? …
- Volunteer Together. …
- Schedule a Painting or Craft Party. …
- Try to Escape an Escape Room. …
- Head to a Trampoline Park. …
- Explore Local Attractions. …
- Spend the Day at a Theme Park.
What can I do instead of a holiday work party?
- Take the Team Ice Skating or Sledding. …
- Host a Coat Drive. …
- Participate in a Holiday 5k Walk/Run. …
- Volunteer at a Local Food Bank. …
- Go Caroling. …
- Screen a Holiday Movie. …
- Vegetarian/Vegan Catered Meal or Potluck. …
- Host a Spa Day.
How do you make a working holiday party fun?
- Play holiday-themed charades.
- Set up a pin-the-nose-on-Rudolph game.
- Send guests on a scavenger hunt after dividing them into teams.
- Have a Christmas movie trivia contest.
- Build gingerbread houses, either individually or as teams.
