Are you in charge of planning the office Christmas party this year? If you’re looking for some inspiration, you’ve come to the right place. In this blog post, we’ll share some of our favourite Christmas party ideas for workplaces. From festive games and activities to delicious food and drink recipes, we’ve got you covered. So get ready to get your jingle on!
- Holiday Bingo. Holiday Bingo is a game that encourages party guests to mingle. …
- Tree Decorating Competition. …
- Fully Hosted Virtual Holiday Party. …
- Gingerbread House Build-off. …
- Secret Hall Deckers. …
- Christmas Candy Bar or Cookie Bar. …
- Pet Party. …
- Merry Murder Mystery.
10 holiday parties for work ideas
Consider using these games and ideas at your upcoming office holiday party:
1. Coordinate a scavenger hunt
Making a scavenger hunt is an easy and inexpensive way to get your whole team involved in an activity. Consider distributing a scavenger hunt of objects around the office that guests can find throughout the party as the opening activity for your office holiday party. Encourage staff to use instant cameras at various locations around the office to take amusing pictures, collect stamps, or finish a fun task. Use a generic scavenger hunt template or modify it so that each item has a festive theme.
2. Collect goods for charity
A wonderful way to involve your team and improve the community is to host a food, clothing, or toy drive at your holiday party. Consider running a charity drive for a few weeks prior to the office holiday party to get your team excited or to compete to see which department can bring in the most items. Compiling your donation total at the conclusion of the event can inspire your team and bring them together over their shared good deed.
3. Hire an entertainer
Consider bringing in outside entertainment to make your company’s holiday party stand out. The presence of an entertainer can encourage staff members to attend and take advantage of the free, top-notch entertainment. Think about getting employees to pose with people dressed up in amusing costumes, or work with card dealers to set up a makeshift casino where visitors can play cards. Other ideas for office holiday party entertainment include:
4. Offer a variety of games
Make a schedule of joyful games with a holiday theme to keep your staff occupied at all times. It’s a good idea to mix up scheduled and ongoing games that guests can join or leave at any time during the celebration. Without having to spend time explaining difficult gameplay, you can make classic games festive by adding a holiday theme. For ideas, try including some of these games and activities:
5. Give out prizes with a raffle
Offer prizes that you’ll announce at the conclusion of the evening to give employees something to look forward to at your upcoming office holiday party. Giving out raffle tickets to all participants, giving out extra tickets to game winners, or asking staff members to donate a can of food in exchange for a raffle ticket are some ideas for ticket distribution. Depending on your budget, combine some practical little things with a more pricey gift as the centerpiece. Here are a few illustrations of holiday presents to put in your raffle:
6. Volunteer together
By incorporating a volunteer activity into your office holiday party, you can foster a sense of community. You can accomplish this by going off-site or by setting up a project that everyone can work on simultaneously on-site.
You could, for instance, assign your team to collaborate on the creation of straightforward fleece blankets to donate at the conclusion of the evening or holiday cards to send to deployed service members. By incorporating a volunteer event into your holiday party, you can give your team a shared activity to bond over while also inspiring them to embrace the season of giving.
7. Host a unique gift exchange
A traditional activity at office holiday parties is the gift exchange. Try giving a traditional gift exchange a creative twist by incorporating a theme or creating a special format for the exchange. Divide your staff into secret gift-exchange pairs, organize a bake-off, or use guessing games to decide who will receive which gift. Bring a few extra gifts so that everyone has something to open during the gift-opening.
8. Decorate cookies
Set up a cookie decorating station where guests can converse and take in holiday music while making designs with frosting and sprinkles. Set up a frosting station with a variety of colors and decorations, then prepare plain sugar cookies in amusing shapes like stars, pine trees, candy canes, gingerbread men, and snowflakes. You can allow your staff to bring their own cookies home or to trade them with one another during the celebration.
9. Create a potluck feast
Host a potluck during lunchtime by asking each member of your team to sign up to bring a dish they enjoy during the holiday season. You can supply a few snacks and beverages while letting employees decide what else to bring. Make a sign-up list with various categories and options for people with dietary restrictions to ensure that there is an equal distribution of sweet and savory dishes.
10. Set up a photo booth
Create a photo booth backdrop using wrapping paper, lights, and other festive elements so that staff members can take group photos to remember the event. While they wait for the camera to flash, your team can enjoy using festive props and posing in small groups. Employees can print out a holiday card from the photos they took at work or have a printer set up so they can print out all of their photos and take them home right away.
Why are holiday parties for work important?
Building a strong team and fostering a positive work environment require planning time for events like office holiday parties. To encourage a healthy work-life balance and give employees a chance to unwind on special occasions, it is important to schedule time for socializing and having fun.
Additionally, it enables staff members to get to know one another beyond the confines of their particular job duties. People from various teams and departments can get to know one another better, which can improve working relationships in general.
Tips for hosting a work holiday party
Try incorporating these fundamental suggestions into your planning process if you want to ensure the success of your upcoming office holiday party:
Ask your team for input
By seeking their opinions on the party, you can give your team the celebration they want. Make a survey to find out the activities your team has previously enjoyed and would like to see more of in the future. Request suggestions on the party’s theme or the kinds of favors to hand out. To choose the music for the holiday party, take into account asking your team to contribute to a shared playlist.
Be inclusive
When organizing your holiday party, keep in mind that your team members may observe various winter holidays or not at all. Include some secular winter activities in addition to those tied to particular holidays to make sure everyone feels welcomed and at ease.
Select a fun theme
Having a distinctive, particular theme can increase excitement among your staff, even though a general holiday theme can still make for a fun holiday party at work. When compared to typical office gatherings, having a pajama party, ugly sweater party, or another similar theme can increase team participation and make the event feel more special. Traditional holiday films or even holiday music can serve as excellent party themes.
Incorporate new activities
By providing different activities from previous holiday gatherings, keep your team interested. If at all possible, consider events from the past and consider the things you’ve already done. Make minor adjustments to yearly events to keep them interesting, and try to add a few entirely new games or crafts to the schedule.
Office Holiday Party Ideas: 3 ways to spice things up
FAQ
How do I make office Christmas party fun?
- Coordinate a scavenger hunt. …
- Collect goods for charity. …
- Hire an entertainer. …
- Offer a variety of games. …
- Give out prizes with a raffle. …
- Volunteer together. …
- Host a unique gift exchange. …
- Decorate cookies.
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?
The best holiday party games for work involve the majority of attendees, get your group talking, and help you create memories with your coworkers. Play traditional games like holiday-themed Pictionary and charades or try something new like a scavenger hunt or a competition to name a specific Christmas carol.
What do you do at a small business Christmas party?
- Everyone pitches in for a holiday potluck. …
- Cold cut sandwich platter or pizza. …
- Brunch (but later in the day) …
- A catered meal with a potluck dessert contest. …
- Food truck catering. …
- Low-cost food activities. …
- Classic catered reception (but with low-cost offerings)
