Planning the office Christmas party this year and running dry on fun and unique ideas that will cover all of the different personality types in your office? The holiday office party is a staple in in most of corporate America. If you've run out of themes and ideas that haven't been used one hundred times before, don't fret! We have cataloged some of the best company holiday party ideas for you here! Below are some ideas that everyone in your office will be sure to enjoy.
1. The Traditional Holiday Potluck
As mush as this is super a-typical, it's a fan favorite for most people. Why? People love to eat. People love food. And people tend to put their diet plans aside during the holidays and partake in jsut about anything and everything. A holiday potluck brings the entire staff toegther to partake and share their favorite holiday dishes, and many show-off some cooking skills that others were unaware of!
2. Chili and Cookie Cook Off
In most areas of the United States, Christmastime tends to be cold and snowy. What's better to warm up your staff than a warm bowl of holiday chili and a buttery holiday cookie? In a cook off contest, each participant brings their chili or cookie (baked or cooked beforehand) into the office. Entrants and items are kept anonymous. Each chili recipe and cookie is numbered and everyone votes on their favorite(s). The winners are given a gift card or even better, how about an additional day off of work during the holidays! One added bonus to make the contest fun for everyone-compile all of the recipes and put them in an annual holiday cookbook that every employee gets a copy of.
3. Bring in a Food Truck
Food trucks are all the rage these days. From burgers to tacos to desserts, there are a myriad of food truck options to choose from. Treat your employees to a holiday food truck meal. You can also make this a charitable cause, asking each employee to donate a non-perishable food item in exchange for a delicious food truck meal.
4. Ugly Ornament Party/Exchange
The idea behind an ugly ornament exchange is easy! Everyone brings the absolute ugliest ornament, whether homemade or purchased and your group votes for the ugliest. Prizes can be handed out for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places. Trust us, this one ends up being a blast!
5. Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest
The ugly Christmas sweater has become one of the most popular holiday party themes across the world. The idea is the same as the ugly Christmas ornament, but this time it's apparel! Everyone is encouraged to deck themselves out from head to toe in the gaudiest Christmas garb they can find (homemade or purchased). Make sure to even deck the tables (and halls!) with over the top loud Christmas decor that fits in with your ugly sweater theme. The ugliest sweater wins a gift basket or gift card to a local restaurant or retail store.
6. Secret Santa Gift Exchange:
Who doesn't like surprises? A Secret Santa party emanates the spirit of the season, and is a fun way to add an extra element of mystery to the gift-giving process. It can also take some of the financial pressure off, as group members only have to buy for one person. It's an easy 5 step process!
7. Plan a Holiday Murder Mystery Party
This one will take a bit of planning and multiple team members to pull off, but the memories will last forever! Here is a guide on planning a perfect Murder Mystery holiday event: https://www.mymysteryparty.com/how-to-host-a-murder-mystery-party/
8. Wine Pull Fundraiser Holiday Party
Wine pulls make for a great after hours event. A wine pull is a “drawing” for wine at a fundraising event. Each bottle should be wrapped or placed in a sealed wine bag, so the label cannot be seen. You can “dress” the bottles to go with the theme of the event. This can be as easy as using tissue paper in the colors of the event to wrap the bottles with a pretty ribbon. A simpler route (but not as festive, I think) is to simply number the bottles of wine with a tag around the neck.
A person buys a numbered cork from a basket or draws a number from a bowl and wins the corresponding bottle of wine. The bottles should all be valued at least the amount of the cost of each drawing.
9. Plan a Christmas Caroling Event
We all remember the days of old when Christmas Carolers would show up at your doorstep every holiday season and sing us our favorite holiday songs. This is a great way to get people that might work at other offices or in remote locations to get toegther, meet other employees and have a great time of fellowship. (And you don't have to be a great singer)! If you don't have a local neighborhood near your office, what about caroling at other local businesses near your office? It's a great way to get acquainted for other local businesses and develop relationships internally and externally!
10. Volunteer
It's no surprise that there are many people in need during the holidays. The need for volunteers at food pantries, toy drives, homeless shelters, retirement homes and more is high during the holidays. Another option is to adopt a few local families in need and have your staff purchase gifts and household necessities for families in need.