7 Office Christmas Party Ideas
Appetizer-Only Party
Similar to a Holiday Party where folks bring festive cookies or a main dish for the potluck, you can hold an appetizer-only potluck. Simply invite people to bring their favorite holiday appetizer. The office can provide soft drinks, bottled water or coffee. Of course, cookies are allowed and always welcomed! But mostly, this is an appetizer-only party simply to try something new for the holidays. Don’t forget the decorations!
Christmas Classic Movie Marathon
For this type of office party, try a Christmas Classic Movie Marathon. Mix it up with a few movies from different decades like Christmas Vacation, A Christmas Story, Elf, White Christmas, Ernest Saves Christmas or Four Christmases. Provide a place with a viewing screen so folks can pop in and out while they’re working, and if possible, provide popcorn and other snacks, or have a potluck. If a work day party is not possible, try to schedule something off work hours at someone’s house. The point is to have fun.
Pet Holiday Photo Contest
Because cats, dogs, bunnies and other pets look adorable dressed as Santa, angels, elves, reindeer and the like, why not throw a party with a contest for folks who share photos of their beloved family pets dressed in holiday getups? Imagine a bunch of grown ups gathering to show off their puppies and kitties? If you’re so inclined, you could set up a screen in a viewing room so people can vote live from Facebook or Flickr. The prizes can be very simple, like cat toys or a dog bone or gift certificates.
Holiday (Virgin) Cocktail Potluck (if you’re on the clock)
Invite your employees to a party that’s really innovative: a Holiday (Virgin) Cocktail Potluck. You provide the snacks, and they bring their favorite holiday cocktails: Chocolate martini, candy cane martini, eggnog, spiked cocoa, pumpkin pie, minted sake and pineapple cooler, you get the idea. Be sure there are designated drivers if you are serving real alcohol. This will be a rowdy party with lots of singing and dancing regardless.
Tropical Christmas Party
Some folks celebrate Christmas in July, so why not try a warm-weather themed party during winter with a Tropical Christmas celebration? Instead of pine trees and red velvet suits, how about palm trees and shorts? You can still have a gift exchange, sing carols and serve snacks, but with a twist. Break out the umbrella drinks, grass skirts and hula dancing. If you wish, you can still hold a Secret Santa or Yankee Swap. Break out the beach balls, virgin margaritas, and maybe even hold a Gilligan’s Island look-a-like contest.
The Re-Gifted Gift Exchange Party
Thanks to Seinfeld most of us know about re-gifting: taking a gift we received and didn’t like and giving it to someone else. This practice used to be abhorrent, but now it has become acceptable as long as the gift has never been opened or used. So, how about throwing a Christmas party where everyone who shows up brings a present for re-gifting? You might not believe how much fun this can be! Never in one place will you find more white elephant gifts. Invite your friends with their denim pyjamas, leopard-print Snuggies, Homer Simpson Chia Heads, smokeless ashtrays, and camouflage Crocs. It’s your choice to wrap the gifts or simply put them in plastic bags. Just have fun!
Holiday Ornament Decorating Competition
Why not host a party where folks bring their salt dough Christmas ornaments? You can use cookie cutters for the designs and acrylic paint to decorate. Invite them to have the kids help. And if you wish, hold a contest to see who made the most charming, lovely, funny, and beautiful ornaments. All of them will make it to the tree.
Whatever you decide to do to celebrate the holidays at the office, be sure to tell the people you work with that they are appreciated. I little bit of gratitude goes a long way.
