It’s the most wonderful time of the year. The cheer is spreading, the laughter is getting louder, and the decorations are getting…BRIGHTER!
To spread extra holiday cheer in the workplace (and spice things up — maybe with some cider?), consider hosting any of these 8 ideas:
Cookie Swap
Who doesn’t love a good cookie made with love? Instead of your classic gift exchange, a great way to get people together is by organizing a fun cookie swap where everyone bakes their favorites and shares! Or put a spin on it and provide them with the ingredients and recipe of your favorite recipe for them to do on their own.
Volunteer Together
Volunteering brings people the feel-good feels. You know the kind I’m talking about? This time of year can be especially hard for people in need. Serve a meal at a soup kitchen, offer up your time at a local orphanage, or start a toy drive for the special needs school down the street. It may not exactly be what you call a “party”, but it is a celebration to the people you’re serving. Grab a group, serve, and feel good together.
Holiday Themed Potluck
Potluck, potluck, potluck! A chance for your employees to show off their culinary or baking skills. Block off an hour or two during lunchtime to have people join in on the tasty food and good conversation.
Holiday Gift Exchange
Gift exchanges are just all-out fun. We’ve all heard of Secret Santa and White Elephant — they’re classics! But what if you hosted a gift exchange that was personalized to each person participating? Here’s an idea: have everyone participating submit 5 things they want in the price range to the organizer of the game. When the recipient of the name is picked, send the recipient the list. That way, people are actually getting something they want!
Holiday Happy Hour
A little Happy Hour cheer, eh? If you can swing it, host a Happy Hour at a festive spot for your team! The neat thing about the holidays and bars is that they have meshed together to create Holiday Bars. These Holiday Bars are festive, have signature holiday drinks, and are decorated to an all-out max. They are bound to get you in the holiday spirit!
Company-wide Ice Skating
A great event to host off-site would be an ice-skating event! Gather your employees and head to the skating rink. It’s bound to cause a lot of laughs. Have people who can’t skate? Grab them some hot cocoa and blankets and have them watch. A great side-line activity!
Cubicle Decorating Contest
Bring the holiday cheer to the office! A great way to get employees involved with holiday activities is to host a cubicle (or desk) decorating contest. Set a deadline and give some guidelines to get them started. At the end of the contest, have each employee vote on their favorite desk!
Pro tip: Buy holiday-themed awards for the winners or gift cards.
Elf on the Shelf
They’re mischievous. They’re festive. They’re a little naughty. They are Elves on the Shelf! A fun idea to incorporate into the office festivities would be to include one of these mischevious elves into the holiday decorating — messing something up every night. Not sure what I mean? Check out this Elf on the Shelf story to know more. It’s not just for kids!
The great thing about holiday events is that it spreads a little more holiday cheer — to you and your coworkers. So why not go that extra mile to do just that? Keep in mind all of the other celebrations happening at this time of year as well such as Kwanzaa and Hannukuh so that all employees will be included in the festivities.
Wanting to plan a holiday party, but not sure where to start? Learn the benefits of an event planning software and check out our guide: 9 Steps to Event Planning.
