9 Fun Holiday Party Ideas for Work

The holiday season is fast approaching. Will your office celebrate? To boost employee morale and create a sense of community, we have a list of holiday party ideas that you can use to deck the (company) halls.

DIY holiday party ideas to try

If you want to celebrate the season, but don’t have a lot of time or resources to invest, try these hassle-free ideas:

Holiday movie night

Pick a holiday movie, order some pizza, and ask employees to bring a dessert to share. Want to take it up a notch? Play the movie on an outdoor movie screen. (Provided you’re not in a snowy climate).

You can always take employees to the movie theater too. Pick up the cost of their tickets and give everyone a small gift card to cover popcorn and a drink.

Seasonal potluck lunch

Ask everyone to bring a dish to pass for a holiday lunch. If you want to add a little flair, assign each department a country and have them bring a native holiday dish. You can call it “Tastes of the Season.”

Give back

Reach out to a local school or shelter and adopt a family or two for the holiday. You could have small groups shop for different items and bring everyone together to wrap the gifts.

Host a cookie contest

Everyone’s baking during the holidays, so why not have a cookie contest at the office? If cookies aren’t your thing, you could do a gingerbread house contest too.

Virtual holiday parties to consider

Are your employees working remotely? If so, a virtual party is a great way to bring everyone together. Try these ideas:

Holidays Around the World Trivia

Get the gang together and test their knowledge of holiday traditions. For example, do you know which city started placing Christmas Crackers on plates for holiday decor? With festive questions and speed rounds, this virtual event is organized via Zoom and has a professional host. (The answer, by the way, is London).

Murder By Midnight: A New Year’s Eve Murder Mystery

Your team is tasked with solving a murder at a notorious vineyard where the patriarch of the family is found dead. Employees will hear evidence, complete puzzles, and interview witnesses to solve the New Year’s Eve mystery.

Learn How to Create a Beautiful Cheese and Charcuterie Board

Help your crew get ready to entertain holiday guests with this instructional virtual event. Each employee will receive a kit full of cheese, crackers, and treats ahead of time, and they’ll put it together at the instruction of the host.

In-person holiday parties to consider

Looking for an event everyone can go to? Here are some options in the San Francisco area:

Chocolate Making & Wine Tasting in North Beach

How can you go wrong with chocolate and wine? This hands-on class gives your staff a chance to visit North Beach, mingle, and try something new. They’ll make treats like bear claws and dipped strawberries while sipping a little vino.

Team Bonding with Rescue Animals

The holidays aren’t always holly jolly. There’s a lot of stress that comes with hosting family, buying presents, and keeping up with traditions. Help employees decompress by hanging out with rescue animals at a local animal sanctuary.

You can plan a few holiday events for your employees this season without much hassle. Try these ideas for a festive end to the year.