If you’re familiar with office holiday parties that make everyone groan, then now is a great time to find some new ideas to add some real excitement to the office!
Several different sources of entertainment are simple and effective at encouraging employees to show up. All it takes is a little bit of creativity and captivity to make the office holiday party a hit!
You can start with something simple like delicious food and adult beverages, or you can mix it up with some live entertainment like realistic impersonations of your favorite performers.
Several good ideas will make the whole office show up, so here are just a few of them that are guaranteed to make the party a smashing success!
Arts and Crafts.
Believe it or not, arts and crafts are a great idea for an office holiday party. The important part of this is what kind of crafts you decide to offer.
Something like a paper snowflake crafting area won’t likely draw much interest, but what about a holiday cookie decorating contest?
Not only can coworkers flex their creativity, but they can also devour their fine craft afterward.
If you want everyone to show up, then you can take things a step further by hosting a gingerbread house decorating party!
You can showcase more of your artistic and decorating skills on a house than just a cookie. Add in the thrill of tasty icing and candy and you’ve unlocked the secret to a memorable office holiday party!
Just don’t forget to provide a gingerbread house for all coworkers attending and plenty of candy to go around! Throw in some optional spiked hot chocolate to help everyone unwind and have a good time.
Shows and Performances.
If your party budget is a little bigger, then you can take the whole office out to some live entertainment at a show! Companies like Google understand the importance of live entertainment because it adds some genuine fun to the party.
Here are a few great ideas of live entertainment you can use:
- Ice skating routines.
- Musical reenactments of popular movies.
- Lighthearted and festive comedy shows.
- Impersonators performing timeless classics.
- Magic and sleight of hand shows.
Asking your coworkers to take time away from friends and family is much easier when there’s a promise of a good show!
Food and Adult Drinks.
Sometimes a good holiday party is as simple as providing some scrumptious food and adult beverages! Even better, there are multiple ways that you can make this happen.
One, you can hire catered food and bring in gourmet meals. Alternatively, you can hold an office potluck and have everyone bring in their creations to display their culinary chops!
The first option is typically much safer, but if you know there are some talented chefs in the office, give them a chance to show off!
If the party allows it, then you should also consider the addition of adult beverages. Alcohol is the classic social lubricant and it will let the office take a load off.
You can have a hosted bar to make specialized mix drinks, or you can also have a bring-your-own-booze (BYOB) policy. Adult beverages will naturally add more thrill to the party and might encourage more coworkers to show up!
Fun Games.
One final idea that should be a staple of any office holiday party is some genuinely fun games! Scrabble and monopoly might cut it for some offices, but you’ll probably need to get a little creative to win your office over.
One sure winner is a murder mystery styled game like Who Killed Santa? Games that emphasize team-building and working together as a group are a great way of subtly getting your office to work together better.
Alternatively, active games like basketball or table tennis can bring out the competitive side of your coworkers. This is a great way of getting employees to have fun together while also working up a sweat.
Closing Thoughts.
Many office holiday parties are a bore, but there’s no reason to let that be the fate for your office!
Considering hosting a holiday cookie or gingerbread decorating party to bring out the creative side of people.
Take your employees to a good show or offer some live entertainment to give them something exciting to watch!
Don’t skip out on including some delicious food and adult beverages if appropriate. Both of these are perfect for letting everyone relax and enjoy themselves.
As a final suggestion, include some fun games that everyone can enjoy. Try to make them team-building exercises that will sneakily make everyone like each other just a little more.
Implementing at least one (or preferably more) of these ideas is a great way to ensure everyone shows up and has a blast!
