Work Christmas party ideas

Pick the date first

December fills up fast, with school plays, travel and every other party. Ask the team in late October or early November, and offer two or three dates in the first half of December.

Go with the date most people can make, and tell everyone straight away. A date that’s fixed in early November is much easier to keep free than one announced a week before.

Find the day most of the team can make

Dates asked over reply-all email come back scattered across a dozen messages. Kitokoto is a free date poll that shows which day suits most of the team. Free, no account.

Start a date poll

Lunch, after work or a weekend

When you hold it decides who comes. A party in work hours gets the most people. An evening party feels more like a night out, but parents and long commuters often skip it.

• A long lunch

  During work hours, at a restaurant or in the office. It suits the most people.

• Drinks after work

  Short and early, somewhere near the office, with food and plenty of soft drinks.

• An evening party

  A venue, dinner and maybe music. Worth it for a big team with a budget.

• A weekend event

  Partners and children can come, but fewer people from work will.

Work Christmas party ideas

Most good office parties are one meal plus one thing to do. Pick from the low-cost list for a small office, and add from the second list if there’s a budget.

Low-cost ideas

• A potluck lunch

  Everyone brings a dish, and the company buys drinks and dessert. An office potluck sign-up keeps the dishes from doubling up.

• An ugly sweater contest

  Free, and it gets people talking. Categories, rules and a ballot.

• A gift exchange

  A white elephant swap or a Secret Santa, with a price limit of $15 to $25.

• Cookie decorating

  Plain sugar cookies, icing and sprinkles on a long table. Easy to join for ten minutes.

• Holiday breakfast

  Bagels, pastries and coffee at the start of the day. Cheaper than lunch, and nobody misses an evening.

• Trivia in the office

  Questions about the holidays and the team's year, in teams of four or five.

Ideas with a budget

• A restaurant lunch

  Book a private room or a long table early: December lunches fill up by November.

• A cooking class

  The team cooks a meal together, then eats it. Good for groups of up to 20.

• Bowling, mini golf or an escape room

  Something to do that isn't only standing and talking.

• A catered party at the office

  No travel, and the space is free. Add a playlist and some decorations.

Office Christmas party games

Games work best in teams, with a small prize and a firm end. Pick two or three, not all of them.

1. 1

   Holiday trivia

   Ten questions about Christmas films, songs and food, plus a few about the team.

2. 2

   Name that tune

   The first few seconds of a Christmas song. First team to shout the title gets the point.

3. 3

   White elephant

   Wrapped gifts, numbered turns, and stealing. The rules take two minutes to explain.

4. 4

   Two truths and a lie, holiday edition

   Three things about your holidays as a child. The others guess which one is made up.

5. 5

   Minute to win it

   Stack cups, move candy canes with a straw, unwrap a gift in oven mitts. A minute each.

6. 6

   Ugly sweater contest

   A few categories, one vote each, and a small prize for every winner.

Food and drinks

A catered lunch or a restaurant is the least work. A potluck costs the least, and gets people talking about each other’s cooking. Either way, have the food ready as people arrive.

Order or plan for vegetarian guests and common allergies from the start, and have drinks that aren’t alcohol on the table, not in the back of the fridge.

Ideas for a remote team

A remote party works best short, with something to do together and something that arrives at each person’s door.

• Send something to every home

  A box of treats or a gift card for lunch, timed to arrive before the call.

• Keep the call to an hour

  A long video call gets tiring fast. Plan one or two games and leave time to chat.

• Play games on screen

  Trivia, Pictionary on a shared whiteboard, or a quiz everyone answers on a phone.

• Run an online Secret Santa

  The draw and the wish lists happen online, and gifts get posted. A free Secret Santa generator does the draw.

• Pick a time across time zones

  A time that’s fair to everyone, from morning in one place to evening in another. The meeting planner finds one.

A party for the whole team

These make it easier for the whole team to come, including the people who usually skip it.

• Call it a holiday party

  Not everyone celebrates Christmas. An end-of-year party includes the whole team.

• Hold it in the daytime

  Parents and people with long commutes can come without arranging anything.

• Have good non-alcoholic drinks

  Something more than water: mocktails, sparkling cider or good soda.

• Make every game optional

  Plenty of people come for the food and the chat. That's fine.

• Check the venue

  Step-free access, and somewhere quieter to sit away from the music.

Questions

What to do for a Christmas party at work?

Pick a date most of the team can make and sort the food. Then plan one or two things to do, like a gift exchange or a sweater contest.

What makes a good work Christmas party?

A date most people can make, good food, and something to do that nobody has to join. Daytime parties in work hours get the most people.

What are some fun activities for a work party?

An ugly sweater contest, a white elephant gift exchange, holiday trivia, cookie decorating, or bowling.

What are some ideas for an office Christmas party?

A potluck lunch in the office, a restaurant lunch, a cooking class, an escape room, or drinks after work.

What are some simple work Christmas party ideas?

A potluck lunch in the office with a gift exchange and a sweater contest costs very little and takes one afternoon. Office potluck sign-up sheet.

What are good work Christmas party ideas for small groups?

A restaurant lunch, a cooking class or an escape room all work well for a team of 4 to 12.

When should you have a work Christmas party?

Most teams pick the first or second week of December, before people start their holidays. Ask the team which dates suit them. Find the date with a poll.

Should a work Christmas party be during work hours?

Daytime parties get the most people, since parents and commuters can come. An evening party suits a team that wants a night out.

What are good office Christmas party games?

Holiday trivia, name that tune, white elephant, two truths and a lie, and minute to win it.

How do you include people who don't celebrate Christmas?

Call it a holiday or end-of-year party, keep the decorations general, and make every activity optional.