How To Plan An Awesome Office Holiday Party

Things to consider when planning your office holiday party, along with ideas for virtual and in-person events

In the upcoming holiday season, offices are embracing flexible celebration methods, catering to both on-site and remote teams. Whether your team works at a physical office or works remotely, it’s essential to plan an office holiday party that uplifts spirits and fosters a sense of community.

Inclusive Approach to Holiday Celebrations

Now, holiday gatherings are not just festivities but affirmations of team resilience and achievements. It’s a time to bond and show appreciation after navigating the unique challenges of recent times.

Planning your company’s holiday party requires attentiveness to your team’s preferences. Some team members might prefer traditional, in-person gatherings, perhaps with health considerations in place, while others might lean towards virtual celebrations. Engaging with your team to gauge their comfort levels ensures an inclusive and enjoyable experience for everyone.

Virtual, In-Person, and Hybrid Gatherings for Your Office Holiday Party

• Host an online white elephant gift exchange.  Using a site like https://www.whiteelephantonline.com/, you can have fun exchanging gifts while social distancing. Set a gift amount limit, meet up online, unwrap a gift from the virtual table, and view & steal gifts from fellow participants just like in person.
• Virtual holiday pub quiz. Pub quizzes are a fantastic way to bring the team together. This lively holiday party idea is ideal if you have some trivia fans in your midst, and it works well for larger groups. Transform a regular pub quiz into the perfect holiday party quiz by adding some festive flair. You could fashion your own game on Zoom or use something like https://breakoutiq.com/.  Similarly, this can easily be set up for an in-person gathering.
• Painting party. A virtual painting party is a great option for organizations looking to buck the party trend. It’s a relaxing experience that your team can enjoy together to embrace the holiday season, and it makes a refreshing change if being lively and extroverted isn’t your team’s style. Many companies out there will arrange for painting supplies to be sent to your party guests with instructions so everyone can paint together!
• Virtual Happy Hour. Choose a platform to host your happy hour (Zoom works) and spice it up with a theme (ugly sweater contest, anyone?). You could play drinking games or give everyone a chance to share a holiday cocktail recipe. The options are limitless. You could also use something like Hoppier.com to set up and send out virtual credit cards for your team members where they can order drinks to be sent to their homes and it’s also a simple way to give back to your coworkers. 
• Escape Rooms. Good for team-building and also just downright fun! These will be hard to reserve throughout December, so plan well in advance. Afterward, grab some drinks or dinner.
• Rent a Movie Theater. Rent out a movie theater and watch the latest blockbuster with all of your employees. It’s an easy way to get everyone together in one place without having to worry about food or drinks.
• A Cookie Decorating Class. Can be done in person, virtually, or both! Decorating is fun for everybody and adds a flair to a traditional holiday party while doing something a little different. 

How To Host A Successful Office Holiday Party

Planning, setting up, and hosting a successful holiday party comes down to a lot of small decisions. Here are some things to consider when planning a holiday gathering, whether in-person or online:

Set A Date for Your Office Holiday Party

• Send a survey to employees with possible date options
• Select the date with the most votes
• Send a “Save the Date”- this can also be done via monday.com

Budget It  

• Determine how much you want to spend for a budget to be set.
• List party elements in order of importance (entertainment, food, decoration, gifts, etc.)

Type of Party  

• In-person event
• Hybrid event
• Virtual event
• An after-hours party
• Formal event
• Casual affair
• Themed party
• Venue 
• In the office
• At a home
• At a local venue

Tip: Consider the following elements when selecting a location for your event: price to book the location, size/maximum occupancy, the proximity of the venue to work, and available facilities.

Transportation 

• Pay for Uber rides
• Hire a bus
• Have a carpool sign-up sheet.

Food 

• Buffet
• Sit-down dinner
• Floating appetizers
• Venue-supplied food and beverages
• Potluck

Drinks 

• Holiday-themed cocktails
• Open bar
• Just wine (alcoholic and non-alcoholic)

Entertainment 

• Holiday music
• Live entertainment
• DJ
• Low-key tunes
• Games

Other

To make those precious memories last, you can hire a photographer and set up a photo booth to capture holiday laughter and fun.

Office Holiday Party Time

Whether you decide to have an in-person party or a virtual one, the key is for everyone to have fun!

Need a space to host your company holiday gathering? NuvoDesk has an event center perfect for you! 

By Leslie Radford

**Updated February 2024