What is a holiday party?

A work Christmas party is an event that company leaders typically host in December to celebrate the seasonal holidays with their employees. During these parties, workers can take a break from their everyday tasks, engage in team-building activities and spend time celebrating the holidays with their coworkers. You can host company-funded holiday parties either on- or off-site. Leadership uses this party to demonstrate their appreciation for their employees’ performance, boost workplace morale and increase job satisfaction.

Related: Office Party Ideas: Three Ideas for Your Business or Office

Work Christmas party ideas

There are many unique ways employers can celebrate the holidays with employees. Here’s a look at some of the top work Christmas party ideas.

Plan a themed party

Get creative with an office party theme where employees participate in themed activities such as decorating the office, wearing costumes or eating special foods. Possible party themes include:

• Favorite holiday movie: Employees vote for a holiday movie, such as Elf, How the Grinch Stole Christmas or The Polar Express, and decorate the office accordingly. Everyone can dress up as movie characters and watch the film during the party.
• Gift wrapping party: Bring presents for friends and family and wrap them together. Supply ribbons, gift tags and wrapping paper for everyone to share.
• Gingerbread houses: Decorate the office as a gingerbread house. Provide gingerbread kits and crafts to host a gingerbread house-making contest.
• Winter wonderland: Use white decorations and add effects such as twinkling lights and artificial snow to make the office look like a winter wonderland.
• Multicultural feast: Invite everyone to bring a dish or dessert from a culture they love. 

Host friendly competitions

Have each department work together to play games and engage in friendly competitions. Award prizes such as gift cards, candy, tech gadgets or paid time off. Friendly competitions include:

• Miniature tree decorating
• Holiday relay races
• Employee- or holiday-themed trivia games
• Cubicle, desk or door decorating

Volunteer together

Celebrate the holidays by giving to local charities. Charitable or volunteer activities include:

• Host a charitable event: Invite employees and their families to dinner and auction off various items during the meal. Donate ticket fees and auction proceeds to charity.
• Organize a gift drive: Ask employees to bring toys to donate to local charities or toy drives.
• Put up an angel tree: Collaborate with a local nonprofit to set up an angel tree in the office. Employees can pick a tag and donate gifts to children in need.

Provide extra entertainment

Hire someone to perform at the party or set up activities for employees to try. Entertainment ideas include:

• Hiring a magician
• Hiring live music entertainment or a DJ
• Hiring face painters
• Renting a photo booth
• Purchasing a tree and holding a tree-lighting ceremony
• Renting or buying a karaoke machine
• Setting up a photo booth
• Hiring a caricature artist

Find unique ways to exchange gifts

There are affordable and creative ways employees can exchange gifts. Some gift ideas include:

• Cookie swap: Employees can bake unique cookies at home and bring them into the office for a swap.
• Themed gifts: Exchange specific gifts like food, movies, books or gift cards.
• Secret Santa: Pick names and price limits, and exchange personalized gifts with each other.
• White elephant: Everyone brings a wrapped, unmarked gift to exchange. Be sure to set a small price limit, such as $10-$20. Employees take turns opening the gifts with an option to swap gifts with another employee.
• Stocking stuffers: Employees bring small stocking stuffers to share. You provide the stockings, and employees fill them with their gifts.

Take employees somewhere new

Host your party outside of the office by taking your employees to an off-site venue. Interesting places to take the staff include:

• Ice skating rink
• City scavenger hunt
• Bowling alley
• Escape room
• Restaurant
• Holiday happy hour at a bar
• Holiday theater show
• Art class
• Cooking class

Provide treats or meals

Food is a great way for employees to bond as they try new holiday-themed foods and cocktails. Food-themed ideas include:

• Potluck: Employees sign up to bring dishes or assign types of food to different departments. For example, marketing could bring appetizers and accounting could bring beverages.
• Ice cream sundae bar: Place different ice cream flavors and sundae toppings on a table and encourage employees to decorate their sundaes.
• Cookie decorating: Supply ingredients and have employees decorate holiday-themed cookies together.

Host a virtual work holiday party

If you have a number of employees working remotely, you may want to consider hosting a virtual work Christmas party versus an office party. This allows everyone to enjoy the holidays together from the comfort of their own homes.

Hosting a virtual work holiday party does require some extra planning. Pack up any party supplies employees will need into individual boxes. Ask team members to pick up their boxes prior to the party or ship them to each person’s home address.

There are plenty of great ideas for hosting virtual work Christmas parties, such as:

• White elephant exchange: Ask everyone to send a wrapped, unmarked gag gift to the office for a fun white elephant exchange. Include one random gag gift in each party supply box. Employees can open gifts together at the virtual party.
• Online games: Play some online games together, such as a scavenger hunt, bingo or charades. Offer prizes, such as gift cards or paid time off, to the winners.
• Virtual escape room: Host a virtual escape room party through one of the many online vendors. Divide employees into teams or play together as one team.
• Paint and sip event: Organize a virtual paint and sip event. Be sure to provide employees with all the paint and wine-tasting supplies they need for the event.
• Online competitions: Plan virtual holiday-themed competitions, such as an ugly sweater, tree decorating or gingerbread house-building competition. Set several categories for competing and provide prizes to the winners of each category. 
• Movie marathon: Host a virtual movie marathon so your team can watch some holiday favorites together. Send employees various popcorn and hot chocolate flavors to enjoy during the movies. 

Frequently asked questions about work Christmas party ideas

How do I plan an office holiday party?

Plan your office holiday party around your budget. For example, you may need a larger budget to take employees to an off-site venue and a smaller budget to host an office potluck party. Encourage staff members to form party planning committees to help decorate, plan and pick a theme. Send out surveys to learn what kind of holiday party employees prefer.

How do you spice up an office holiday party?

Ways to make your holiday office parties more unique include:

• Hire surprise entertainment for the party, such as a band, magician or comedian.
• Announce and distribute end-of-year bonuses or extra paid time off.
• Host the party at an off-site location.
• Hire several food truck vendors for the party.

How much do companies spend on holiday parties?

Work Christmas party costs can vary from $50 to $200 per employee. It’s important to set a budget right from the start and ensure the planning committee understands this budget. The good news is, there are so many holiday party ideas that you can host a party that fits your company’s budget. 

What are the dos and don’ts of hosting a Christmas work party?

Do start planning early, set a clear budget, invite the entire staff and clearly communicate the party details to all employees. Don’t host a holiday party without being prepared and without setting a clear party theme or idea.