25 Office Holiday Party Ideas to Mingle and Jingle
Lauren Miolene
Editor
Is it just us or is the end of year office holiday party one of the best parties of all time? If this isn’t the case for you, you’ll want to check out these office holiday party ideas that will get your coworkers excited for this year's celebration. The holidays are all about spending time with one another celebrating, and the office is no exception.
When planning any type of big event, you’ll want to start by choosing a theme, entertainment, food and drinks, and decor to set the tone. If this seems overwhelming to you, keep reading for our fun office holiday party ideas that are sure to be a hit. We put together the ultimate list of ideas to make your office holiday party planning as enjoyable as possible.
Here are 25 unique office holiday party ideas for this year:
Masquerade
For a classy office party soirée, a masquerade theme is sure to get the party started. Your coworkers will enjoy seeing one another dressed up in ball gowns or suits and ties, dancing the night away to a jazz band, with a glamorous mask upon their faces. You’ll also want to serve a seated dinner (maybe by a caterer), decorate with deep reds and golds, and book a juggler for one of a kind entertainment.
Photo Booth
Nothing captures the fun and excitement of a holiday office party quite like a photo booth. Invite a professional photo booth vendor to your office or party venue and they’ll bring backdrops, props, the camera, everything you’ll need! Photo booths also provide the perfect keepsake once the party’s over.
Cookie Swap
A good old fashioned cookie swap is a classic office holiday party idea, because it’s practical! Each person will bring a batch or two of their favorite holiday cookies with copies of recipes. Then coworkers will be able to build their holiday cookie trays and gather recipes for them to try this season.
Silent Disco
If you’ve never been to a silent disco, it makes a unique office holiday party idea that all your coworkers will love. While on the dance floor, guests wear wireless headphones that glow different colors and sync to the beat of their chosen music channel. Watch your colleagues dance in their own little world while ringing in the holiday spirit.
Prosecco Pong
Prosecco pong is beer pong’s more mature, more sophisticated cousin, but just as fun! For this party game you’ll want to fill plastic prosecco glasses with water or your favorite bubbly. Then, take turns throwing plastic ping pong balls into your opponent’s cups. This game is sure to get competitive, but who doesn’t love a little friendly competition?
Comedian
Comedians are party professionals that know how to break the ice at an event. While you and coworkers arrive or are seated eating dinner, a comedian will crack jokes to put a smile on everyone’s face. If there will be kiddos in attendance, you can even book a clean comedian for an age appropriate comedy show that everyone will enjoy.
Virtual Happy Hour
If your coworkers are remote, consider some virtual office holiday party ideas to get everyone involved. Organize a virtual happy hour so everyone can join in on the festive fun, whether they work in the office or at home. Set up a Zoom call, book virtual entertainment, and don’t forget the holiday Zoom backgrounds!
Volunteer Activity
The holidays are all about giving back, so if you and coworkers are feeling extra generous, consider volunteering at a local charity near your office. Whether you’re sorting toys for a holiday toy drive or cans in a food pantry, this will bring everyone together while helping a good cause. This isn’t a traditional holiday office party idea, but it will sure feel good afterwards.
Bartender
If you want spirits to be bright at this holiday office party, consider booking a bartender to whip up festive cocktails. A professional bartending team will be able to mix up all the classic cocktails and mocktails, while also creating a custom menu with special drinks. Choose from White Russians, Moscow Mules, espresso martinis, and much more!
Holiday Murder Mystery
The same old holiday party activities can get old really fast. Change things up this year by hosting a murder mystery party, holiday style. You’ll want to appoint roles like suspects and a detective but with a merry twist. Get Christmas characters involved in the plot like Santa, his naughty elves, and Jack Frost that is sure to entertain guests.
Ugly Sweaters
It’s that time of year to pull out your most atrocious holiday sweater and wear it to as many parties as you can. If you and your coworker’s styles aren’t dressy, use an ugly sweater party as the office holiday party dress code instead. Bonus points if yours has lights, feathers, or tinsel!
Live Music
Nothing gets a party going like live music. Choose between acoustic, country, a tribute band, you name it! The Bash has a variety of talented musicians that will bring the energy to your office holiday party.
If live music isn’t the vibe of the office holiday party, you can book a local DJ to play everyone’s favorite hits. Maybe even a few rounds of holiday karaoke, too!
How the Grinch Stole Christmas Theme
Roast Beast, Who Pudding, and the Grinch sounds like a fun time to us! Host the ultimate holiday Whobilation that is not your ordinary office party. This nontraditional How the Grinch Stole Christmas theme will surprise coworkers and leave a ton of room for creativity, especially entertainment. Book carolers to perform your favorite songs, play some Who Games, and book an appearance from the Grinch himself!
Sommelier
You’ve probably paired different wine with food before, but have you ever been led by a sommelier? These professionals know how to match wine with particular foods to enhance the overall experience. Afterwards. Your coworkers will be able to put these skills to use while organizing their own holiday parties.
Gift Swap
Every holiday party needs a gift swap of some sort. Choose from Secret Santa, White Elephant, or your own festive version so everyone can go home with a gift. Giving is one of the best parts of the holidays, and it’ll be fun to watch your coworkers' faces when they open their gift.
Santa Claus
Is it even the holiday season without a visit from Saint Nick? Browse The Bash to find a local Santa character to complete the office holiday party. Inviting this special guest will provide perfect photo opportunities while allowing everyone to share what’s on their wish list, because you can never be too old to tell Santa what you want!
Pro tip: Make sure to book a photographer to capture the visit from Santa Claus!
Retro Theme
You can never go wrong with a decades theme to get the holiday party started. Choose any era like the roaring 20s, groovy’ 70s, or an all out 2000s throwback bash. If you want to make the festivities even more interesting, have each guest choose their own decade and enjoy all the nostalgic outfits.
Gingerbread Houses
This holiday craft is a festive activity that also promotes team building! As an office holiday party idea, create teams to assemble the strongest or most creative gingerbread house. No matter who wins, everyone will enjoy snacking on all the sweet building materials.
Casino Night
An exciting office holiday party idea your coworkers will love is casino night! Bring the excitement of the casino to you with rentable casino games and card handlers. Browse and book rentals including slot machines, poker tables, and roulette wheels for a fun night of friendly gambling.
Recipe Swap
Similar to a cookie swap, you’ll love a recipe swap for an office holiday party idea. Each coworker will bring their favorite side dish to make for the holidays as well as copies of the recipe. Then guests will taste samples to put together a new holiday cookbook for the season.
Hypnotist
If you want coworkers to be entertained and engaged, a hypnotist is the way to go for an office holiday party idea. These professionals use their talents to safely put people in a trance for an unforgettable show. Do you want to see your boss walk around like a chicken? Maybe see someone in sales sing their heart out? A hypnotist can easily make this happen.
Raffle
Nothing gets excitement going quite like a raffle, so boost office morale with a giveaway. Each employee’s name will be entered into the drawing upon arrival. If there are different games and activities, the winners can have extra entries added. Choose between gift cards, the latest electronics, or maybe a few extra vacation days as a grand prize.
Pajama Party
Get comfy and cozy with an office holiday party this year! Don your favorite matching Christmas PJ set or your new snowman onesie that will get everyone in the holiday spirit. Plus, this saves the time and stress of finding a new outfit!
Food Trucks
The typical catering menu can get repetitive quickly, especially during the holidays. Rather than serving the classic ziti and meatballs, surprise guests with a variety of food trucks for a unique holiday office party food idea! Choose between Mexican favorites, Italian classics, or even a coffee cart for an after dinner treat.
Game Night
For a more laid-back office holiday party idea, grab the games to go head-to-head with your coworkers. From Scrabble and charades, to Mario Kart and Fortnight, a game night is sure to bring the whole office together.
Find more holiday party ideas here on The Bash.
