Let the fun commence! Here are 10 ideas for throwing year-end office festivities. This time of year can be stressful, but also full of gratitude, wonder and joy! Set the tone with simple, impactful workplace activities that spread the spirit!
Not only do year-end office festivities offer a way to have some fun, but they are a strategic way to show employee appreciation and enhance employee engagement. Be true to your culture — what would be authentic and enjoyable? Tap some creative minds and enjoy the process!
Top 10 Year-End Office Festivities
Volunteer together at a food pantry or host a holiday meal at a shelter. Bring employees together to give back to the community, offering unity, perspective and goodwill to all who participate.
Pre-Holiday Potluck. Invite everyone to bring a favorite dish to share, along with a recipe card so people can take photos and add new items to their holiday dinner menus. When the meal begins, ask leaders to kick off a roundtable discussion about what they’re grateful for and why.
Thank You Wall. Start a workplace tradition by dedicating a window or whiteboard to a collection of heartfelt messages. Supply colorful sticky notes and Sharpie pens. Ask employees to post at least 3 messages about anything or anyone they appreciate. Soon, the wall will be filled with a rainbow of positive energy that will brighten spirits.
Silent Auction for Charity. Give employees a chance to give back by leveraging fundraising strength from across your organization. Vote on a local program to support. Coordinate an online auction of goods and services contributed by individual employees. Low-cost online software solutions like BiddingOwl make it easy to manage.
Help each other. Nominate coworkers who could benefit from assistance with fall projects. Then let individuals or teams sign up to rake leaves, clean gutters, buy groceries, deliver a home-cooked meal or decorate team members’ front doors.
Give away fall flowers or plants that staff can take home for the holidays. For remote workers, arrange delivery or pick at a nearby Home Depot or nursery.
Winter Wonderland Virtual Photo Booth. Make it easy with backgrounds and a full-featured app like Snapbar. Or roll out your own on your meeting platform. Post images on the event chat board. Build an album to share at the party and beyond.
Gingerbread Contest. Host an in-office party and vote on which person or team created the best house. For remote teams, send pre-packaged gingerbread house pieces in advance. Ask everyone to post photos and vote for the online winner. Want guidance? Check specialists like Gingerbread Wars.
Holiday Bingo. Search online for holiday Bingo boards to send with invitations. Choose a coveted prize and announce it in advance, so everyone will be excited to participate.
Cookie Exchange. For an in-person party, be sure to note in invitations how many cookies to bring, so everyone can swap, taste and vote for their favorites. Prepare a special display table with signage for cookie and baker names. Order decorative boxes in advance so participants have a festive way to pack up their selections. And don’t forget to post all the recipes online!
We have many ideas for year-end office festivities, as well as other workplace activities and gift-giving ideas in The Big List of Employee Appreciation Gift Ideas. Download it free today!
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