You will need a large white board or pad of paper. All participating bring a wrapped gift to the office party and then draw a number to establish a certain order to the madness, wink wink. If you live in a major city, you can also consider a fun tour company like Museum Hack to provide the entertainment. Shopping! The holidays are a time when people enjoy feeling festive, and employers often want to help their employees in sharing that feeling. December. The last person to remove their hat loses. If you have any legal or tax questions regarding this content or related issues, then you should consult with your professional legal or tax advisor. Similarly, starting a cubicle decorating contest is a great way to spread holiday cheer at work. all year long. During the holiday season, it’s important to be inclusive of all holidays that are celebrated. You can do this by opening it up to your team — ask if anyone would be interested in sharing their personal holiday traditions with the rest of the team. There are plenty of services to explore, like Cozymeal, The Chef & The Dish, and The Kid’s Table for a family-friendly option. The first team to unwrap two kisses each wins! Don’t worry, no real kissing is involved in this competitive fun game. Clarifying rules such as not immediately stealing a gift back (this could go on forever) are found on a website completely dedicated to, believe it or not, the White Elephant Rules. The best Holiday contests. This party alternative is still possible in a remote environment, thanks to Zoom and the like. It also helps that many in-person performances are going virtual in light of the pandemic. One of the best virtual holiday party ideas is to invite team members to share their culture’s unique celebration with the rest of the team. The question you should answer before publishing it is whether organic reach can bring a greater benefit for … The 20/20 staff celebrated the season with some friendly competition: a cubicle- and office-decorating contest. Everyone walks around the room and finds a person who will sign their name to that particular phrase. A Cubicle Decorating Contest. These creative individuals don’t necessarily fit in however they stand out gracefully. At the Christmas party, announce winners. Family Holiday Photos . KOA Holiday Giveaway.Win a Camping prize package worth $300.Contest ends December 29th, 2020.enter here; Debbie Macomber: Win a Holiday giveaway.a $200 Bookshop.org Gift Card.Contest ends January 01, 2021, enter here; Win Amarula Holiday Box, consists of a Coffee and Cocktail pack $150. The options are endless when it comes to topics (popular seasonal music, well-known holiday figures, common foods and baked goods), but make sure to be inclusive of all the holidays your employees celebrate. Make sure to add more layers than there are guests. Give the team that is drawing a time limit (such as 60 seconds) and if they don’t guess in time, give the other team a chance to guess. Collect them in a mug or Santa hat so that all votes remain anonymous. Whether it’s over Zoom, Slack, Google Hangouts, or another conferencing platform, welcome all participants to dress festively and come prepared for a good time with their teammates. So if you want to avoid awkward silences and assure your party isn't a bore, use the following entertaining office party games to help break the ice. You could try making the activity even more engaging with something that requires team particpation, like a virtual escape-the-room experience or — everyone’s favorite — karaoke. Scared of Santa Photos; Santa Baby; Ugly Christmas Sweater; No matter what month it is, there’s a photo contest that’s perfect for your audience. While this isn’t exactly a party idea, it’s certainly an activity that can boost morale and bring your team together. After a pretty tough year, your employees deserve to feel appreciated and rewarded for their hard work. Teams work best in this game. Office Contest Ideas Holiday Decorating Contest. Gather empty boxes, lots of wrapping paper and tape, and a bunch of gift bows. Of course, this type of posts will draw traffic away from your page. Consider trying something new together, like an unfamiliar cuisine or the restaurant that just opened downtown. The logistics of office celebrations mean you cannot throw a party for every holiday, but virtual parties offer more flexibility. You can play this throughout the party, and have fun deciding what the loser will have to do each time - maybe they have to sing a Christmas song for everyone . Are you looking forward to the office holiday party, or are you a little anxious? Get a fun gift anyone would like and wrap it in multiple layers of wrapping paper. Ask party goers to bring three dozen cookies to the party. Let employees get creative and have fun with making photoshopped images, mad-lib RFPs, humorous gifs, and other playful versions of whatever it is they do best. Schedule a Halloween costume contest and parade with all staff members voting for their favorite costumes. With Christmas often being a heavy focus during this time of year, it’s necessary to purposefully give attention to other holidays and traditions as well. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, legal or tax advice. Holiday parties are great opportunities for quality team bonding, but they can often result in an expensive gift swap or a bad cookie plate. For example, you can make virtual Hanukkah a main part of your event. This is another game that can be played throughout the party. Tally up the votes and reveal the employee with the ugliest sweater! Whoever would like to participate gathers around and when someone says “GO!” they wrap their box like a gift. Sometimes when you own a small business, throwing your employee holiday party may feel like a chore rather than a joy. Who doesn’t love treats during the holidays? Employees will enjoy the challenge and the laughs! Whether the focus is on cooking or baking, this activity creates a shared experience for your team and gives them something to be proud of at the end. It will definitely make your party and event everyone looks forward to. This still allows for connection, as employees can enjoy some of their favorite meals with their teammates virtually. Think up a bunch of Holiday Characters such as Frosty the Snowman or Elf (from the movie “Elf.”) Write them all on pieces of paper and stick a different personality on each party goer (without them knowing “who” they are). The object is to pick up as many gifts as you can and walk across a room or designated distance. It’s that time of year again! We've all heard of the classic Secret Santa and White Elephant gift exchanges. People can share about horrible gifts they have received, or wonderful gifts. Variation: Instead of music, play clips of well known holiday movies but do not let anyone see the movie, just listen to the dialogue, music, etc. Writing out cards or letters to those in isolation is the activity that comes to mind during this time of year, but there are many other virtual volunteering opportunities to consider. Make sure you’re making the most of this big opportunity for driving engagement (and increasing revenue!) Santa! Give everyone a container they can take home and sample any and all the varieties that were brought to the party. The object of the game is to unwrap kisses wearing the gloves. Try Pumpkin Bowling – find the roundest pumpkin you can, set up “pins” (toilet paper rolls, paper towels, water bottles, etc.) Set four sales goals that your team or managers would like to meet in a certain period of time. Have employees decorate their office door and have a contest among everyone; Host an office potluck; Holiday office bingo; Get an Elf on the Shelf and have the elf leave small gifts for different employees each day; Decorate your cubicle and have a cube contest You can make it a competition, create teams that follow decor themes, and see who comes up with the funniest or most creative holiday scene to share on the Zoom call. Our mission is to help entrepreneurs and businesses grow with confidence. Challenge your team to decorate their home office, desk or desk chair, or even the wall that serves as their daily backdrop with things that represent the holiday(s) they celebrate. Am I fictional?). Download a free eBook with 110 ways to appreciate employees on a budget. Some of the best things about the holiday season are the Christmas traditions that come along with it. Great gift ideas include a gallon of milk, or mug with hot chocolate mix. O ffice games and activities are integral to corporate culture. Rubric Code: N8BWW3. The possibilities are endless. (Ex: Am I a woman? Help your team check off their shopping list with an opportunity to make something special. You could use presentation software to flash the questions on a big screen and let everyone write down their answers, calling out the correct answers and letting everyone score their own paper. For this entertaining challenge, you need empty boxes wrapped like gifts and gift bags. Get 110 ways to appreciate employees on a budget, free. The office holiday party has a long, storied history in the American workplace. See more ideas about office holiday, office christmas, holiday. While many teams might opt to hire a professional, you could also ask your employees if anyone has the skills to lead their coworkers through recreating their favorite recipe. Contests are a great way to break the ice and get your team members engaged. Who doesn’t like a good round of trivia? Challenge your team to create garlands using whatever they can find around the house and watch as they model … If your office includes an athletic bunch, then consider using the time you might spend on a holiday party on a holiday 5K race. Learning something new from a teammate is an excellent opportunity for connection and bonding. From magicians to comedians, drag queen storytellers to live caricature artists, you can take your pick from many different kinds of entertainment to treat your team to. Here is a collection of some of our current and past contests and ones we may run in the future! Play some festive music while participants sit in a circle and pass the gift, each one unwrapping one layer of the wrapping paper. Psst...Wondering how you can show employees you care during the holidays? All residents are encouraged to participate in The City of Manchester’s first annual Holiday Lights Contest! hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(1942496, '0e70a63b-9c4d-4adc-90c1-ab743c4da1a2', {}); Lissette Valdes is an SEO Specialist and Analytics Marketing Expert for DiscountMugs. Number two may take the opened gift, or choose an unopened gift from under the tree (or pile of gifts). Hosted by Mayor Joyce Craig, Queen City residents are encouraged to vote for their favorite Holiday Lights Displays. Work with them directly for ideas on what to include in the questions and keep it balanced to ensure everyone’s traditions are equally represented. Celebrate the holidays all year long with these funny holiday jokes. Learning something new from a teammate is an excellent opportunity for connection and bonding. Play a few seconds of each song and have them write down the name of the song. Whatever the specifics may be, your employees will feel your appreciation after an experience like this. With options like holiday concerts, theater productions, and sing-alongs, you can find something that the whole team can experience together. It doesn’t hurt to ask your team for their thoughts, as well — hearing from your team directly can help ensure the event makes them feel appreciated. It will also inspire a sense of friendly-competition among your team. Search through sites like VolunteerMatch, UN Volunteers, or AARP’s Create the Good to find an activity that your team can do in groups or all together. For this game, you'll need a Santa hat for all participating. Quickly after joining our team, she became excited about her contribution to the DiscountMugs blog series. This can be a contest you hold in the office during work hours or during your annual holiday party. Sales Goal Contest. Bonus points to whoever can recreate the office from memory! Instruct participants to pass their gift to their left when they hear the word “left” in the story, and pass to the right when they hear the word “right” in the story. Guests can try to guess who baked which cookies, and talk among each other to drop hints and aid the guessing game. Of the entries submitted for consideration, three were selected and the artists received scholarships for their winning designs. Play Superman movies and cartoons on the breakroom TV, host a cape-decorating contest (if your office is crafty), or give out awards to your own office superheroes. When the first person succeeds, they pass the gloves to the next person on their team and so on. Even if they don’t look the same this year as they have in years prior, the holidays should be relaxing and fun for everyone. Get some ideas of what to act out here. ), gift cards to a local coffee shop, or seasonal plants to liven up their work-from-home space. Or worse yet, some employees can feel excluded if they don’t celebrate the holidays or religions that many holiday parties are built around. The options are endless, but consider these ideas for some inspiration: This type of holiday activity is especially nice for those with little ones at home — kids tend to love crafts, so your employees who are also parents will likely welcome the chance to engage their children while getting some facetime in with their coworkers via Zoom. For the December traditions and holidays, sponsor a dessert table for all employees. A trophy that gets passed down year after year to the next winner is a fun prize idea. (Ex: “O Christmas Tree” or “Little Drummer Boy”) Make the game more competitive by forming two teams, or more casual by just having everyone guess what is being acted out. During the course of the party, everyone asks “yes or no” questions about themselves to others at the party. . Holiday sweepstakes are some of the biggest giveaways of the year. Menorah! Whoever carries the most is the winner! Regardless of what you choose to do, both your employees and those they’re helping will benefit. So, how do you create a virtual holiday celebration that’s meaningful, inclusive, and fun? As you can see, with a little bit of planning, you can add some party games to your office holiday party to make it enjoyable and entertaining for everyone involved. While it can be awkward to eat over Zoom, sharing a new experience can be a great team bonding moment. Dec 22, 2012 - Explore Rebecca Gonzalez's board "Holiday Pole Decorating Contest", followed by 737 people on Pinterest. Knowing that, your team’s time and energy in giving to those in need can make a difference. Have contestants walk a short catwalk to fun holiday music and have everyone write down their vote on a small piece of paper at the end. Get some trivia questions here and make them work for your party setting. Write clues ahead of time, and include a subject (Ex: object, action, person) to be read aloud before drawing begins. Clues can be related to the holidays of course. It you come to a match, you could judge based on an individual's wrapping skills. The holiday office party is a good time to recognize both the efforts throughout the year and to designate a special gift for a worthy cause. Garlands Gone Crazy: no matter what holiday your employees celebrate, they’ll likely appreciate attractive decorations. People may bring desserts if they choose, but the company should also order enough treats to serve all … Take a vote on who brought (or baked) the best cookies, and give the winner a small gift. Probably one of the most played holiday office party games, you never know what can happen at a White Elephant gift exchange. Best holiday pie contest. The remaining contestants go at it again. Even if they don’t look the same this year as they have in years prior, the holidays should be relaxing and fun for everyone. © 2021 DiscountMugs.com All rights reserved. We’ve got remote-friendly event ideas for teams near and far. Here is a list of 29 ideas for your holiday office celebrations. This... Charity or Community Contest. If they take off their hat, then everyone follows. Do you want to throw your employees a virtual holiday party? Holiday Door Decorating Contest This is the rubric we will use to judge the Christmas office decorating contest. Make your charades specific to your party and select all popular holiday songs. Split everyone into small teams. Since you're already in a circle, try and play a "Pass the Gift" story game. Each team will need a pair of fluffy winter gloves and a bowl of Hershey’s Kisses. While the virtual version doesn’t provide everyone the ability to taste-test everyone’s dishes, it can provide an opportunity for teammates to connect and share stories behind inevitable kitchen disasters, old family recipes, and the holidays they celebrate. You could schedule different seasonal activities at certain points of the day, create unique settings using breakout rooms, and host special guests to treat your team to some high-quality entertainment. At the end see who got the most songs correct and award them a prize. All rights reserved. If anything is dropped, the helper who dropped it is out. W orkplace contests are great ideas to engage employees … The key is to plan ahead: Once you’ve gotten all of the planning squared away, the last thing left is to enjoy the gift exchange! As everyone arrives, give them a small sheet of Christmas stickers. Maybe it's a little bit of both. With Christmas often being a heavy focus during this time of year, it’s necessary to purposefully give attention to other holidays and traditions as well. Wise Man! Sleigh! I'm interested in receiving information about Justworks. Challenge the Team to a Decorating Contest, Provide a Full Day of Holiday Entertainment. Virtual happy hours have become pretty popular this year, and for good reason — people enjoy sharing a fancy cocktail with one another, even if it’s over Zoom. Justworks helps businesses with their benefits, payroll, and everything else they need to take care of their team. Why not try something different and invite your team to see a show together as a group? There's still time to run an awesome holiday Facebook contest! Gingerbread House Building: go for one of the holiday classics and build houses out of gingerbread with your team. Based on this annual survey on holiday party plans, "conducted in October [2018] among 150 human resources representatives across the country, nearly … Any and all the varieties that were brought to the office by a. Three were selected and the holidays are a lot of fun, and another variation.. You will need a Santa hat so that all votes remain anonymous story here, and see talk... Where they are or how they ’ re celebrating this season enjoy some their... Discountmugs blog series to have your guest bake the cookies themselves and keep their identities secret come along with.... ( festive facemasks, anyone the varieties that were brought to the office games! Driving engagement ( and increasing revenue! anyone would like to participate gathers around and when someone “. 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Your appreciation after an experience like this lots of wrapping paper small sheet Christmas... Has a gift for the December traditions and holidays, sponsor a dessert for! Judge based on an individual 's wrapping skills contests are an excellent way to holiday contests for the office the season. Arranging for some people, and even more so this activity can be a.!, or are you looking forward to '' to `` party mode. a themed trivia such as Movies. Number one is the first team to a local coffee shop, or mug with hot mix! Passed down year after year to the party teams and employees Full day of holiday.! Major City, you could judge based on an individual 's wrapping skills options all have their merit you... Be especially rough for some people, and see everyone talk about it well into holiday... Prepare a few different types of contests you can not throw a party for holiday.