8 Corporate Holiday Party Ideas

In many corporations, the annual holiday party has become an event nearly every office party planner dreads. If you want to give your employees a corporate holiday party they’ll talk about for years, you should think outside the box.

The best party ideas will vary depending on the number of people in your company, your budget, and individual preferences.

So take stock, survey the office, and listen to your people.

You can use these corporate holiday party ideas to start planning the year-end bash:

1. Photo Party

Splurge on professional photos. While your team probably stockpiles selfies on social media, they might not break out their wallets for high-quality, professional photos. Allow your employees to indulge, and pay for a photographer to visit your workplace. Employees will also appreciate the opportunity to include significant others in the photos.

If hiring a photographer is out of the question, consider setting up a holiday photo booth so your employees can take quick photos of themselves and loved ones against a seasonal backdrop.

2. Holiday Potluck

Keep your office holiday party in-house and schedule a lunchtime potluck where everyone brings in a dish. This type of event is low-key, encourages socializing, and doesn’t require employees to attend an event outside of work hours. Encourage everyone to bring a dish even if they don’t make it themselves. Remember that some in the office may not be comfortable with their culinary skills and would rather purchase something to bring.

If planning a potluck proves too controversial around the office, consider catering your in-house holiday office party. Employees will appreciate the chance to customize their meals.

3. Restaurant Reservations

If an in-house party is out of the question, make reservations at a local restaurant and treat employees to a nice holiday dinner. Encourage your team to invite a “plus 1” and engage in a gift exchange with a low limit, say $20. To encourage mingling, make sure the restaurant or facility has enough space so people can walk around. However, the dining tables should be small enough to allow discussion in a loud environment.

4. Remote Party

Keep remote people in mind. If your company has numerous team members who work remotely, consider throwing a party on your company’s preferred telecommunication service! Choose activities everyone can do from home, such as virtual bingo and holiday theme charades. It’s a unique way to make remote workers feel appreciated and part of the team if they can’t be there in person.

5. Gag Gifts

Make it humorous. No matter what type of party you decide on, you’ll solicit some good laughs by planning a white elephant gift exchange as part of the event. Just set some ground rules that the item has to be something people already own or want to re-gift. Then, sit back, relax, and let the fun times begin!

6. Cocktail Party

Some business holiday parties have a free bar, while others may serve a two-drink, on-the-boss minimum. Others may opt for a cash bar. Regardless, a cocktail party is a great way to celebrate the end of the year. Don’t forget to provide the traditional eggnog option! To avoid incidents, you can keep employees safe by offering a car service or designating a few drivers to ensure everyone gets home without incident.

Consider booking your business holiday party at a holiday concert or sports event. Winter sports franchises from football, basketball, and hockey often offer special group packages. In addition, taking employees out to see holiday-themed performances like The Nutcracker will bring a sense of togetherness.

8. Costume Party

While a fancy dinner is nice, you can opt for a humorous costume party contest and save the budget for costume awards! Remember to set costume guidelines to avoid any controversial or potentially offensive costumes. Gift certificates are a nice way to reward your costume contest winners. HideAway has gift certificates for lodging, dining, and spa services, so you can appeal to everyone’s preferences!

As the holiday season approaches, one thing is for sure: Very few envy the role of the office holiday party planner. So let someone else do all the work.

Host your holiday event at HideAway Country Inn so we can help you plan the affair in our 1938 Restaurant & Pub or one of our event rooms.