'Tis the season for holiday parties – those magical events where colleagues can let loose, connect, and celebrate the year's accomplishments. This ultimate guide for top corporate holiday party ideas in 2023 will help you plan an engaging event that'll have your colleagues talking well into the new year. With detailed information on themes, venues, decorations, entertainment, and more, you'll be equipped to plan an entertaining party that'll be the highlight of the season. We’ve divided the post into two crucial components of a holiday party - entertainment and planning. So, let's shake off those workplace blues and dive into a world of holiday cheer!
Entertainment is a crucial aspect of a holiday party, determining whether the event is a thrilling success or just another boring corporate party. Use the following office holiday party ideas to make your holiday party enjoyable for your employees.
Partner with Virtual Reality Rental to offer your employees a variety of immersive VR experiences that can make your corporate holiday party unique. Options like VR race simulators, golf simulators, or VR Beat Saber can provide hours of entertainment and team building opportunities.
With the Walk the Plank VR experience at your holiday party, employees will feel like they're walking a narrow plank high above a bustling city.
This immersive activity is perfect for encouraging team members to step out of their comfort zone and bond through shared experiences.
As colleagues cheer each other on, Walk the Plank creates an atmosphere of excitement that will be remembered long after the party ends.
Add a fun VR race simulator to your office holiday party, and let your employees take the wheel! Colleagues can compete against each other in virtual races, aim for the top spot on the leaderboard, and earn prizes. The VR race simulator transports employees to world-class race tracks, where they can speed all they want without a worry of the outside world.
To all the baseball lovers out there, step right up, make your way to the plate, and hit a home run in the VR Home Run Derby. This interactive experience allows participants to swing for the fences and compete to see who can send more pitches out of the park..
Home Run Derby brings excitement to your corporate holiday party through fun, friendly competition.
Buckle up and take it to the skies with the VR flight simulator. Through this activity Participants can take the controls of various aircraft, navigating through stunning virtual landscapes and completing aerial challenges.
This exhilarating activity will leave employees talking about their high-flying adventures long after the party has ended.
Bring the course to your corporate holiday party with the VR golf experience. Employees can practice their swing without ever leaving the event venue.
This immersive golf simulation allows players to choose from various courses, adjusting the difficulty level to suit their skill sets. You’ll love the vibe this creates at your event as colleagues share tips, discuss strategy, and cheer one another on as they navigate the virtual greens.
Immerse your employees in a world of limitless possibilities with the Metaverse VR experience. This virtual reality platform offers a wide range of games, simulations, and interactive environments for your colleagues to explore together.
From solving puzzles in escape rooms to engaging in virtual team-building exercises, the Metaverse VR experience provides entertainment that can be tailored to suit your corporate holiday party's theme and objectives.
Couldn’t arrange a skiing trip to Aspen for your employees? Well, bring the excitement of the slopes to your holiday party with a VR skiing experience.
Employees can race down virtual mountains, and navigate challenging terrain in this immersive VR Skiing simulator. It’s a fun activity that will help your employees feel the Christmas spirit as they carve through snowy mountain courses.
Get your employees singing and grooving with the Beat Saber experience. This rhythm-based game challenges players to slice through colored blocks in time with music, using virtual lightsabers to keep the beat.
Beat Saber will have your employees engaged, laughing, and cheering one another on as they compete for the highest scores. This activity will make the participants feel like they’re in a music video, as they dance and slash through boxes with cool lightsabers in rhythm with the music.
Take your employees on a trip around the world, all from the comfort of your event venue (and without spending millions of dollars) in virtual reality. This VR adventure allows guests to explore famous landmarks, natural wonders, and bustling cities without ever leaving the holiday party venue.
Employees can embark on guided tours, learn about different cultures, and even try their hand at virtual activities unique to each destination.
Strengthen bonds among your employees and promote collaboration with virtual reality team-building activities. From cooperative puzzle-solving games to thrilling escape room challenges, VR team-building experiences are designed to encourage communication, problem-solving, and teamwork in an immersive environment.
By adding VR team-building exercises into your corporate holiday party, you'll create memorable experiences that can translate into stronger working relationships in the office.
Introduce your guests to classic games with a twist of Virtual Reality, through VR arcade entertainment. Offering a wide variety of games, the VR arcade allows employees to engage in friendly competition, and bond over shared experiences.
From classic arcade games reimagined in virtual reality to cutting-edge VR experiences, the VR arcade will keep your employees entertained throughout your next holiday party.
Plan a variety of games and contests to keep employees entertained during the party. Don't forget to offer prizes for winners to amp up the excitement!
Transform your holiday party into a golfer's paradise with a state-of-the-art golf simulator. Employees will love practicing their swing, competing in virtual tournaments, and spending time on the course, all from the comfort of your event venue. The golf simulator provides a fun activity for both golf enthusiasts and novices alike.
Add a high-flying element of excitement to your corporate holiday party with drone racing. Employees can compete in thrilling aerial races, navigating obstacle courses and speed to the finish line. You can even make it more exciting by adding a leaderboard and award the employee who gets the fastest lap time.
Give your employees the opportunity to explore the world of 3D printing at your holiday party. Set up a 3D printing station where attendees can see how 3D printing works, and hand out pre-made swag to your employees. Moreover, add 3D-printed ornaments on your Christmas tree to make it unique.
Include 3D printing pens to the station as well and invite your guests to participate in 3D printing activities, making their unique designs.
The 3D printing station fosters creativity and collaboration, as colleagues can share ideas and work together to bring their designs to life.
Introduce a cutting-edge element to your corporate holiday party with a laser cutting station. Handout pre-made custom holiday decorations, keepsakes, or even personalized gifts by designing and cutting intricate patterns into various materials like leather, acrylic, wood, etc.
Show that your company is keeping up with the times and introduce this futuristic attraction to your event.
Boost your holiday party's social media presence with a social media vending machine. Employees can post photos or messages using a designated event hashtag, and the vending machine will dispense a fun surprise in return. This unique and interactive experience encourages social media engagement and conversation, creating a buzz around your corporate holiday event.
Challenge your employees' intellect and wit with the "Are You Smarter Than An AI Bot" game. Participants can compete against an AI robot, where they try to answer questions as quickly as they can. You can change the type of questions included and even adjust the look of the game area to fit your event theme and brand. This enjoyable activity adds excitement and friendly competition for everyone.
Bring the excitement of the classic TV game show to your corporate holiday party with Tablet Jeopardy. With a wide range of categories and the option to customize questions to suit your company's interests, Jeopardy encourages friendly competition, teamwork, and a lively atmosphere as colleagues strive to become the ultimate trivia champions.
Enhance your corporate holiday party by adding the Batak Pro station. The goal of the game is to press illuminated targets as they light up, racing against the clock to achieve the highest score. We’d suggest adding a leaderboard and spice things up. Employees will be lining up to get a chance to reach #1 on the leaderboard for Batak Pro!
Augmented Reality (AR) offers an innovative way to elevate your corporate holiday party. By setting up an AR station at your event, you can provide attendees with an immersive experience that blends the digital and physical worlds.
Employees can participate in various AR activities, such as exploring virtual environments, interacting with 3D objects, or playing collaborative games.
This cutting-edge technology not only provides amazing entertainment but also promotes how forward-thinking your company is. To discover the full potential of augmented reality for your corporate holiday party, check out AugmentedRealityRental.co for a wide range of AR experiences and services.
These activities are hands-on, letting you get involved and flex your creative muscles.
Decorating the Christmas tree is a tradition in many families, and while each tree is similar, they’ve each got their own unique flair, whether it’s the ornaments, the lights, or the tree topper. So, put your office mate’s skills to the test with a tree decorating competition.
Everyone gets a tree and their choice of decorations; whoever makes their tree look best is the winner!
Run, run, as fast as you can… over to the gingerbread house building stations! Not only will this activity let you compete with your coworkers in a very Christmas-y way, there’s another advantage: win or lose, you can eat your creations. Or just sneak bites of your “materials” while you build.
Ugly Christmas sweaters are the ultimate staple of ironic holiday season fashion. But what if you had to design your own? Tell everyone to bring in a plain sweater from the thrift store or the back of their closet. Then let them loose with some design materials, to see who can make their sweater look the… ugliest?
If you’d like to make something a little more lasting, why not try out some holiday crafts? You can make many of the decorations you use every year, from ornaments to stockings, with just a small collection of supplies and materials. It’s enjoyable, engaging, and creates lasting memories.
A photo booth is a great way to make memories, the kind you can hang on your refrigerator – or on the wall of your office. For a little Christmas flavor, provide accessories like Santa hats, reindeer ears, and others so that everyone can deck themselves out before they get their picture taken.
Not only are games fun, but they also bring people together. When your team gathers for the holidays, these games can serve as great icebreakers.
Trivia does a great job of getting people engaged and their brains working… in a fun way, of course! And it’s quite easy to create Christmas-themed trivia, whether it’s how many reindeer pull Santa’s sleigh or details from popular holiday movies. Hand out prizes to the winners to see people really get into it.
We’ve loved scavenger hunts since we were kids… and we still do! They’re a great way to get people thinking and moving and having a great time along the way. You can keep yours in office or let it spill outside. Just try to inject some holiday flavor by adding scavenger hunt items that fit the season.
If you’ve never experienced an escape room then, well, you’re missing out. You’ll test your eyes, your wits, and your teamwork, as you and your colleagues work to find a way out of the room. And it’s easy to give it a holiday twist. For instance, maybe you’ll be escaping from Santa’s workshop or a wrapped present.
This is… Christmas Jeopardy! Put your trivia knowledge to the test, with this twist on the classic game show. If you really want to knock your colleagues’ socks off, you can hang iPads on the wall to mimic the Jeopardy screens. Then just program in some Christmas-related categories and answers.
Everybody likes receiving gifts, but it’s usually not feasible to buy individual presents for everyone in your office. That’s where the gift exchange comes in. It can be a Secret Santa style event, where people draw names and buy a gift for the person they chose. Or you can mix it up with a White Elephant exchange, where people can swap and steal and compete for the gift they really want.
This party idea combines a tried-and-true party activity, karaoke, with another staple of the holiday season, Christmas songs. In fact, holiday jingles are the perfect fit for karaoke, since they don’t require an impressive singing range – and you already know the words. You may get even better results combined with the Christmas cocktails idea.
Hey, playing music over the office speakers is fine, but if you want to really kick things up a notch, then live music is just the way to do it. Sure, you’re not going to book Mariah Carey, but you can hire a local band for a reasonable price. And it’ll add a whole new layer of fun and atmosphere to your party.
Who killed Santa’s favorite elf? Who stole all the presents from his sleigh? These are the types of mysteries you’ll solve at a holiday-themed murder mystery party. Find clues, interrogate your coworkers, and figure out who is to blame. Or are you the culprit?
There’s a reason Family Feud has been on TV for so long. It’s an excellent format for a game show, whether you’re playing or watching. Recreate it at your office party this year, with holiday themed topics and answers. But you’ll need to pick a host like Steve Harvey to add that spark of Family Feud to your office holiday party.
Charades is fun, doesn’t need any equipment, and can be played pretty much anywhere. Plus, it’s easy to make it perfect for your party by acting out people, animals, and things that are Christmas related. How will your coworker get you to guess “reindeer” or “elf”? It’s time to find out!
The cool thing about “reindeer games” is there’s no set definition. You can make your own kind of Christmas carnival or Olympics, with a variety of game booths, or you can use different types of games entirely. Just make sure you have a series of games, with performances in one game carrying over to the other, until a winner or winners are crowned at the end.
There are so many classic Christmas movies, whether it’s The Grinch, Home Alone, or A Christmas Story. So, grab some snacks, throw on your favorites, and let the movie marathon begin. To make things even more interesting, incorporate a game or prizes into the films, like trivia or a drinking game. Take a drink every time someone says “Merry Christmas”, for instance.
We all love to be recognized for our hard work. This party idea takes that reality and adds a sprinkle of celebrity awards show style entertainment and humor. Of course, the awards don’t have to be serious, and you can create ones to fit the season. Who will win “Santa’s favorite helper”? Or the dreaded “laziest elf”?
First things first, what's your plan for a theme? Are you planning on making it traditional or going with a unique theme? Here are some theme suggestions for your holiday party that can help you pinpoint what you're looking for.
Transform your corporate event space into a dazzling winter wonderland that would bring out the Christmas spirit! Decorate the place with snowflake decorations, small sparkling lights, and soft fake fur carpets to make it feel warm and comfortable. Get an ice statue as a beautiful main decoration and serve frosty blue cocktails to give off the North pole vibe.
Encourage employees to embrace the spirit of the season by sporting their most tacky holiday sweaters. Host a fashion show, complete with a makeshift runway, and let your colleagues display their ugly sweaters with confidence. Award prizes for categories like "Most Creative Use of Tinsel" and "Most Likely to Make the Boss Blush."
Add a dash of mischief to your corporate holiday party with a white elephant gift exchange. Employees bring wrapped, inexpensive, and preferably humorous gifts to swap and "steal" during the game. For an extra twist, create a set of outrageous rules for gift stealing, such as requiring participants to perform a holiday-themed rap or do their best reindeer impression.
Celebrate your company's diverse workforce with a Holidays Around the World themed party. Decorate each corner of your venue to represent a different country's holiday traditions, and serve cuisines from different parts of the world.
You could even incorporate traditional games and entertainment from each culture. Encourage employees to dress in attire from their favorite holiday destinations or provide accessories like berets, sombreros, or leis for them to wear.
Invite employees to take a trip down the early 1900s with a nostalgic Vintage Christmas party. Set the scene with antique ornaments, old-fashioned stockings, and a crackling fireplace (real or virtual).
Play classic holiday tunes from the likes of Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole, and serve up treats from yesteryear, like ribbon candy and fruitcake. To really set the mood, encourage employees to dress in vintage attire, such as flapper dresses or dapper suits.
Why not bring the tropics to your corporate holiday party with a Beachy Christmas theme? Decorate with palm trees decorated with twinkling lights, beach ball ornaments, and a tiki bar serving festive piña coladas.
Encourage employees to wear their best Hawaiian shirts, sunglasses, and flip-flops, and organize a limbo contest or a sandy snowman-building competition.
To create a truly unforgettable corporate holiday party, consider renting a unique venue. Think outside the box with locations like art galleries, museums, or even historic mansions.
Research local event spaces and choose one that best suits your theme and budget. To ensure a smooth experience, coordinate with the venue on logistics like parking, catering, and setup.
If weather permits, hosting an outdoor corporate holiday party can be a refreshing change of pace. Opt for venues like parks, botanical gardens, or even a beachside locale for a one-of-a-kind celebration. Be sure to rent tents, heaters, or fans as needed to keep employees comfortable, and don't forget to string up plenty of holiday lights to create a festive ambiance.
To set the tone for your corporate holiday party, design personalized invitations that align with your chosen theme. Get imaginative with materials, like using actual mini ugly sweaters as invitations for an Ugly Sweater Party or crafting passport-style invitations for a Holidays Around the World event. You can also incorporate interactive elements, like puzzles or scavenger hunts, that employees must complete to reveal the party details.
In today's digital age, online invitations are a convenient and eco-friendly option for inviting employees to your holiday party. Platforms like Evite or Paperless Post offer customizable designs and easy-to-use RSVP tracking systems. Plus, they save time, money, and the hassle of dealing with postage.
To ensure smooth party planning, set a clear RSVP deadline and follow up with any employees who haven't responded. This will help you obtain an accurate headcount for food, beverages, and seating arrangements, and ultimately lead to a more organized event.
Show off your company's creative side with homemade decorations that add a personal touch to your corporate holiday party. Create festive centerpieces using mason jars, candles, and fresh greenery, or assemble paper snowflake garlands to drape across the ceiling.
For a truly unique and eco-friendly decoration, try repurposing old holiday cards or sheet music into one-of-a-kind ornaments.
Celebrate the season while being kind to the environment with eco-friendly decorations. Use biodegradable materials like fabric, wood, or paper. Decorate with LED lights, which consume less energy, and add organic decorations like pinecones, holly, and fresh greenery. You can even use potted plants or living Christmas trees that can be replanted after the party.
If crafting isn't your company's forte, fear not – there's a plethora of store-bought decorations available to suit any theme. Hunt for sales and discounts at local stores or online retailers to find the perfect decorations within your budget. Remember, it's not about how much you spend; it's about creating a festive and welcoming atmosphere for your employees.
If you'd rather focus on other aspects of the party, hiring a catering service can save time and effort. Research local caterers and choose one that offers a menu that aligns with your theme and budget. Be sure to arrange a tasting session beforehand to ensure the food is up to par and communicate any dietary restrictions your employees may have.
What’s a holiday party without creative servings? Spice up the menu (not literally) for your holiday party with the following holiday party food and beverage suggestions:
No corporate holiday party is complete without a mouth watering spread of festive food. Design a menu that reflects your chosen theme, adding traditional holiday dishes or unique twists on classic recipes.
For a Winter Wonderland party, consider a cozy menu of warming soups, hearty casseroles, and desserts like chocolate fondue.
For a Beachy Christmas, treat employees to a tropical feast with dishes like coconut shrimp, pineapple-glazed ham, and key lime pie. Don't forget to include vegetarian and vegan options to cater to all dietary preferences!
Raise a toast to your company's success with signature holiday cocktails that match your theme.
For a Winter Wonderland, consider classics like mulled wine or hot toddies, or create your own unique concoctions like a "Frostbite Martini" with blue curaçao and white chocolate liqueur.
For a Beachy Christmas, serve up festive piña coladas or a "Sleigh on the Beach" with vodka, cranberry juice, and a splash of pineapple. Don't forget to offer non-alcoholic options for employees who prefer them.
Determine your budget early in the planning process, considering costs for the venue, food, beverages, decorations, and entertainment. Be realistic about your spending limits and prioritize the aspects of the party most important to you and your colleagues.
Create a timeline and checklist to ensure all tasks are completed in a timely manner, reducing stress as the party approaches. Break down tasks into categories like venue selection, invitations, decorations, catering, and entertainment, and assign deadlines for each task.
Enlist the help of a planning committee or assign specific tasks to colleagues who are eager to contribute.
Better yet, get in touch with a representative at Equation Events, and our expert team will help you out!
A corporate holiday party is more than just a festive gathering; it's an opportunity to celebrate your company's accomplishments, show appreciation to employees, and strengthen bonds among colleagues.
By adding a unique theme, selecting a cool venue, and providing engaging entertainment, you can create a holiday party that's both fun and memorable. So, let the planning begin, and get ready to spread some holiday cheer in your workplace!
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