Office Christmas Party Ideas

Discover unique ideas to make your office Christmas party unforgettable.

In a previous article, we shared some practical advice for planning a works Christmas party, so now it’s time to dive into the fun and creative side of things.

>> Hire a Christmas Entertainer

Every choice you make should reflect your company culture. Avoid anything that might put people off attending, you want the event to feel welcoming and exciting for everyone.

The Christmas party ideas we’re sharing are designed for adults, so if you’re planning a work event, this article is for you.

Let’s get started.

Office Christmas Party Themes

It’s a Christmas party, but that doesn’t mean your office Christmas party shouldn’t have a theme. We’ve listed some of our favourites below, but any theme will work as long as you give it a festive twist. You can also check out our separate article for some fun corporate event theme ideas.

Ugly Christmas Jumper

Hosting an Ugly Christmas Sweater party has become a classic. Simply ask your guests to wear their best, or worst, Christmas jumper. It is silly, funny and adds to the festive spirit.

Pro tip: For those who do not have a jumper to hand, ask them to wear a red or green top. They will blend in seamlessly.

Die Hard

As the saying goes, “It’s not Christmas until we see Alan Rickman falling from the window”. Die Hard has become a Christmas movie staple. It is the perfect cover for a murder mystery night or planning a silly goose chase around the venue for your guests.

Bonus: As most guests in the movie are in evening wear, your employees will find it easy to meet the dress code.

Inside Santa’s Workshop

Host a Christmas party (seemingly) inside Santa’s workshop. The different departments in your company become different Elf departments (costume optional, but highly recommended).To make the theme work, you will want to decorate the venue thoroughly.

Fun tip: If your CEO or HR manager is not up for being Santa for the night, book an actual Santa to drop by and give presents to your employees.

Home Alone

Another Christmas movie classic.

The movie has a very distinctive look which makes planning the decoration easier (for example, an extravagant house that is heavily decorated for Christmas).

In the movie, the robbers try to overcome a series of traps and obstacles. To be on theme, consider planning a series of challenges for the management team or a randomly selected group of participants to overcome.

Christmas Market Night

Bring the charm of a traditional Christmas market to your office Christmas party. Think warm lighting, simple wooden-style stalls, festive treats and cosy drinks. You can set up small “market” stations around the room, such as hot chocolate, sweet treats or easy crafts.

Fun tip: Add a few outdoor-style touches indoors, like lanterns or bunting, to create that market feel without the cold.

A Christmas Masquerade Ball

Ask all the participants to arrive wearing a mask, Christmas themed or not.

Unlike a full fancy dress party, it is easy for guests to be on theme and they can remove the mask later in the evening after the photos if they grow tired of them.

Pro tip: Provide masks at the entrance for anyone who has “forgotten”.

Extra idea: Consider hiring a photo booth so guests can take fun photos with their masks before they take them off. It adds to the atmosphere and gives everyone a keepsake from the night.

Great British Christmas Bake Off

Perfect for foodie teams, this theme brings a playful, competitive twist to your office Christmas party. Encourage teams to bring bakes, or keep it simple with a light-hearted judging round of shop bought treats. Decorations can be minimal, inspired by classic bake-off tents and pastel colours.

Pro tip: Provide a small prize for the winning bake to amp up the fun without adding pressure.

Office Christmas Party Entertainment

When it comes to entertainment, the possibilities are endless. Below, we have listed a few of our favourite options that work really well for an office Christmas party. If you want more ideas, check out our separate article on easy corporate entertainment ideas.

DJ

A professional DJ can completely shape the atmosphere of your event.

For an office Christmas party, a DJ can set the mood during the reception and then get everyone on the dance floor later in the evening. It is an easy way to keep the night flowing and energy high.

Book a DJ for your Christmas party.

Live Bands & Singers

Live music brings a special atmosphere that is hard to beat. Bands and singers can create a warm, festive feel during the reception and then lift the energy later in the night.

For an office Christmas party, live performers work well if you want something a little more personal than a DJ. Most acts perform in sets, so plan the flow of the evening around their timings.

Book a live band or singer for your Christmas party.

Magician

If you want truly memorable entertainment, a magician is always a great choice. They add a sense of surprise and fun that works beautifully at any corporate event.

At Christmas events, magicians are often booked for mix and mingle magic, moving around the room and entertaining guests in small groups during the reception, between courses or just before the evening music begins. You can also choose a stage show if you prefer a single moment where everyone watches together.

For more information, you can view our tips for hiring a magician.

Find and book a magician for your event.

Photo Booths and Photographers

Photo booths and Polaroid corners have become a staple of corporate entertainment. You can rent a classic photo booth cubicle, a jumbo selfie mirror or keep it simple with a Polaroid-style camera. They are a great way for guests to capture fun, informal moments throughout the night.

For an office Christmas party, a photo booth adds energy and gives everyone something to take home. If you want high quality photos alongside the fun snapshots, hiring a professional photographer is the perfect addition. Nothing replaces long lasting, well lit photos of the event.

If you are not sure where to start with photo booths, you can view our tips on hiring the perfect photo booth.

Book a photo booth or photographer for your Christmas party.

Dance Performers

Professional dancers can deliver a high energy performance that instantly lifts the atmosphere. There are performers for almost every style, from street and contemporary to Latin or show dance, so it is easy to match the mood you want.

This kind of entertainment works really well at festive workplace celebrations, especially if you want something visual and engaging. For smaller groups, you can even add a short dance workshop to get everyone moving before the dance floor opens.

Explore dance performers for your event.

Caricaturists

A caricaturist is a light hearted way to entertain guests and give them a keepsake to take home. Their drawings only take a few minutes and create constant little pockets of laughter around the room.

They work particularly well during drinks receptions or as a relaxed activity alongside the main entertainment. Guests can choose whether to be drawn, so it never feels intrusive.

Find a caricaturist for your event.

Variety acts

Jugglers, stilt walkers, fire performers and other variety acts add visual impact and flair to any celebration. They can perform a set show or provide walk around entertainment for guests who want to watch.

These acts are great for creating atmosphere at workplace Christmas events, especially if you want something eye catching without being too structured. Just check with your venue in advance about things like space and insurance if you are booking fire based acts.

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Christmas Party Activities

It is a good idea to plan a few things for your employees to do during the evening. Below, you will find a selection of simple and popular activities to help keep the night fun and engaging.

Raffle

A classic option that always gets people involved. Start with a few small prizes and build up to a bigger one at the end of the night. It is simple to run and keeps the energy going throughout the evening.

Fundraising

Your Christmas party is a great place to weave in some light fundraising. It brings people together and supports a good cause at the same time. You can run small games or challenges and give them a festive twist to keep it fun.

The Price Is Right

Based on the well known TV show, this game is easy to host and gets plenty of laughs. Ask guests to guess the prices of everyday items and award a small prize to anyone who gets it right. It is a handy way to give out company swag too.

Murder mystery

An interactive game where guests work together to uncover who the murderer is. For larger groups, nominate a handful of willing team members to play the main roles and act out key moments that reveal clues. The rest of the guests then make their final guess at the end.

Speech

Keep speeches short and upbeat. Christmas parties are not the place for business updates, but a quick, warm message of thanks works really well. Aim for three or four minutes and make sure the microphone and sound are tested beforehand.

Light-hearted awards

Create fun, light hearted awards to celebrate your team. Keep everything positive and choose categories that make people smile. You can pick the winners in advance or vote for them on the night.

For example: “Least likely to send an email with typo”, “Most determined cyclist” or “Most avid post-it note user”. You get the idea!

Give out prizes to all the award winners. The winner of the prize can either be chosen ahead of time or elected on the night.

Christmas Quiz

A festive quiz is an easy way to get everyone involved. You can mix general Christmas trivia with pop culture questions and a few light hearted company references. It works well for groups of any size and adds a bit of friendly competition to the night.

Festive Bingo

A quick and relaxed activity that guests can dip in and out of. Create bingo cards with Christmas themed items or moments that might happen during the evening. It is simple to run, requires very little setup and adds a fun extra layer to the event.

Christmas Party Food Ideas

Food and drink are a big part of any event, and Christmas parties are no exception.

For most workplace celebrations, you will probably be working with a caterer. This makes the planning easier, although you will be limited to the menus they offer. If you need guidance on choosing the right supplier, you can read our tips on hiring a professional caterer.

If you are working with a smaller budget, consider starting the event a little later so guests can eat beforehand. You can then serve finger food or light bites later in the evening.

Make sure some of the food options are vegetarian, as this is not always included by default. It is also worth checking if any guests have dietary requirements before you finalise the menu.

works xmas party — © gustavo quiroga gaitan from Imágenes de gustavo quiroga via Canva.com

Christmas Decorations for an Office Party

Check whether your venue is planning on decorating the room. If they aren’t, you’ll want to plan the Christmas decorations yourself. As the event is for adults, you don’t need to go overboard but you still want the venue to have a festive feel. It’s Christmas after all.

Most photos you see online are very over the top. At PartyWizz, we think it is easier to keep things simple, especially if you need to take everything down afterwards. A well decorated tree, a few baubles around the room and some candy canes are more than enough.

You can then add a few themed items if you want to tie everything together.

Christmas Party Invitation ideas

Great Christmas party invitations help build anticipation at work, set the tone of the event and announce the party theme.

Printed Invitations

Decide whether you want to send digital or printed invitations. Printed versions take more time, but they feel more special and can make the event feel that little bit more important.

If you want to go the extra mile, you could even ask someone from the team to hand them out in person for added impact.

Slow Reveal

If you want to build excitement, you can do a step by step reveal of the event. For example, announce the theme one week, the general location the next, and then the actual venue after that. It is a simple way to keep people curious and looking forward to the party.

Elf on the shelf

If your company uses an Elf on the Shelf, you can have them “deliver” the invitations. This could be done in person or by sharing a photo of the elf holding an envelope. It is a small touch that adds a bit of fun to the build up.

With these ideas in hand, you are ready to create a Christmas party everyone will look forward to!