The holidays are right around the corner. What better way to celebrate the end of the year and plenty of time off than with a corporate holiday party? If you want to avoid the standard cookie swap and boring office conversations, it’s time to think outside the gift box and plan a spectacular corporate holiday party. We’ve got some generalized suggestions for planning a great event and boosting team bonding through creative activities. So, without further ado, let’s look at some corporate holiday party ideas. 

Tips for Planning the Perfect Holiday Party

If holiday planning isn’t your strong suit, or you need help to get into the festive spirit, there are a few things to consider before planning the ultimate corporate holiday party. First, pick out a theme for your holiday party. While “holiday party” is a good starting point, basing your activities around a cohesive theme can help direct your party planning and get your coworkers excited about a holiday bash.

Two primary goals for your corporate holiday party should be to make it fun and unique. Unfortunately, everyone has attended a gift swap gone wrong or some version of “Minute to Win It” holiday games, so try and think outside the box when planning your holiday bash. 

Think about your target office audience while planning; if most of your employees grew up in the ‘80s, consider an ‘80s-themed holiday bash. Similarly, consider what your office produces when planning your theme. For example, a paper snowflake competition could be a nice touch if you’re a paper company. The more personalized you make your holiday party, the more unique it will be. 

Include team-building activities in your planning to help get people out of their shells and encourage interdepartmental teamwork. Of course, bring prizes for activities; even a $10 gift card is plenty of encouragement to get people to work together as a team. 

Finally, consider taking your team outside the office. You spend most of your week in the office, so why not find a new venue to host your holiday party? Many places offer reservations for parties and may even provide a discount, so check out venues near you before settling on the break room as your venue choice. 

Silent Night (of Chance)

Our first suggestion can take place right in the office with a bit of creativity. Everyone loves a game of chance, after all. Dress up the office with plenty of lights, and include fun games like “slot machines” (low-tech is fine, of course), bingo, poker tables, and more. Of course, you can easily purchase plastic chips for employees to bet with and have a holiday-themed prize exchange for the winners. If you’re feeling extra festive, consider getting holiday-themed plastic chips or fake snowflakes as tokens. You can also include fun, casino-themed snacks and mocktails for the office. The more creative you are with this theme, the better; keep it HR-appropriate! 

Ho-Ho-Hole in One

Leave behind the office this holiday season and head for a mini-golf location. The holiday twist here is a costume contest offering prizes for the most festive (or least festive) attendee. You can also encourage teamwork by providing prizes for the best group costume or creating teams for different holes. 

This corporate event is an excellent opportunity for future promotional pictures of the office, and you can offer prizes for the best mini-golf team. While some employees may be lukewarm about an office party, who can say no to a day of mini-golfing in fun costumes? 

Check mini-golf locations near your office to see if there are any holiday-themed golf courses nearby and to scout out venues that can accommodate large parties. You can also end the party back at the office with a gift exchange if you want to combine the best parts of a traditional holiday party with extra creative fun. 

Corporate on Ice

This theme allows for some flexibility. If you’re ready to go all-out, consider renting an ice skating rink or hosting lessons. However, if that sounds like too many liability forms, you can always host your ice-themed holiday bash at the office. “Ice skating” lessons in fuzzy socks on wooden floors can be an excellent replacement for an ice rink, while an “igloo” building competition using ice cubes and teamwork is a great way to encourage employee competition. You can also include small ice sculptures and frosted beverages to complete the theme. 

If you want to lean into the musical stylings of “corporate on ice,” host a holiday-themed karaoke event with holiday classics all about colder weather. This event is even more fun if you live somewhere where snow is a rarity, as it can help your entire office get into the holiday spirit without wrestling with real snow and ice. 

Temecula Private Wine Tour

Finally, if you’re in the Southern California area, nothing says holiday cheer like a private wine tour. Best Coast Tours offers a Temecula wine tour perfect for corporate holiday parties. If you’re looking to take a lot of the stress out of planning a holiday event, this tour is perfect. Not only does Best Coast Tours offer custom pickup locations, but they also offer private tours and have large capacity vehicles to accommodate big groups. If you’re looking for a relaxing tour of the Temecula valley full of tastings and knowledgeable tour guides, this tour is the perfect option. Of course, you can enhance the holiday spirit by encouraging employees to dress festive or combining the class of a wine tasting with any number of holiday games along the way. The options are endless.

If you’re looking for fun things to do in Southern California or are trying to plan your next corporate outing, Best Coast Tours has everything you need to knock the holiday stockings off your next corporate event. From wine-tasting tours to historical tours of LA, Best Coast Tours has everything you need to host a corporate bash that will go down in history. So contact us to make a reservation today.