With the end of yet another year around the corner, Christmas preparations will soon be in full swing. And your office should reflect that. Gear up for the festive season with these unique prep ideas that will boost company morale and hype your employees to work with more enthusiasm!
Budget For The Party
Parties are all about having fun but arranging them costs money. You will need to allocate an appropriate budget to have a smoothly running party.
Budgeting for office parties like those for Christmas should be decided during the annual budgeting process. Make good use of organizational resources and factor in the food, drinks, venue, invitations, and games.
Once you make a budget employee-wise, make sure to stick to it.
Ensure Good Planning
The basis of a successful party is always good planning. Select responsible and efficient employees who are interested in organizing parties in charge of party prep.
Make a structure for the event and then delegate tasks to those best suited. This will generate buzz among the team and boost their spirits.
Remember to still practice pandemic safety and keep plenty of sanitizers, face masks at hand.
Provide Formal Invitations
No party is complete without invitations. An email alerting all employees will create excitement and buzz for the upcoming event.
Go creative with the invitations with the help of your designer, or use tools like Canva. Be sure to send out the invitations with enough time for the employees to mark them on their events calendar.
Get Personal With Gifts
Christmas is incomplete without gifts, and what better way to appreciate your employees than thoughtful tokens to brighten their holidays? A general gift hamper for all employees may seem the easiest solution but not all may appreciate it.
Instead, win your employees over by giving them a personalized gift such as a paid day off or even a gift card. Gifts decorated with customized tape are also a trend these holidays. You can look into various customized tapes from the tape superstore to find the perfect holiday-themed tape.
One way is to set up a wish corner to know what your employees want, and colleagues can exchange gifts with each other. Spread the joy of Christmas with a secret Santa.
Include Family
Christmas is meant to be celebrated with family and friends. Including them in the office party will make your employees more comfortable and enjoy themselves more easily.
Additionally, family presence will discourage inappropriate coworker flirting and dispel any unpleasant rumors.
Incorporate Fun Activities
Christmas parties are all about food and drinks. But it would be incomplete without some of the traditional office games. This builds camaraderie between colleagues, and the promise of gifts keeps players in high spirits.
Warm up with some passing the parcel to keep the excitement of the hidden gift. If the budget allows, you can arrange an escape room game or scavenger hunt. Both are interactive games that will build workplace relationships and memorable Christmas evenings.
You can also amp up the tension in the room with some murder party games once the drinks and desserts roll in.
Set Limits On Alcohol
Alcohol may be traditional during parties, but one should never go overboard, especially at office parties. You don’t want a mishap that will embarrass your office’s image for years to come.
The trick is to ensure that there is more food and dessert than booze at the party. If you do include drinks, choose ones with low alcoholic content. You can also provide a variety of beverages like hot cocoa and coffee to discourage others from consuming alcohol.
Adorn the Place with Plants
Plants make any place instantly brighter. If the upkeep is difficult, opt for artificial plants. You can pair them with stylish vases that will add the cherry on top.
Make it an office tradition to decorate the Christmas tree together with the ornaments contributed by each employee.
Scented Candles Provide Ambience
The days leading up to Christmas are hectic. There are deadlines to catch up on, not to mention all the preparation for the party. Scented candles soothe anxious employees and allow them to relax a little.
Spend on Those Decorations
Welcome Christmas early into your office by decorating with trinkets and other festive decorations. As the office gears up for the festive season, your colleagues will work with renewed zeal, and you will notice the noticeably brighter atmosphere around the office.
Place a wreath at the front door or put on LED light signs to welcome your clients.
Don’t forget to bring a bit of the festive season to your desk as well. Add some red and green color, candles, or even a Christmas tree tabletop and encourage others to follow suit.
Play some traditional Christmas carols on the radio or a playlist with a mix of modern songs that would cater to everyone’s tastes in music.
Serve your favorite holiday dishes,
Sharing good food and a few drinks with friends and family is the heart of Christmas. Get out your favorite foods like Christmas roast, cheese platters, puddings, cake, and gingerbread cookies.
The best relationships are built over food, so don’t forget to use this opportunity to get close to other colleagues. You will be surprised by the stories people have to tell. You can also encourage others to bring in Christmas dishes from their culture.
Thank Them
Christmas marks the end of the year and signals the hope for new beginnings in the next year. So what better way to bid farewell to the year than by expressing gratitude to those who have worked with you tirelessly this year.
Take a few minutes in the evening to thank them for their hard work. It is their effort that keeps the business afloat. The appreciation will lift their spirits.
Finally, don’t forget to take a group photo to mark the end of a memorable night.
Conclusion
Christmas parties can be a pain to arrange, but a successful party will make all the effort worth it. As the manager or boss, you must oversee the party and ensure that people celebrate responsibly. Curb on the booze and keep a hold on the budget since both tend to go out of control.
Going beyond to make your employees feel welcome will always build better workplace relationships. Remember that happy employees mean a happy business. Merry Christmas!
OTS News on Social Media