Alternative Christmas Theme Ideas for Office Parties

In-person Christmas Party Ideas

In this festive season, your employees will be looking forward to an in-person Christmas party. Take this opportunity to strengthen the bonds of your organization and have fun with each other. Here are a few great Christmas party ideas that will help you enjoy the festivities to the fullest.

1. Ugly Christmas Sweater

Wearing an ugly Christmas sweater doesn't just bring out the Christmas spirit but also sets a fun tone at the party. It is one of the best themes because it makes light of what can be a heavy and stressful time of year. Christmas parties do not have to be serious all the time.

2. Giving Back

Your employees might find happiness in doing volunteer or charitable works. You can choose a foundation and collect donations from your team. Another option might be to spend a day with the older members of your community or with an animal rescue organization.

This idea might be exciting for some. However, keep in mind that it will be the holidays soon so some of your employees would keep a tighter budget. Therefore, don't enforce the donations. It has to be heartfelt and voluntary.

3. Potluck Lunch

Instead of having a super serious Christmas party, you might want to opt for a casual potluck lunch. This allows your employees to lay back and relax.

This is the time when your team shows off their culinary skills by bringing in their favorite dishes. Or, to make it different, you can ask them to bring their favorite cocktail mix instead.

Then, if you want, you can spend it at the beach for extra fun and recreation. It might be a better option than just the usual convention halls or restaurants.

Additionally, since your employees are already bringing the food, make sure that the company provides everything else, such as the location, awards, and contest prizes.

4. Nightmare Before Christmas Theme

If you've never heard of Nightmare Before Christmas, it's a movie where Jack Skellington from Halloween Town kidnaps Santa Claus, putting Christmas in jeopardy for the rest of the world.

This Tim Burton classic is both a Halloween and Christmas film. If you want to spend more of your budget on food and prizes, then this theme might be what you need. The Nightmare Before Christmas theme allows you to use leftover decorations from Halloween.

Moreover, it's also a great choice if you're sick of the cheesy Christmas carols, as the film's soundtrack is a hit.

5. Bring Your Pet

Some companies allow employees to bring their families to the office for Christmas parties. Now it's time to extend the invitation to their furrier (and perhaps cuter) family members—their pets.

Nothing reduces stress and brings happiness as much as having pets in the office. You can even have them wear costumes and do a parade around the workplace.

Although this is a fun theme, there are a few things that you need to consider. One is to check up on employees that might have allergies or extreme fear of the pets. And another one is you might want to hold the event in a bigger location to not stress the pets, especially the cats and dogs.

6. Christmas Murder Mystery or Escape Rooms

Murder mysteries or escape room games are perfect for smaller office parties. If you plan to eat out with the team, then this idea is an excellent addition to your schedule.

These types of games are not only fun but also promote teamwork and let your employees use their brains differently. And, of course, have some of them play out their lifelong dream of becoming a super-spy or detective.

7. Christmas Party Bus

Take your office Christmas party up a notch by celebrating on a party bus. A party bus is an excellent choice, especially if you're not sure where to go. Instead of staying in one place, you can party while riding around town.

Additionally, if you choose a party bus such as L3 Limo's The Royale, then you'll have everything you need included. The Royale has tables, a wet bar, luggage space, restroom, dance pole, and a whopping 5000-Watt stereo system.

Party buses are affordable, luxurious, and exciting-- Just the right components for a perfect office Christmas party.

Virtual Christmas Party Ideas

The reason for parties is to bond the employees together and bring some cheer to their lives. But due to the pandemic, most of them might be working remotely. But this does not mean that they need to miss out on the fun. There are a lot of virtual ideas that you can incorporate into your corporate Christmas party.

1. Play Online Games

Virtual meetings and events can be pretty dull at times. So keep your employees engaged and excited by playing online games. There are apps where you can play virtual bingo, murder mystery, trivia championship, and more.

You can make it more fun by having everyone create their virtual avatars and celebrate your Christmas party in online co-op games such as Animal Crossing.

2. Decorating Contest

Christmas often brings out the inner designers in all of us. So why not hold a decorating contest for your employees?

Whether it's a Christmas tree, gingerbread house, or Santa socks, your team will have fun being creative and, at the same time, competitive. Your prizes can include quirky awards, holiday baskets, or monetary rewards.

3. Watch Classic Christmas Movies Together

Another excellent idea for virtual parties is watching classic Christmas movies.

From Home Alone to How the Grinch Stole Christmas, there are many options to choose from.

Most of them might have already seen the films. So make the experience more entertaining and funny by letting your employees comment on the movies.

Additionally, you can supply them with popcorn, drinks, and candy bars to make the moment more cinema-like.

4. Film Dubbing

Another way for your team to enjoy the Christmas movies is through film dubbing. Have them team up and voice the characters in the films.

Let them show their inner actors or comedians through this activity. And as mentioned above, most of them might have watched the movies already. So this is their chance to change the story.

5. Guess That Christmas Song

Another competition that your employees might enjoy is to guess that Christmas song. Just play the first two seconds of a song, and the first one who can guess the title wins.

To make it more engaging, have your team hum or sing the songs themselves. You can start with the easy ones, such as Jingle Bells, before proceeding to the harder ones like "Christmas in Hollis" by Run DMC.

How to Plan an Office Christmas Party

A Christmas party is a chance for you to have a little fun with your coworkers. It's also an opportunity to show a little appreciation for the team. So to help you organize an office Christmas party that everyone would look forward to, here are some tips that you might want to consider.

1. Create a Team. Create a small group of employees that will help you execute the event. This will lessen the pressure on you and expedite the planning process.
2. Set a Budget. Get a general idea of how much everything will cost. The budget can include the price of the location, food and beverages, decorations, transportation, entertainment, and prizes.
3. Pick a Venue and Date.  Choose a venue that can accommodate the number of employees you have for the time you would like. And we know how busy the holidays can get, so it's better to make reservations as early as you can.

When picking a date, if possible, schedule it during work hours. Please don't hold the event during their days off as they are more likely not to participate.

1. Choose a Theme. Whether it's for an in-person or virtual event, having a theme makes it easier to know what kinds of decoration, food, drinks, or apps you need to prepare. Just choose one from the above themes!
2. Invite Everyone. Send out invitations as early as one month in advance. And have everyone confirm their attendance at least three weeks before the event. This will give you time to make changes as needed or put more of the budget into the rewards.

Have Fun in Your Company Christmas Party

Office Christmas parties don't have to be rigid and traditional. It's a time for both you and your employees to have fun and simply enjoy each other's company. Pick one or two from the theme ideas listed above to make your Christmas parties more fun and exciting for everyone.

Party Bus Rental in Tampa

Worried about transportation, location, and entertainment for your corporate Christmas party? Rent a party bus from L3 Limo and have all of these problems solved easily. Click here to choose from our fleet. And for questions, bookings, or in-person viewing schedules, you can call us at (813) 699-5777.