Holiday Planning for Office Parties

The holidays are such a festive time of the year. Celebrating with co-workers and colleagues is a wonderful thing to be able to do. However, office holiday parties often have to come with a lot of “office holiday party do’s and don’ts” as to not offend anyone.  Today we are offering some tips and holiday office party ideas that will appeal to everyone so that you can celebrate at work with the freedom and relief that everyone will enjoy.

• Be specific that your holiday party is not specific; as in not specific to any holiday, any religion, and is inclusive of everyone.
• You might even decide to not call it a “holiday party”. Instead names like “End of the Year Celebration” or just “December Office Party” both work well as names instead.
• Make sure to follow through on your nondenominational office theme with the food and the decorations.
• Decorations ideas can be unconventional for holidays, but still make them fun. Try incorporating plants, flowers, and different colours other than the traditional red and green. Here in the Southern Hemisphere, it is summer time, so bright colours work well. In the other half of the world where it is winter, blue and white or a snow theme are all fun ideas that can appeal to everyone.
• Instead of having your office holiday party during December, maybe start a new tradition and schedule it after New Year’s and call in a New Year Party. Most of the staff will be finished traveling so everyone can enjoy and after New Year’s is over, all of the decorations go on sale making the decorations for this theme even more economical for your office budget.
• A tradition party is another great theme idea, where each person shares a food or game from their holiday tradition. It gives each employee a chance to share and allows everyone to get to know each other better.
• Instead of exchanging gifts or having a “Secret Santa” type gift exchange, donate the money or gifts to a charity instead of giving gifts to each other, which can often result in hurt feelings inadvertently.