77 Corporate Holiday Party Ideas Employees Will Love (2022 Edition)
September 1, 2021 • Feature, The Office
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Whether you’re working with a whole Party Planning Committee, or it’s just little old you, putting together a corporate holiday party is no easy task.
We’ve broken down the ideas into 14 different themes – each one includes activities, food, and activities.
Throughout the article we’ve also gathered Pro Tips from experts in the event planning industry. Enjoy!
And here it is — your first PRO TIP.
Pro Tip
Before you pick up the phone to call your first vendor, or start Googling to find the best guest check-in app, Wild Sky Events, who counts Lyft and The Knot as clients, suggests getting everything down on paper and out of your brain. Starting the event planning with a full, bullet point list of every detail ensures nothing is overlooked, and it provides a master checklist for vendors and anyone else helping out with the event.
Theme: So tonight I’m gonna party like it’s 1999
1. Kara-offkey
Turn your corporate holiday party into the good old days when MTV actually played music videos. Look up the top hits from the decade and prepare everyone’s ears for unique renditions of “Livin’ la Vida Loca.”
2. Game time
Snag some retro games on eBay, or raid your parents’ closet for classics like Grape Escape, Gator Golf, Mr. Bucket, Jumanji, and Jumpin’ Monkeys. Set up a lounge area at the event space where people can play a few rounds on breaks from the dance floor.
3. Food+ Drink: 90’s Eats
We’ll help you book a food truck that can whip up 90s-inspired food. Create-your-own Lunchables-style mini pizzas, Cheez Balls, P.B. Crisps, Dunkaroos. Don’t forget to send party guests home adorned with oversized Ring Pops.
4. Attire: Throwback ‘fits
Luckily (or maybe not so much) the 90s are back in fashion, so employees might already have some of these gems lying around. Encourage attendees to show up in overalls with one strap undone, bleached tips, chain wallets, neon windbreakers, grunge ripped jeans, Hypercolor tees, and anything else that screams the 90s.
Pro Tip
When it comes to theme parties, A&M Events has lots of experience. These expert party planners advise choosing a theme that’s unique, but specific and reasonable to execute. They recently produced a Mad Men x Palm Springs-inspired event and guests knew just how to dress up without wondering whether or not they would feel out of place.
Theme: A Night of Chance
5. Who has #88302?
Give everyone a raffle ticket as they enter, then a few times during the evening, halt activities to announce winners. Stock the prize box with items like gift cards, Apple TVs, and tickets to sporting events.
6. Up the ante
It’s easy to bet big when you’re playing with fun money. Set up slots, poker tables, and roulette for a fun and unique corporate holiday party activity. Yelling “Mama needs a new pair of shoes” and accusing your colleagues of being card sharks is mandatory.
7. You won’t believe your eyes (or ears)
A talented magician is always a corporate holiday party pleaser, especially if the Full House Martinis already have guests seeing double. Or, hire a fortune teller to offer party goers a peek into the future.
8. Live music
There’s nothing like a blast from the horn section to keep the energy up at the craps table. Book a local band to make sure the whole night is up tempo.
9. Food + Drink: Casino Bites
With all eyes on the cards, you’ll want to make sure food is edible in small bites, and available on toothpicks, shish kabobs, or dippable with chips or veggies. Pack the buffet table with on-theme nibbles like Texas Hold ‘Em Hamburger Bites, Black Jack Cheese Dip, Full House Martinis, Roll the dice sushi rolls, Poker chips and dip, Big Money Meatballs, and if you’re feeling really brave, Clams casino. For a sweet treat, cut brownies into squares and decorate them with frosting to make them look like dice.
10. Attire: Glam
Ask attendees at your corporate holiday party to jazz it up. Guests can put together their best Queen of Hearts, Lady Luck, or fedora-wearing gangster ensembles for an extra hand of good luck.
Pro Tip
Bixel & Company, an LA-based event agency responsible for some of the area’s most buzzed about events, suggests building excitement for the event in advance through email blasts, social media, blogs, and good old word of mouth. You know your event is going to be awesome – make sure invited attendees know, too!
Theme: Do Good, Feel Good
11. No Grinches allowed
Get into the spirit of giving with an office-wide charity event. Volunteer at a local soup kitchen or ask everyone to donate to a charity of their choice instead of gifts. Check out Givewell.org, a great tool that ranks charities in order of their effectiveness and shows where your money is going and the impact it will have.
12. Invite some puppers
Help adoptable pups find their furever homes with a PuppyParty. Seriously, it’s a real thing. Guests can get in as many snugs and boops needed with these doggos.
13. Slow-mo kisses
The only thing that could pawsibly make a photo with a pupper better is a slow motion video booth. Capture every adorable moment in a cool highlight reel of the night’s soiree.
14. Food + Drink: Food Truck
Park a food truck outside to keep the fluff and the food separate. Click on the banner below to learn more, or click HERE to find out just how much it might cost.
15. Attire: Sweaters
Anything that can easily be lint-rolled. You’ll be covered in fake snow after the first ten minutes.
Pro Tip
A&M Events in Nashville has learned through working with clients like BarkBox and Church’s Chicken that their favorite events are those where guests are immediately comfortable. A recent success involved a party where dogs where the main invitees and their people were the guests. If your office is dog-friendly, consider throwing a party where pups are on the guest list, too!
Theme: Merry Craftmas
16. More glitter, please
Start the festivities with a holiday ornament decorating party. Grab some plain ornaments and crafts supplies at Target or a hobby shop. Throw down some newspaper and let guests go to town.
17. Sugary decor
Nothing says holiday season like the smell of freshly baked gingerbread walls and roofs, right? Stock up on sugary decor like candy canes, cinnamon hearts, gummy bears, M&Ms, Starburst, Smarties, sprinkles, icing, and of course, gumdrops, and let staff create their own gingerbread houses. When everyone’s done building their masterpiece, hold a vote to see who wins for best curb appeal.
18. The Great Cookie Bake-Off
This corporate holiday party activity is just like the gingerbread houses, but cookies instead! You can vote for the best design, or just let everyone dig in.