The holiday season is a time of joy, cheer, and togetherness – feelings that don’t always come easy in the workplace. Between the stress of end-of-year deadlines and the hustle and bustle of personal holiday preparations, the magic of the holidays can sometimes get lost in the daily grind. That’s why a holiday spirit week is a great way to bring everyone together and destress.
However, finding the right holiday spirit week ideas for work can be challenging. There are countless events, activities, and celebrations to consider—plus you have to factor in your employees’ preferences.
In our most recent podcast, Spreading the Holiday Spirit!, we spoke with Jayne Hannah and Laura Cooper about their favorite ways to celebrate the holidays at work. We covered why celebrating the holidays is important and unique ideas to get festive with your work family:
“I feel a bigger shift now more than ever towards team building and what it actually means to people and what they get out of it that’s so important.”
Today, we’ll provide some tips for planning a successful holiday celebration and offer 10 ideas for your Christmas spirit week.
Tips for Planning a Successful Holiday Spirit Week
Though you might want to jump straight into looking at holiday spirit week ideas for work, a successful holiday spirit week starts with good planning. Careful and deliberate planning is the key to making sure your celebration is a success. Jayne explains the importance of planning:
“Give yourself as long as you can. Simplify. Remember that you are people and do not overschedule. Do not do too much. Do not expect a winter wonderland to be created within 30 minutes.”
As with anything in business, you need plans. You want to take time and make good decisions, think about your options, consider what your employees would want, and have everything thoroughly planned out.
There are a few key factors to consider—themes, activities and events, and planning and leadership. We’re going to break down each of those and explain why they’re important, what you need to consider, and make sure you’re ready to plan a successful holiday spirit week.
Themes
One of the first things you want to figure out is your theme. You might be thinking, “it’s the holidays; isn’t that the theme?” However, it’s not that simple. Even though it’s a holiday event, you still need to pick a theme.
Your theme can be just about anything, but you want to make sure that it is relevant and inclusive for your employees. For example, a movie theme might be a bad idea if many of your employees aren’t into movies.
Just be sure when picking your theme that it’s something that fits your employees. It should be something that they can all engage with and have fun with, not something that alienates or excludes a portion of them. Here are some fun examples we love:
- Ugly Holiday Sweater Day
- Holiday PJ Party
- Winter Wonderland
- Festive Flannel Friday
- Jingle & Mingle
- Holiday Movie Madness
Activities and Events
The next thing you’ll have to figure out are the activities and events; what will people actually do at your celebration? This is incredibly important, as the events and activities are often the most memorable and fun parts of a holiday celebration.
Thankfully, finding holiday spirit week ideas isn’t too hard. There are tons of winter team building activities to consider, plus various other options like luncheons, potlucks, virtual holiday parties, and more.
If you’re still unsure, don’t worry. We’re going to provide you with 10 holiday activities and events in just a bit. There should be at least one or two ideas (or more) that are perfect for you and your team.
Planning and Leadership
Without good planning and leadership, an event can easily go sideways or not even happen. Outside of the obvious need for planning, you should also communicate plans well in advance. This provides an opportunity for feedback, as well as for employees to clear schedules and get prepared.
Leaders also need to be encouraged to participate. A holiday event is for everyone, and that includes leaders and management. Make sure to gather feedback afterward for future events. Feedback is critical because it can help you make your next event even better.
Holiday/Christmas Spirit Week Ideas for Work
Now it’s time for what you’ve been waiting for—Christmas spirit week ideas for work. If you’re struggling to find the right events and ideas for your holiday spirit week, we’ve got you covered with plenty of options.
1. Holiday Party
A holiday party is a classic holiday event for a reason; they’re simple, festive, and incredibly fun. You can set things up exactly how you want and have a holiday-themed party with all of your coworkers.
If you don’t want to plan your own party, consider our Ultimate Holiday Party. We’ll set up a party filled with 30-minute rounds of fun, engaging, and challenging activities for you and your team. And don’t forget a holiday save-the-date for your party!
2. Holiday Luncheon
Like a party, the holiday luncheon is another time-tested option. Nothing brings people together like food, so why not celebrate the holidays by sharing some incredible food with all of your fellow workers?
When planning a luncheon, remember that you still need to follow the steps above—choosing a theme, planning, etc. Also, make sure you check in with attendees about any allergies and dietary restrictions so everyone is included.
3. Wellness Event
The holidays mark the end of the year, and many people are full of stress and anxiety as the year comes to a close. Help employees deal with that end-of-the-year stress with a wellness event.
Wellness events are a great way for employees to bond while relaxing, destressing, and taking a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. They also help employees better their mental and physical health, which helps them be more productive and engaged at work.
4. Charity Events
Giving back is synonymous with the holiday spirit, so charity events are a great idea for Christmas spirit week. You and your employees can give back to the community while bonding, having fun, and celebrating the holidays.
Our Hope for the Holidays event is a great example. In this event, participants make holiday gift baskets for seniors which are sent to local nursing homes. You and your team will make a difference while having some needed holiday fun!
5. Holiday Happy Hour
If you want something a little bit more heavy on the fun for holiday spirit week, a holiday happy hour is a great option. Again, the end of the year is a stressful time for many. A happy hour can be a good way to alleviate some of that stress.
More importantly, it’s a great opportunity to bond. Sharing drinks with coworkers can help them loosen up, learn more about each other, and develop stronger relationships. Just be sure to offer some non-alcoholic drinks so everyone can participate, even if they’re sober.
6. Office Retreat
Office retreats are a bit more involved than many of the holiday celebrations listed here, but they are often one of the most memorable and impactful work-related experiences people have.
Taking your employees on a retreat gives them a break from work and a chance to socialize, building lasting bonds. There are tons of options too, such as wellness retreats, skill development retreats, and more.
That said, you should screen this idea ahead of time. Not all employees are interested in going on retreats, so make sure it’s something your employees would be interested in first.
7. Holiday Team Building Events
Another one of the many options for spirit week is a holiday team building event. These events let you improve relationships while working on key skills such as communication, leadership, collaboration, and more—all while celebrating the holidays.
Gingerbread House Hunters for example is perfect for the holidays. This event involves small teams designing and building gingerbread houses, forcing them to work together and use their creativity to win the competition.
8. Virtual Holiday Celebration
Though your teams may be remote, that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate. There are tons of ways to have a virtual holiday spirit week with remote or hybrid teams.
Many of the options listed here work for virtual teams; team building, wellness events, happy hours, a gift exchange, and more can all work as virtual or hybrid events. As with the other events though, be sure to check in with your team and see what interests them. Finding the right event for your team is ultimately the most important thing.
A great option for virtual teams is The Corporate Tonite Show, a talk show-themed virtual game with challenges and a live host. Jayne explains the concept:
“This is a really cool one. This is like having a Tonite Show interview that is all based around your company.”
9. Contests and Competitions
For more competitive teams, contests and competitions are a great way to celebrate holiday spirit week. A little friendly competition can bring teams together and let them have some fun while enjoying the holidays. Here are some examples:
- Ugly sweater contest.
- Office decorating contest.
- Holiday trivia.
- Charity drive competition.
- Talent show.
- Holiday cookie bake-off.
Those are just a few ideas to get you started. Feel free to come up with your own ideas or ask your team for potential ideas.
10. Holiday Gift Exchange
One of the most enduring Christmas spirit week ideas is the holiday gift exchange. Gifts are integral to Christmas and the holidays as a whole, so why not bring the spirit of giving into the workplace?
Gift exchanges like White Elephant and Secret Santa are great options. These ensure everyone gets a gift, and they reduce the burden since employees only need one gift. Just be sure to have clear rules beforehand (such as the price range for gifts).
Plan Your Holiday Spirit Week Today
It’ll be the holidays before you know it, and today is the time to start planning your holiday spirit week celebration. Whether you go with a luncheon, holiday theme days for work, or something else, celebrating the holidays is a great way to build bonds and have some fun.
If you want help with your holiday celebration, look no further than TeamBonding. Partner with us to facilitate your holiday team building events to be sure they’re a success. We have a variety of holiday events, so get in touch with us today!
