50 Work Christmas party ideas that don’t centre around alcohol
If you’re in the business of celebrating your business at the end of this year, let’s talk work Christmas parties.
’Tis the season to be given very little reason to cut loose and let off some steam.
But what’s the point of a work Christmas party, anyway? Is it really just about necking drinks and seeing your boss do something wildly out of character…or is it about celebrating the year that’s been, by connecting over good times?
It’s been a wild and exhausting few years for, well, everyone. And for some companies, who’ve had to pivot to WFH and navigate some kind of return to work, this may be the first year that colleagues can once again gather to celebrate. So, now is the perfect time to think about creating more meaningful celebrations and team culture.
It should really go without saying that alcohol doesn’t need to be the foundation on which we build a work party, but it’s become so ingrained in our working lives, that very few stop to think about alternate approaches.
The ‘set-and-forget’ bar tab-style party might be tempting for its relative ease, but while you might be “rewarding” some, you’re probably going to be excluding others.
There are so many reasons why people choose not to drink, and by creating an environment where drinking is the focus, it leaves those people exposed to questions they may not be ready to answer. Colleagues shouldn’t be forced to disclose their pregnancy, religious or cultural beliefs, lifestyle choices, or sobriety status etc, unless they want to.
The good news: Fun doesn’t come in a bottle. Fun comes through connection and a good old fashioned dose of dopamine. All of which you can get a much more steady supply of from social connection, laughter, and physical movement. Celebrating together should be about creating lasting memories, instead of regrettable ones.
Here are some dopamine-delivering thought starters to bring your team together, without causing any next day headaches:
Let’s get physical
There’s nothing like a bit of healthy competition to get the people fired up — whilst also working on their communication and problem solving skills.
- Axe throwing (with licensed professionals, of course)
- Scavenger hunt
- Putt Putt
- Trivia marathon
- Escape Room
- Themed charades
- Talent show
- Karaoke
- Kids Party Games Olympics (think: spoon racing)
- Go-Karting
- Team dance class (get your own routine)
Creative team bonding
Any activity where you’re creating something positive is, frankly, good for anyone’s wellbeing. For some of the most relaxing and feel-good bonding experiences…
- Live drawing class (sans nudity)
- Pottery class
- Gingerbread house Grand Designs
- Collaborative large scale artwork (think: Art Attack)
- Woodworking class
- Tarot Reading
- Build-A-Bear
- Themed Bingo (e.g. music bingo)
- Share Your Favourite Dish party (everyone given a budget to BYO)
- Cooking class
- Hire out the local cinema for a vintage classic (and pre-award ceremony)
Just for Laughs
There are ways to tweak all the weird and wonderful things you might do with mates, to make them ~work appropriate~.
- Themed Fashion Show
- Murder Mystery Afternoon
- Team photoshoot (the more elaborate the better)
- Short film comp (split into groups and have a short time limit, followed by a screening)
- Kris Kringle gift exchange (max. $10)
- Powerpoint Preso party (everyone does a Powerpoint on ANY topic that’s close to their heart)
- Go see some live comedy (bonus points if the comedians have been given the heads up and can riff on ~work life~)
- Awards Ceremony (nominations by the team — no roasting allowed)
Pay it Forward
There’s nothing like the feeling of doing something good for others. Rally the team around a cause that you feel passionate about.
- Give staff the day off to volunteer their time to a worthy organisation
- Host a talent show at a local nursing home
- Spend the day volunteering together for a local charity
- Host a fun-run or challenge to raise money for a local charity
- Team work-a-thon for a family or business in need
- Create a treasure hunt for random acts of kindness
- Give the team the option to donate the bar tab to a local charity, and commit to a sober dinner party
Work Party From Home
Obviously there’s more and more people who are living their working life from the comfort of home. This one goes out to all the remote teams — we got you!
- Virtual games (think: Jackbox.TV)
- Themed fancy dress (from the waist up)
- Share a meal by ordering everyone’s favourite meals to be delivered at the same time
- Ugly Sweater contest
- Baby Pictures guessing comp
- Office Cribs (MTV style tour of WFH set-up)
- Themed Quiz
- Virtual hangs (think: SoWork)
- Retro YouTube show and tell (everyone shows their favourite vid)
- Virtual crafts (think: Crocked)
- Virtual escape room
- Virtual charades
- Host a Movie Watch Party (Streaming services like Prime Video now let up to 100 people watch content together)
Notes on creating an inclusive drinking culture for everyone:
Making sure you have an inclusive culture in the workplace isn’t necessarily about banning alcohol altogether, it’s about ensuring everyone has equal opportunity to participate and enjoy themselves. So, even if alcohol makes an appearance at your work Christmas party, use these simple tips to create a more sober-friendly environment:
- Provide an equal number and quality of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drink options — and display them together.
- Promote both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks equally to your team before the event.
- If listed cocktails are being served, list an equal number of non-alcoholic mocktails.
- Have water freely available, in clear sight, and easy to obtain.
- Find alternatives to a “toast” with drinks — whether that’s clicks, claps, or your own custom work wolf-cry.
Lived is helping people who want to quit, cut-back, or are exploring a change with alcohol. In our app you’ll learn from people who have been in your shoes and know what really works.
