Bring in the Holidays with a Merry Little Office Party

Christmas comes but once a year. In sunny Santa Monica, where the Nimble headquarters reside, it’s a time where the weather changes from 90 degrees to 60 degrees, Christmas sweaters start to make a reappearance, holiday music is everywhere you go, Santas ring their bells on every corner and best of all, our office, like many others, throw an unforgettable holiday party!

Here at Nimble, we understand all too well the struggle of getting into the holiday spirit despite the festivities outside our office doors. It’s difficult stepping away from our mountains of paperwork when there are deadlines to meet. However, we also understand that one of the best ways to boost productivity and reconnect with coworkers, is by taking a breather and celebrating when a holiday approaches.

We believe your office should do the same this year and that’s why we are happy to share some tips we use for throwing a wondrous Christmas office party.

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Ring The Bells

Make your team aware that there will be an office Christmas party this year and they should make the effort to attend if they can.  Many of us fly home for the holidays so it’s important to understand and respect everyone’s schedule.

Create a RSVP form and set a due date for responses. When you have your list of attendees, pick a date particularly towards the end of the week and share it with the team. Hold the office party during work hours towards the end of the day.

Build excitement around the big office celebration by having a 12-days of Christmas party countdown calendar and mark off each day as you near the event. This will keep your team members well informed and full of holiday cheer!

Deck The Halls

As soon as December 1st comes knocking at our door, we warm up the office to the notion of Christmas swiftly approaching by bringing out all the holiday decorations! The Christmas tree goes up, the decorative holiday accents are positioned on coffee tables, desks, and a beautiful wreath is hung on the door over a cheerful holiday welcome mat.

Start this year’s festivities off right by decorating early and deciding what type of celebration you’ll be having. If you decide on an elegant party, you may want to garnish your office and frosted Christmas tree in silver and blue. Make sure to dress the table tops and chairs in this very same color.

For a more casual party, stick to festive colors such as red and green! Bring out the novelty Christmas lights, plates and matching utensils. You may even suggest your colleagues bring their favorite holiday figurines to spice up their desk or an ornament to hang from the tree.

Spend time decorating with your team members as this will create a unique bonding experience. Hanging ornaments from the tree with your team members is a great way to start a dialogue and renders the opportunity to ask questions about their holiday plans.

Make A List And Check It Twice

Now that the decorations are up and everyone’s RSVPed, it’s time to start putting together a list of ideas! Start this process early as it will save money on Christmas activities and you’ll have more time to come up with concepts for entertaining your guests.

Create lists! Come up with five or more activities and have your attendee’s vote for their favorite top three. These activities can be anywhere from going ice skating followed by dinner and drinks or having an in-office karaoke party with board games, Secret Santa, party favors and a best “Ugly Sweater” contest.

Find out what your crowd would enjoy most and know your budget. If you are working with a small budget, the karaoke party may be the way to go. You may also want to consider having a potluck which would allow your team to show off their favorite holiday dishes.

Time To Celebrate

When party day arrives, it’s important to remember that work conversations have no place among the party goers. Office parties are all about having fun and creating memorable bonding experiences. It’s not a time to “talk shop”.

Create a comfortable workplace event that allows your team members to get to know their colleagues on another level. If you are someone who’s not very social, take this as your chance to be a little more engaging. Strike up a conversation with someone who works across from you or in a different department than you. Mingle, eat, drink and participate in one or two of the activities.

The only time work should be mentioned is when a toast is being made, thanking everyone for their hard work and effort throughout the year.

Remember there’s no better way to boost office morale than by throwing an amazing party. Office celebrations provide opportunities to build stronger camaraderies and are a great send off into the new year.

If you follow all the steps in this blog, you’ll have no difficulties throwing an incredible office party to remember.

Happy Holidays!