Fatihah Ramzi, DigitalCFO Asia | 13 December 2022
In the interior dynamics of a company, it can be a challenge to make an interesting Holiday Christmas party to celebrate the end of the year.
Holiday’s season beckons a day of family, relaxation and time spent among the company of friends. However, in the interior dynamics of a company, it can be a challenge to make an interesting Holiday Christmas party to match that kind of energy. It is the goal of any good team to create a fun and fulfilling Christmas party that can galvanize a sense of kinship among their coworkers and provide an outlet to relax in the closing edges of a long working year. Of course, extravagance doesn’t always mean fun and Christmas aficionados may feel more justified to more quirkier decisions that can wind up to be more enjoyable than a fine-dining experience. Here are six ways CFOs can make the yearly Corporate Christmas Party more fun for the finance team!
1. Christmas Tree Decoration Competition
The department competition is a staple of any holiday season and is a tried-and-true method of creating a festive mood between coworkers. It could be done by informing teams beforehand to bring ornaments and decorations to prepare their tree or by having them create as unique a theme as possible using random objects. Either way, it would be a fun creative activity that would amuse the judges and coworkers alike. As an added bonus, you can keep the winning Christmas tree for next year and create a new office tradition.
2. Ugly Sweater Station
We’re always dressed to impress, in whatever environment or situation we are in, there is no one who doesn’t want to look their best. But the Holidays have a unique way of smashing away things that can get in the way of fun and an ugly sweater competition is always a good choice. What a laugh it would be if the always well-dressed Jane or Tom suddenly comes to work in a god-awful red and green reindeer sweater that matches with their pants as well as a raccoon in a dress. It’s an activity that brings people together by shared hilarity.
3. Secret Desk Santa
Secret Santa’s are almost always synonymous with Christmas work parties but what about a Secret Desk Santa? During the party you get selected to decorate one of your coworkers desks however you want to. It’s a fun activity that is matched by the same thrill that comes with secret Santa. What will your desk look like? Can you guess who decorated your desk like that? Will it look nice or would it be a prank? It’s an old concept given new depth. A feeling of expectation and surprise that can spur out laughs among people who may never have interacted before. It can also lead to new office jokes and moments to be remembered forever.
4. Snowman Hide & Seek
Inspired by the Office Scavenger Hunt idea, Snowman Hide & Seek have you hiding snowmen all throughout the office for your coworkers to find. Each snowman found can be used to redeem a seasonal prize for the prize station or, if you want to add competition into the mix, you can instead use the snowmen as currency to exchange with prizes listed at the station. It’s a fun way to explore the office space and find unknown locations in search of the elusive snowmen. Imagine the fun when two coworkers find a snowman together and have to decide who gets to leave with the bounty – it’s priceless fun that will bring coworkers who may never have met closer together.
5. DIY Edible Crafts
Most Office parties will have a snack table or a sweet table as a given for Christmas Office Parties. So, why not make it part of the fun activities? Enter a DIY Edible Crafts table where plain cookies, gingerbread men and houses will be left for staff to decorate as they please. Coworkers gushing about how well they’ve managed to decorate their cookies, people laughing at abortive attempts at cute designs and a general relaxed atmosphere as they enjoy flexing their creativity with the all important sweets to fill their sugary needs. It’s a plan that cannot fail and will surely be remembered fondly by everyone who participates.
6. Polaroid Extravaganza
Every Holiday season comes with a photo booth for coworkers to get together and take fun pictures together. These are all well and good, but what about putting the camera into the hands of your coworkers? Let coworkers have free reign over a few polaroid cameras to take instant pictures with and share around the office space. Let them create the pictures they want to see outside of a green screen background or prepared picture decorations. Then you can collect the polaroid pictures and display them on a festive themed wall for everyone’s viewing or let them keep the photos for themselves.
These are just some of the ways CFOs can create a festive Christmas Holiday mood that may stray from the traditional Dinner and Dance that most companies do. Simple, easy to do and a great time for staff who themselves are preparing for their own personal Holiday parties with family and friends. They’re the perfect activities or an office or work space to unwind from a long year and get ready for the next.
