Festive celebration ideas for you and your work colleagues
Bob on 
The festive season is here with us, and everyone is in a celebratory mood. Workplaces have not been left behind; employers are treating their staff with an end of year party. There are many other ways to bring the festive spirit in the office beside the usual end of year staff parties.
Holiday office parties are a good idea, but there are other festive celebration ideas to consider. Embrace the festive season and encourage your work colleagues to join in on the fun. Creative ideas will not only excite your colleagues but also boost their morale. See it this way; you spend most of your weekdays in the office interacting with your co-workers. This means that the time you spend with your office family is more than that you spend with your own family at home. It is only right to break the year-long cycle of all work and no play. Let’s say you have been tasked with planning your work’s Christmas party Canterbury. Why not get into the festive fun and head to the Christmas market for a few glasses of mulled wine. Colleagues would love that! Or you can enjoy a dinner in a lavish venue such as the Steinbeck and Straw bar.
Celebrating with fellow employees gives them a chance to mingle and maybe learn a thing or two about other people. What most organisations do not know is that most employees dread such parties for some perfectly understandable reasons. Some of the parties are poorly arranged or on low budget making the employees feel unappreciated. You will just need to be creative, think outside the box and a plan an activity. Lucky for you we have compiled a list of three festive celebration ideas. These should get you started.
That said, below are five creative ideas to consider:
- Give Back to the Society
The festive season is an excellent time to think of the needy. Facilitate volunteer time and guide your colleagues in doing something selfless. You can give motivation talks to teens in a rehab, sing holidays songs at shelters or prepare cookout sessions. Integrate fun activities into the process to spice things up. Try hosting your own community event. A dinner, silent auction or carnival will do. You can then donate the proceeds to your preferred charity. Contribute as a group and make a big purchase that will make a significant impact on the lives of the beneficiaries. Giving back as an organisation as opposed to as an individual is a sign of teamwork.
- Organise Contests
You may ask yourself, how would a competition fit the festive spirit? A healthy dose of competition is a genius way to get your workmates excited. There are many office games you can try out. Winners should be awarded. Try to consider your colleagues favourite pass times to make it even more fun. A football game can be a good start. A decorating contest has also worked in getting together colleagues. Tell every employee to decorate their cubicles. Let everyone vote in the winning cubicle and the winner treated with an award. Other activities include holiday card creation, ugly sweater wearing and salsa dance competitions.
- Go on a Road Trip
Who doesn’t love going on a road trip? If you are many, you can hire a van and go to a destination of your choice. Let everyone contribute to cater to the costs. Plan early to avoid last minute inconveniences. Write down activities that you will undertake while on the road trip. They can range from hiking, zip lining to bungee jumping. These events will help you bond with your co-workers better.
No matter the size of your company, there are activities to participate in. Even if you are in a tight financial spot, not all activities require a big budget. You have no excuse not to make the festive season fun at work and share the spirit with your team. It doesn’t have to be a costly affair, choose one activity that will bring the much-needed break and entertainment for your co-workers. Festivities are a core element in consolidating a peer-to-peer relationship within the workplace.
