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Office Christmas Party -- The Holiday Drag!

By: Terri Hunziker Home | Business


The office Christmas party is often one big holiday bore. An event most employees feel obligated to attend but few enjoy. It's time to break the crappy celebration cycle! With a little creativity and imagination your office Christmas party can be an event that the company staff looks forward to each year.

Let's start with some newer planning ideas. If your company is a small to mid-sized operation a shared party is a great option. Like minded or complimentary companies share the venue and expense. A shared Christmas party will inject that "new and different" element to your affair. Guest will meet new people, and make professional connections; the companies will share in the expenses making it a "win-win" event for everyone. Shared parties can be organized by party planning agencies who have experience in knowing which types of companies mix well. If your company party is being planned in-house, another option for organizing a shared party is to team up with vendors or clients that your company members enact with regularly.

Themes can go a long way to set the mood for party fun. The right theme spells fun but the wrong theme can be a party killer! Your party theme should fit the profile of your company and staff. Are most of your staff in their 20's and 30's? A party atmosphere with emphasis on music, dancing and drinking fits the bill. If the majority of your company is in their 30's and 40's or older a celebration focused on a wonderful dining experience followed by light music and dancing is a good option. Maybe your staff is very family oriented? An event that includes children with family-type games and activities would be a nice option. Consider two smaller type celebrations - a breakfast with Santa for the families and an evening of music and dancing for everyone.

Christmas parties don't have to stick to holiday-type themes. Getting a little creative with different themes can make for a great night. There are a number of great party themes that will set a fun and festive party mood without the old worn out red and green decor. Some super theme ideas are:

- Rio Carnival
- Las Vegas Casino
- Futuristic Fantasy
- 20s Speakeasy
- Murder Mystery
- 60's, 70's or 80's
- Scavenger Hunt
- Indoor Sports Party
- Talent Show

There are hundreds of great party ideas with activities and events that follow the theme perfectly to get the party started and keep it going until last call. Professional party planners can help you choose a great party theme for your crowd and coordinate activities, refreshments and events for the celebration.

Another option to ensure office Christmas party success is to let your staff choose their own party. Giving your staff members party options to vote on is a great way to boost attendance and guarantee a great time. Put out a survey with party options and let your staff vote for the type of party preferred by the majority.

Whatever theme and venue is selected there are a number of activities that can add to the party fun. A roaming photographer can put guest photos with funny sayings in a presentation that is run throughout the party. Activities, games and contest always add to party fun. Management could volunteer childhood photos for the party guest to guess who is who. Door prizes with a great prize is a good way to keep an air of excitement as guest wait to see who wins the big prize.

If your office Christmas party is a more intimate affair there are a number of fun group games to keep the party interesting. Games are an important part of any party or celebration. Try some of these holiday games:

Christmas gift swap. Have each guest bring a wrapped Christmas gift to exchange. Players will then each draw a number out of a hat. Whoever goes first gets to choose and open one of the gifts. Player number 2 will then have the option of "stealing" that gift or selecting and opening another gift. As the play goes on, players who have the higher numbers will be able to select from any of the opened gifts or a new gift. This games is great fun!

Christmas scavenger hunt. Create a list of clues for Christmas-themed objects hidden around the party area. Guests first must solve the clue and then search for the item. The first person to find all of the items on the list wins. This is a great game for teams or departments for light-hearted competition.

Christmas carol game. Sit the players in a circle and begin by having the first person sing the first line of a popular Christmas song or carol. The next player must sing the second line of the song. Play continues until a player doesn't know the next line to the song. That person is then "out" and players can start over with a new song. Have song lyric sheets available for players to refer to if there is a question over the correct words to the songs.

Whether your office Christmas party is a large lavish affair or a small intimate celebration; a little creativity, planning and imagination will make it an event that everyone looks forward to attending.



Article Source: http://www.eArticlesOnline.com

About the Author:
Terri Hunziker founded GamesAndLetters.com. Games and Letters provides hundreds of print-and-play games -- Christmas party games, bridal shower games, baby shower games, and more! For immediate access to hundreds of fun games and ideas for your next party, visit, gamesandletters.com.

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