Office-Friendly Holiday Traditions
I’ll be the first to admit that the holidays can be crazy-stressful as a business owner. On top of all the sales and promotions, customer and staff appreciations, year-end evaluations, etc, you have family parties, office parties, random and unnecessary parties, and on and on. With all that is going on, it can be downright daunting to facilitate anything in the office (and it’s part of the reason I used to love celebrating company parties in January rather than December).
But creating holiday cheer in the office doesn’t always have to be a big production. Here are a few of my favorite holiday traditions especially for the office:
- Decorating. Is it even a holiday without decorations? Get the whole office involved with a fun theme or special project. And don’t be afraid to get a little weird and make restrictions like “anything but actual decorations” decorations or office supplies ornaments, etc.
- Friendly competition. From cookie bake-offs to gingerbread house decorations, I love a good competition. For individuals or teams, you can offer awesome prizes, company swag, or even just bragging rights and a silly trophy the winner can display all year.
- White elephant gifts. I might actually prefer gag gifts to “real” gifts, so encouraging employees to buy the most ridiculous presents available is a definite “win” in my books. Host these gift exchanges during regular work hours, if possible, so no one is left out and to increase participation (doesn’t everyone love a break from normal work?).
- Ugly sweaters. I don’t know when this became a “thing,” but I love it! Give awards for the Overall Ugliest or Most Creatively Ugly or Least Ugly. It’s easy to add this to your company calendar (without a lot of fuss), while also adding a little humor to the day-to-day operations.
- Giving back. By far, my favorite thing about the holidays is giving back and I incorporate it every year (with or without my businesses). If possible, organize a group volunteer activity or donation event. Volunteer as a group at a soup kitchen or do an office food and clothing drive. Put up an Angel Tree and have employees bring their donations to work. You’ll never be disappointed in an opportunity to give back.
Even if you do decide to go with a more traditional holiday office party, you can still incorporate these fun additions into your seasonal festivities.
What’s YOUR favorite office-friendly holiday traditions?