Post-Holiday Office Party: Why Celebrate After Christmas
Offices traditionally host parties in late December. Besides the festive atmosphere, this period also involves pressing deadlines and unfinished projects. Let's explore the benefits of organizing a party after the holidays.
An office party in January can be a true reset for the team, helping everyone unwind after the hectic December days and setting the tone for new tasks. Here are all the secrets of such a celebration.
Pros and Cons of an Office Party After the Holidays
Planning a post-holiday office party might seem unusual and puzzling at first, but having a celebration in January offers several hidden benefits. We share a comparison in the table below.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Extends the festive spirit | Employees might feel too tired to celebrate |
| No high demand premiums on venues and programs | Hard to choose a specific program due to too many options and no clear reason |
| Additional opportunity for team bonding | Higher chances that not everyone will attend due to vacations |
| More time for thorough preparation with no urgent deadlines | Requires a lot of energy to organize a great party |
| Opportunity to motivate employees for the new year | May distract focus from work tasks |
| Enhances employee loyalty towards management | Management might not support the idea due to lack of a major occasion |
How to Know If a Post-Holiday Office Party Is Needed
While some companies celebrate National Hot Dog Day, others focus only on major significant dates. To decide if an office party after Christmas is worth it, consider these recommendations.
Survey the Employees
Before seeking approval for a post-holiday office party from management, consult with employees—they might have their plans or might not want this celebration at all. You can gather everyone in one room for a direct vote, send out an anonymous survey via work chat, or simply talk to each person individually. Choose a method that is comfortable for everyone to ensure your mini-research doesn't cause any hassle.
What's the benefit?
You'll gain real insights into the team's needs and secure their support in advance. Plus, you'll already have an idea of who is likely to attend and who isn't.
Talk to Management
To organize an unplanned office party, getting management's approval is crucial. If such events in your company are a rare case, prepare your arguments in advance. The more specifics you provide, the higher the chances of gaining consent.
Argument Options
- Before Christmas, we onboarded many new employees; this event will show how much we care about them and help them integrate into the team.
- At the end of the year, we successfully completed four projects, and we didn't pay enough attention to these accomplishments. The party is a perfect opportunity to congratulate and recognize outstanding colleagues.
- We rarely hold such celebrations, but I believe that this one could provide the team with great motivation to excel even more this year, making it a worthwhile investment.
- Currently, prices for venues and entertainment programs have dropped significantly, so this celebration won't require large expenses. Everyone will get to relax and gear up for new tasks.
- We're about to undergo restructuring; this party can help reduce employee anxiety and improve their well-being within the team. Bringing in a psychologist or another expert could add to the benefits.
What's the benefit?
An honest and open dialogue with leadership will help gain their support for the event, making it easier to secure necessary resources at every stage of preparation.
Consider Corporate Culture
No matter how original a celebration may be, it's essential for it to fit logically within the corporate culture. From the idea stage, strive to relate the party to the company's mission and reflect its priorities. This way, the event transforms from a fun activity into a strategic endeavor.
What's the benefit?
When a celebration aligns logically with the company, engaging both employees and management becomes significantly easier.
Think About the Purpose of the Event
An office party is a great way to unwind and socialize with colleagues in an informal setting. However, it's essential to determine the event's purpose. Maybe the party will help newcomers integrate or serve as an opportunity to reward those who excelled last year? Defining the purpose of this unscheduled office party will save you from unwarranted expectations.
What's the benefit?
Clearly defined goals will help conclude the event and establish whether the desired effect was achieved. Additionally, it will be easier to select the format of the event and appropriate activities.
Calculate the Costs
Prepare a detailed budget that considers everything: venue, catering, transportation, gifts, entertainment. This approach will help better understand the necessary spending and adjust the plan if needed. You can also compare the final amount to last year's holiday party expenses to ensure it's advantageous. Such documentation will be a strong argument for management.
What's the benefit?
Clearly, after the holiday season, prices are lower. An accurate calculation will confirm this and ensure that you don’t overspend.
Interesting Ideas for Organizing an Office Party After the Holidays
An event doesn’t always need a special occasion, but organizing it around a holiday makes it easier and more fun. January offers plenty of opportunities—here are some exciting ideas compiled in a table.
| Date | Holiday | Event Idea |
|---|---|---|
| January 3rd | Sleepy Day Celebration | Office pajama party |
| January 4th | Newton Day | Party with unique cocktails and impressive experiments |
| January 10th | Gingerbread's Birthday | Culinary masterclass-themed office party |
| January 11th | International Thank You Day | Employee awards with fun nominations: most reliable, friendly, welcoming |
| January 14th | Orthodox Old New Year | Traditional party with fortune telling, folk songs, and simple homemade treats |
| January 16th | Confusion Day | Presentation party with absurd topics |
| January 20th | Cheese Lovers' Day | Cheese tasting, cheese-making class |
| January 23rd | World Pie Day | Pie fair in the office |
| January 25th | Student's Day | Nostalgic party with simple food, funny stories, and contests |
| January 28th | Pop Art Day | Create your own pop art paintings with professional artists |
You don't have to stick to calendar holidays if you have a few creative ideas and motivation to organize an awesome event for your colleagues. After Christmas, you might want to opt for unique and unusual ideas so that your colleagues will definitely want to attend. Here are a few options for hosting an amazing office party without tying it to the calendar.
Retro Party
If time and resources are limited, organizing a retro-style office party can be a real lifesaver. It’s easy enough: just select themed snacks, activities, and decorations, and invite colleagues to pick matching outfits. This simple and fun idea is sure to be a hit with everyone—from Gen Z to Millennials.
Yoga Retreat
Hosting a memorable party doesn't need to involve the typical banquet—what matters most is that the format resonates with employees. A yoga retreat offers a great activity to decompress after a busy holiday season. This kind of team-building not only helps to recharge and connect with colleagues in a new setting but also shows the company's care.
Forgetful Secret Santa
Though the holiday season has concluded, exchanging gifts never gets old. Suggest organizing a Secret Santa in January—it's a wonderful way to kick off the year with pleasant moments and boost team spirit. Stick to the classic approach with a budget limit, prepare name tags, and hold a drawing. Or mix it up by agreeing to gift funny presents. Schedule an office gathering to exchange surprises and have fun.
The traditional Secret Santa with name tags works well for small companies. If you want to involve other departments and executives, we recommend the mysanta.co platform—it facilitates a quick drawing even with over fifty participants. Here are more features of the service:
- Organize remote play—if your designers, copywriters, and other specialists are working from home, they can still participate and feel part of the team.
- Track game progress easily—the organizer can check if everyone has prepared their surprises, ensuring no one is left without a gift.
- Add exceptions—if gifting your boss is awkward, the platform can exclude it from happening. You'll know the drawing won't result in an unfortunate match.
- See recipient's wishlist—it's not a problem if you don’t know your recipient's preferences. The platform shows their desires, ensuring gifts are practical.
Immersive Theater
It's a fantastic opportunity to try a new role—participating in an immersive theater show. This format is like a quest, but instead of a scripted scenario and a set ending, participants interact with actors and take part in a real performance.
Tasting Evening
A standard banquet can be refreshed with tastings. Simply arrange a small buffet with various cheeses, chocolates, and other delicacies or organize a real showcase by inviting a sommelier or a molecular cuisine chef. Either way, such an evening will be interesting and provide new experiences.
Karaoke with a Dress Code
Standard karaoke might not be a novelty, but adding a dress code twist can spice it up. Choose a theme, prepare invitations with clear attire instructions, and invite colleagues. Firstly, adhering to a style will automatically create the right atmosphere. Secondly, a shared dress code will bring colleagues closer and provide an extra conversation topic.
Dress Code Ideas for Themed Karaoke
- Rock Stars — become your favorite rock artists. Use wigs, leather jackets, ripped jeans, and dark makeup.
- Cartoon Characters — recreate animated characters' looks.
- Retro Party — dress in styles of the '70s, '80s, '90s, etc.
- Pop Icons — embody your favorite pop stars with matching songs.
- Color of the Day — wear clothes in one color: yellow, white, red, etc.
- Professions — dress as a chef, firefighter, teacher, etc.
Mafia with a Professional Host
This role-playing game with a detective plot is perfect for friends and family as well as colleagues. To fully immerse yourself, we recommend finding a professional host—who usually has extra features like masks, exclusive cards, additional props, and music accompaniment. It's an excellent choice when you want to organize not just a fun party but a truly original event.
Conclusion
You don't have to follow standard norms to organize a fun party for colleagues. Hosting an office party in January brightens up the usual routine with lively events. Such a celebration will likely be well-received by employees and motivate them toward new achievements.