In-person events are everywhere, bars and restaurants are back, and we have to say that Holiday Parties are looking a lot more exciting this year.
But is it time to break out the punch and turn the conference room into a disco again? Short answer. It might be! Although if you’re not quite ready for all that, there are tons of other fun ways to party together this year. Think outdoors, without the punch, on the softball field, or even virtually. To get you started, here are some of our favorite Holiday Party ideas for this season.
Just throw an old-school party.
A regular old Holiday Party, especially if it’s in the office, might have felt dull in the past. However, the homey feeling of it all might be a perfect choice this year.
It will take some extra planning, but if you can create an event where everyone feels comfortable mingling in person, you’ve made something special. Check out our meeting in-person article for more info on how to make this happen.
Even though the office is the perfect nostalgic meeting place, if that doesn’t work, take things to a casual spot like a brewery or a cool bar. Or mix it up even further by renting out an ice skating rink or 70’s style roller disco venue.
The important thing here is that you did your best to pull off an in-person party with drinks, food, and good times. Easier said than done, but we do think it would be well appreciated!
Do something virtually, even if it’s casual.
A Virtual Holiday Party is an easy way to ensure that everyone in the office can get together and hang out with literally zero stress.
We’re all used to Zoom by now. We know how to get the most out of it and not talk over each other and get stuff done. Use all these skills to plan a perfectly relaxing virtual experience where the only goal is not to do any work.
For drinks, check out companies like Drnxmyth, which can deliver fresh, pre-made cocktails to attendees ahead of time. For food, look into unique delivery services like Shef, which connect people to local culinary professionals in the neighborhood. At the party, don’t be afraid to let people just enjoy their drinks and chat. There’s nothing wrong with having a Zoom where you don’t have to solve any problems, and you can just joke around for an hour.
Plan an outdoor adventure day.
If there’s one thing that is definitely better than being in the office, it’s being outdoors in the fresh air. It’s also the safest and easiest way to meet in groups.
You can keep it simple with a catered day at the park. Maybe throw in a guided meditation, yoga session, or nature walk. To keep people active, you could even have a couple of relays for teambuilding. (Relays will also make great Instagram stories by the way).
For something more adventurous, try a bike tour with your team that ends at a rooftop bar. Or maybe even check out a local birding tour. There have been countless articles written about the rise of birding, and we have to say birds are great–we’re all for it!
Add a little teambuilding to the mix.
For whichever kind of party you throw, there’s always an opportunity for games and teambuilding.
To keep it simple, breakout old school board games, like Monopoly, Clue, or Chess (for the Queen’s Gambit Fans). Or go with modern games, like 7 Wonders and Codenames. The point is that there are games that you can play in-person, face to face, which was a challenge last year.
If you want to take the team building outside, organize a company softball game with some non-alcoholic brews to keep people hydrated. Not only can people drink NA beers while playing sports, but they are also great tasting now! See Athletic Brewing for more ideas.
For virtual team building, take a look at our 2020 holiday party article about the virtual space murder mystery we solved with Moniker Partners. Moniker’s virtual production and interactivity were top-notch, and we know they have plenty of Holiday Party experiences that are brand new for 2021. Check ‘em out!
Organize a nice dinner — anywhere.
It sounds simple, but a nice dinner, maybe at a restaurant or privately catered in a home, could be just what people want right now.
For some, a holiday party dinner is just a distant memory, so making this happen can bring a sense of normalcy to everything. It’s also a great way to say thanks for all the hard work everyone has put in for so long.
Feel free to get creative with the setting. Maybe put everyone outside under heat lamps in a private backyard or on a rooftop. The benefit of a private caterer is that you can literally plan in the perfect place for your team, wherever that might be.
One note– since it can be difficult to connect with large groups during a sit-down dinner, this is probably the better option for smaller to medium-sized teams. That way everyone can see each other and chat family style.
There are tons of ways to party this year!
If there’s one thing we can say about the 2021 holiday party season, it’s that you’ve got lots of options. Almost too many options!
If you can pull off an old-school office party, people would definitely get a kick out of it. But a simple, stress-free virtual drinks session is also the perfect way to include everyone. Or try an outdoor adventure, complete with a softball game. Whatever you do, just make it a party! Happy Holidays!
