Christmas in the Office: How to Make It Work for Everyone

We all know the drill around Christmas time in the office. Whether your company celebrates with a Secret Santa, an ugly sweater contest, or an office-wide party, there are always some complaints about how these holiday festivities are handled. Maybe someone didn't get the gift they wanted from their Secret Santa. Or maybe someone is feeling left out because they don't celebrate Christmas and feel like the holiday season is not inclusive to them.

Christmas in the office can be a festive and fun time for employees. Many companies have holiday festivities such as a Secret Santa, ugly sweater contest, or office-wide party around Christmas time. These activities can help to boost morale and create a more positive work environment. Additionally, taking some time to decorate your workspace can also add to the feeling of festivity. If you are looking for ways to make your office feel more like home this holiday season, consider implementing some of these ideas.

– Bring in some holiday greenery to liven up your desk or cubicle.

– Put up some festive holiday posters or pictures.

– Make a mini holiday village with houses made out of cardboard boxes.

– Deck your workspace out with twinkly lights and garlands.

– The world cup is on too, so why not mix the Christmas cheer with football?

Whatever you do, it's all about having fun and getting the team together bonding.

Office Christmas parties are a time-honored tradition, but they're not without their fair share of complaints. From the office Scrooge who complains about every little detail to the person who gets way too drunk and makes a scene, there's always something that someone can find to complain about. But at the end of the day, office Christmas parties are a great way to get everyone in the holiday spirit and build team morale.  So if you're stuck dealing with event planning this year, here are a few tips to make sure your office party is one that everyone will enjoy.

1. Choose the right venue.

2. Remember Office Christmas parties don't necessarily mean a heavy drinking session with your colleagues! (Not to forget you may have work the next day)

3. Make a poll and ask for suggestions from your team, the best way to make everyone happy is to sense check any ideas you may have.

4. Go hard or go home? Not necessarily. Remember why you're hosting an office Christmas party/event, it's to celebrate the ups (and downs) of the year you and your team have had, so you don't need to hire up the largest of event spaces or the most expensive locations. It's about getting the team together. 

If you work in an office, chances are you've experienced the annual Christmas Secret Santa gift exchange.  For some, this is a highlight of the holiday season - getting to know your co-workers better and exchanging gifts with them.  But for others, it can be a source of stress and anxiety.  If you're not careful, you can easily end up with a gift that no one wants or worse - someone feeling left out because they don't celebrate Christmas. Here are a two tips to make sure your office Christmas party is inclusive and fun for everyone:

Only do gift exchanges that everyone is comfortable with 
 
First and foremost, it's important that everyone feels comfortable participating in the gift exchange. It's totally fine to have a Secret Santa but make sure you make it clear that it's voluntary. You don't want anyone to feel like they have to participate and you don't want anyone to feel left out. The same goes for other office party activities. Whether it's a Secret Santa or something else, only do activities that everyone is happy to be a part of. 
 
Don't make gift giving mandatory 
 
You also don't want to make gift giving mandatory. Many people find gift giving to be a financial burden, especially around the holidays. Instead of making it mandatory, offer it as an option. This way, people can give gifts to their co-workers that they actually want to give, without feeling like they have to spend money they don't have.

Authored by Flynn Forster - Content Marketing Lead  

Published 06/12/2022 

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