7 Memorable Office Christmas Party Ideas

Tis the season to be festive, and while the build-up to Christmas and the New Year are both exciting to experience when you have an office party to plan, it can get stressful! Instead of listing a ton of venues you could consider when you are listing out all the office Christmas party ideas, we’ve put together some popular themes, instead.

Each of these Christmas party ideas can be tweaked to suit your office, the personalities of those partying it up, as well as your budget. Mostly, you need a little imagination, you need to know your office audience (is anyone really going to want a formal occasion this year?) and you need to have the most memorable night of the festive season.

So, what are you waiting for? Bust out that pen and paper and start taking notes!

1. The Private Christmas Party

You can customise this option SO much whilst wowing the guests you’ve invited along. Office Christmas party ideas start with venues and end in accessories, so whether you’re looking at corporate event lighting options and bar hire with Virtual Events, or you’re checking out the all-inclusive options, you need an open mind.

Creating your party from a blank canvas to suit your business brand and employee personalities are vital for the success of the festive party you are throwing. Here at Virtual Events, many of our corporate clients have made events their own by hiring our corporate image projection service or even gone as far as having something completely unique like our corporate photo booths that are branded up with their company logo.

The private party is perfect for small groups who want to chillax over some delicious mince pies and mulled wine and it’s also something that ensures seclusion and fun. You can, of course, have a private party with a larger group, where you can make it a masquerade bash or a Bond-themed event for a little more sparkle.

2. Going Formal

Long gowns, tuxedos and a live band instead of the cheesy disco music of the 80s is the epitome of a classy Christmas night. Take away the Christmas crackers in place of bespoke goody bags and private dining, and your Christmas party ideas are going to be taking off in front of your eyes.

Here at Virtual Events, we offer a wide range of services for the more formal event. Take our corporate drapes and starcloths as an example, which makes for a truly magical party experience that your staff will be talking about well after Valentine’s Day. Or our corporate VIP red carpets to make your guests feel that extra special.

For those that want to keep the formal feel, whilst still having a laugh, a murder mystery evening can be perfect. Incorporating games into your Christmas party is a great way to keep the team building spirits high and organising a murder mystery evening can be done on the smallest of budgets. You can purchase ready-made props easily online, which will give you everything you need to make a night to remember.

3. Quite Quirky

Prefer something different? Well, bring on those cheesy 1980’s cover bands and a little Cirque du Soleil. Or, you can go a little bit out of the water with hiring a boat to take you along the Thames.

Perhaps you want people to get in touch with their inner child with a trip to the Zoo before offering everyone a Zoo experience and get up close with the animals. Or you may prefer something like bowling or ice skating, to get those competitive juices flowing.

At this time of the year, one way to make your office Christmas party memorable is to create your very own winter wonderland. This is a theme that your staff will not expect. Throw in some white decorations, fairy lights and dry ice and your guests will feel like they have been whisked away to Lapland.

It’s all about thinking outside the formal box and choosing to make memories with your office Christmas party suggestions.

4. Christmas Around the World

This is a great Christmas party idea, particularly if you have staff members from around the world.

Christmas is celebrated very differently from country to country. For example, in Sweden, the main celebrations are on Christmas Eve. In Venezuela, on Christmas morning thousands of people roller skate to mass in Caracas. And in Ukraine, they decorate their Christmas trees with cobwebs.

You don't need to focus on every single weird and wonderful Christmas tradition from around the world, but if you have staff from other countries, it can be a great way to make them feel more home by including some of their traditions in your celebrations as well as your venue decor.

5. Masquerade Ball

Why not take the mystique of your Christmas party to the next level by making it a masquerade ball?

Not only does it give everybody the opportunity to dress up in the finest clothes, but it's also a great way to get different departments to mix. After all, you can't really be sure exactly who you are talking to!

You can build in some fun activities before the event, such as learning how to make your own masks and even have a mask-making stall on hand for those that forget the most important item. You could also have a contest for the best mask of the evening.

In terms of decor, think along the lines of a ball in a beautiful fairy tale castle, with the snow falling outside. You can easily adapt a winter wonderland theme to fit perfectly. And you can't have a ball without dancing; a great DJ or a live band is a must.

6. Nightmare Before Christmas

If you haven't had your fill of spooks and scares from Halloween, then a Nightmare Before Christmas theme could be just the ticket.

It gives everyone a chance to channel their inner goth, and spice up their party dresses with a touch of lace and some fishnet stockings. For men, dark suits or even tails, with the additional touches of spookiness such as some cobwebs can make a great look.

The decor choices are also very simple; black and white will be your main colour scheme, but you can throw in some interest with some silver tinsel. Skulls and skeletons are perfect for decorating with tinsel, and you can even dress up a skeleton in a Santa costume to find out who has been naughty this year!

7. Movie Marathon

Everybody loves a good Christmas movie. And they also make a perfect theme for your office party.

Let everyone dress as their favourite character from their number one Christmas movie, and you'll end up with a truly eclectic mix of costumes. Where else could you see Bruce Willis from Die Hard dancing with Macauley Culkin's Mum from Home Alone?

You can choose a generic Christmas theme for your decorations, or if you want to get a bit more adventurous, you could opt to recreate some scenes from classic movies throughout the event space. For each themed area, have the movie playing on a loop, so if people want to take some time out from their party, they can relax and watch a few scenes.

Merry Christmas, ya filthy animal!

What Are Your Office Christmas Party Ideas?

To have the best festive party nights, you need to offer people the wow factor. It’s more than the venue: it’s the DJ you choose, the band you hire, the light up dancefloor you bring in to give the place a little ‘show’. All of this is going to give you the best office Christmas party this year – embrace it! Christmas is coming!

For more information on how to make your office Christmas party stand out from the crowd, and to see how we can help, get in touch with a member of our events team today on 0118 327 3910.