Amazing New Year’s Office Party Ideas
The year is finally coming to an end, which means one thing: it is time for celebration! If your company wants to take this opportunity to say goodbye to the previous year in style, an office party is a must. Most people have a love-hate relationship with office parties since sometimes they can feel more like a drag than a well-deserved, fun and relaxing time where you can banter with your colleagues, leaving formalities behind. This is why, if you are in charge of organizing this year’s office party at the end of December, you should arm yourself with some of the best tips and tricks that will make sure your party will be memorable. Here are a few office party ideas for the New Year!
Go for a theme
The easiest way to make a party ten times more interesting in an instant is to introduce a theme. Don’t think for a second that this is something just for kids. We might have grown up, but we all still love to dress up occasionally, and the photos taken at the party will be so much more fun! You don’t have to go for playful themes such as superheroes or movie characters. You can still keep it very professional by choosing, for instance, a decade as your theme. Nowadays, 1920s-themed parties are all the rage, and considering that next year, the roaring twenties are going to be back once again, there is no better time to take advantage of this theme than now. However, just about any decade will do the job – just think about how much fun you would have with your colleagues dressed up in your 80s or 90s attire. This idea is perfect especially for smaller work collectives where employees are close to each other.
The food and drinks
A key element in any kind of party is, of course – the food and drinks. For instance, a cocktail bar where everyone can make their favourite cocktails would be a great choice. When it comes to catering, make sure you book it as soon as possible as this time of the year is quite busy, understandably. Since this is going to be a New Year’s party, after all, it would be a great idea to introduce a few snacks and drinks that people associate with this time of the year, too. No one will say no to some delicious mulled wine. If you are working with a creative bunch, you can even introduce a DIY gingerbread cookie station where everyone can decorate their gingerbread cookies however they’d like.
Choose creative decoration
You cannot expect the party to have the right mood without appropriate decoration. Whether you are hosting this event at a separate venue or at your premises, you should dedicate some thought to getting decoration that will sweep everyone off their feet. If you have chosen a theme, it will not be difficult to pick up a few pieces of decoration that will complement it. But you can also stick to a more classic style. While flowers might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you’re decorating for Christmas or New Year’s parties, your tables could certainly do with some greenery. A festive floral table centrepiece is a perfect choice for a more elegant setting, and the best thing about it is that you can easily turn to flower delivery and have all the bouquets brought to your doorstep, which should help you save some time. One last thing that should be on your decor to-do list is getting or making an eye-catching photo wall where everyone can take the perfect shots for social media.
Bring in some games
Most people love games regardless of age and bringing in a few for the employees to choose from is a great idea to make sure no one will get bored at your party. The easiest way to go is buying or collecting a few board games and setting up a lounge area where employees can flock to and choose the game of their liking. Alternatively, you can also ask the employees to bring a game or two of their own – that way, there will be a big variety of games available. You can also bring games like darts, table futsal or play any game you can think of and success is guaranteed.
Consider having a Secret Santa
Regardless of whether you are having a Christmas or New Year’s party, organizing a Secret Santa event could bring a bit of excitement and anticipation into the party. When it comes to giving and getting gifts, most of us are still kids on the inside and the “secret” element of the event makes it all the more interesting. While this will require you to start organizing it well in advance (you should do the draw a few weeks or even a month prior to the party so that everyone has ample time to buy or make their present), it’s well worth the effort and it will also bring your team members closer together, so it’s really a win-win. Just make sure to agree on an approximate value when it comes to the gifts so that no one feels pressured.
Welcome the New Year
If your office New Year’s party is not just symbolic but is actually taking place on the 31st of December, make sure you organize fun ways of welcoming the New Year together. A great idea would be to have a large display with a countdown so that everyone can look at it in anticipation when the clock strikes 12. You can make the moment even more spectacular by bringing in some balloons and confetti that will drop at the end of the countdown. But if you don’t want to make such a big mess, a few party poppers and sparklers will be just as festive.
Organizing a New Year’s party allows for so much creativity if you are not afraid of doing something new. While there is nothing wrong with classic dinner parties, bringing in a fun theme and some games will make the night more memorable. Just get some decoration and delicious food and drinks, and everyone will have a great time when the clock strikes 12.
Photo credits: Pixbay
