Nine low cost office Christmas party ideas
If you’re still pondering what to do for your end-of-year staff celebration, try one of these budget-friendly ideas.
In brief
- Venue hire and catering costs can make the annual end-of-year office party an expensive affair.
- Consider low-cost alternatives, such as a barbecue in the park, a quiz night or a trip to the local bowling club.
- The office party could double as a volunteering opportunity, so team members can give back to the community.
December is just around the corner, which means it’s time to plan the annual end-of-year Christmas party.
If you’re feeling flush, booking a restaurant or taking your team on a dinner cruise are always popular options.
However, if you’re needing to keep costs down, venue hire and catering are the big-ticket items, so think outside the box. Consider hiring a food truck, which can pull up to your local green space or office carpark. Or why not order some pre-packed picnic hampers or put on a classic barbecue – the perfect way to celebrate the beginning of summer in an outdoor setting?
Here are nine other ideas for a low-cost office party.
1. Eco-friendly nature hike
Head out into the bush or to a nature trail and take a hike, choosing a track that everyone in the team can manage. Provide a plant-based picnic hamper with restorative, healthy food and lots of water. Catch public transport where possible or carpool to your chosen adventure site.
2. Team quiz night
Quizzes are phenomenally popular. Your team could sign up to compete at the local pub’s trivia night, or you could design your own, with tips, tricks and questions gleaned off the web. You could even engage a party quizmaster to run the show.
3. Mistletoe and mayhem
Problem-solving games encourage collaboration and analytical thinking. Turn your team into sleuths by dividing into groups and tackling an online escape room (ideal for remote teams), or visit a local escape room to determine who the top agent is among you.
Alternatively, source a murder mystery kit online or hire a murder mystery host to supply a gripping case for your team to investigate.
4. Paint and sip
End the year with a creative flourish at a paint and sip session. Engage a paint and sip organisation to either come to your office or take the team to their venue. Provide some wine and beer, non-alcoholic drinks, plus nibbles on the side, and you’ve got an inexpensive and unique end-of-year office party – plus everyone takes home an original artwork.
5. Belly, tango or swing?
Teach your team some smooth moves by enrolling them in a dance class. If you intend to do dinner too, you can pair the dance type with the cuisine, such as belly dancing with a Turkish restaurant, swing with an American-style diner, or tango with Argentinian food.
6. Bowling club
Always a popular choice, bowling clubs provide inexpensive venues for entertainment and team-building fun. Check out your local bowling club to find out what options they offer, from full catering to a barbecue you can fire up yourselves.
7. Family fun
Grab the prawns and sausages and head to your local park. Invite your team, their families and pets and bring along a cricket bat and ball, frisbees and footballs. For an easy catering option, hire a food truck and create an ice cream sundae bar where people can make their own sweet creations.
8. Treasure hunt/orienteering
Solve puzzles, find clues and complete creative challenges with a treasure hunt – getting your team out on the streets for an afternoon of team-building fun. Teams make their way around town finding clues to the next landmark, taking selfies along the way. Opt for a professional treasure hunt, or make up your own.
9. Festive philanthropy
Pick a charity that needs some people power and mix holiday fun with giving back. Volunteering aligns with the festive season spirit, boosts team morale and supports people (or animals) in need. Follow with drinks and nibbles at a local bar, a picnic or whatever celebration takes your fancy, making it a full day of giving and celebrating.
Better still, make giving an all-year-round thing and celebrate your annual total donations: check out CA ANZ’s Everybody Counts initiative for some ideas.
