Christmas and work aren’t two words that we like to see together that often. Christmas is all about fun and family, friends and festivities, and work? Well, it just isn’t, is it. For those working shifts during this festive time, it can be doubly hard. However, there are ways to enjoy the Christmas season at work (whether that’s the big day itself, or simply the run up to it), and make your workplace a truly fun place to be (at least for a little while)!
Decorate
By far the simplest (yet one of the most pleasing) way for a workplace to get in the Christmas spirit is to decorate. It can feel rather soulless to come in from a frosty street bedecked with twinkling lights, where there are Christmas trees in shop windows and streamers and ribbons hanging from every available surface, to find that your office is a bleak and barren landscape. Popping a Christmas tree in the main office and giving everyone an hour or so to decorate it is fun, and promotes a team spirit. Plus, it makes your office look sparkly and bright. Throw some tinsel across the computers and hang foil shapes from the ceiling and your office is suddenly all about fun.
Christmas Jumper
Perhaps wearing a Christmas jumper every day is a little much, but on the last day in the office before Christmas, when everyone is going to be in a jolly-holly mood, it’s a great idea. Run competitions for the best homemade sweater, or the ugliest jumper, and give out prizes. Winner buys a round at the pub after work!
Cards and Gifts
Depending on how many people work in your office, you might want to give everyone personalised Christmas cards to show how much you appreciate them. Gifts are always a nice touch as well, and can range from anything from a bar of chocolate to an experience day voucher, for example. Again, this will depend on the office budget, and the number of people to buy for, but being given a gift at work can put a smile on anyone’s face, and will be remembered well into the new year, no matter how big or small it was. If there are just too many people to buy everyone something individually, why not run a secret Santa? That way, everyone only must buy one present. Sit around together to open the gifts, and you’re guaranteed to a good time.
Team Lunch
Christmas lunch is very much a part of the whole celebration, but who says it has to take place solely on 25th December? If you can get your entire office out to a pub, restaurant, or even a castle to enjoy a meal cooked to perfection by someone else, then all the better. It’s a chance for people to let their hair down and enjoy some time away from the office. Perhaps you’ll even get to know some of your colleagues a little better when you are sitting around a table munching turkey and wearing brightly coloured tissue hats!
Fun Day Out
You can always extend the team lunch and make it a full day out, with an activity in the morning (bowling, go karting, a craft activity, for example), then a lovely Christmassy lunch, then a final activity – it could be a trip to the panto (you don’t have to be a child to enjoy the silliness!), the theatre, or even to a club. If the company budget will stretch you might even get to have a weekend away somewhere. European Christmas markets are a fun and festive way to find the perfect gift for friends and family, and you can indulge in some cookies and mulled wine as you wander with your colleagues.
Charity
With your tree decorated and your gifts and cards dealt with, it’s always a nice touch to do something for someone else. There are many different charities that need extra help at this time of year, and having a collection in the office could really give them that extra bit of cash. Or have everyone donate coats and winter clothing that they no longer need – again, charities that look after homeless people in particular are always on the lookout for warm clothes to help those who are living rough. Other ways to give are to help in a soup kitchen, or bring in tinned goods for a local foodbank. Pick a charity – or more than one – and set everyone the challenge of helping. So many people will appreciate it.