Whether you’re gearing up to host the corporate event of the season or planning a year-end extravaganza, we’ve got fun holiday themes that will ensure people are talking about your office party into next year. Get ready for a sleigh full of corporate holiday party ideas that work for teams with all types of people and backgrounds.
1. Casino Royale Holiday Extravaganza
Elevate your corporate holiday event with the thrill of a casino night where the stakes are high, and the entertainment is even higher. If you work for a non-profit, this is also a great way to raise money!
🃏 Decor
Transform your venue into a high-rolling paradise with glitzy decor reminiscent of the Las Vegas Strip. Think shimmering gold accents, plush velvet ropes, and larger-than-life playing cards. Create an ambiance that screams sophistication with a touch of risk and reward.
🍸 Menu
Decadent appetizers and elegant finger foods are the way to go so guests can keep one hand free for playing their cards and rolling the dice. Add a selection of holiday-themed cocktails served by a professional waitstaff or strolling table to keep the spirits flowing.
🎰 Entertainment
Bring the thrill of the casino floor to your colleagues with everything from poker tables to roulette wheels. Hire a casino rental company to handle all the setup and provide professional dealers to ensure everyone feels like a winner.
2. A Jolly Night of Laughter
One of our favorite corporate holiday party ideas is hosting a night of comedy! Give your team a laughter-filled escape from the daily grind.
🎭 Decor
Set the stage for laughter with decor that screams fun and frivolity. Incorporate oversized comedy masks and quirky signage that will make your guests feel like they’re stepping into a theatrical production. To complete the look, layer in bright and bold colors that complement your theme. Think cheerful oranges, yellows, and pinks that will elevate the mood and create a festive atmosphere.
🍭 Menu
Comedy always makes people feel young again, so keep the menu light-hearted. Channel your inner child with comfort foods and crowd-pleasing snacks. Consider a candy or dessert buffet with a variety of sweet treats and fun topping options.
🎤 Entertainment
Get ready for side-splitting moments as a corporate comedian takes the spotlight with their observational humor or clever wit. Give them some info about your CEO and other company leaders to work into their set and make it more personal. You could even hire a roast master!
3. Under a Merry and Bright Big Top
It might not seem very festive, but a circus-themed event is actually a perfect corporate holiday party idea. With dazzling decor and amazing performers, your guests will be in awe.
🎪 Decor
Transform your venue into a whimsical wonderland P.T. Barnum would be proud of. Drapery that mimics a circus tent and colorful banners can create an atmosphere that is magical and mesmerizing. And the red and white color scheme can tie perfectly into a holiday party theme.
🍿 Menu
Keep the culinary offerings as diverse as your specialty acts. Consider a buffet of circus staples like popcorn, peanuts, cotton candy, and more. You can even hire a flair bartender to turn drink-slinging into its own sideshow!
🤹 Entertainment
Brace yourselves for a spectacle! Jugglers, aerialists, and stilt walkers will add a touch of amazement to your corporate holiday event. The entertainment should be a symphony of skill and showmanship that leaves everyone applauding.
4. Holiday Magic in the Air
Add a touch of wonder to your corporate holiday event with a magic show that will have your colleagues dropping their jaws and theorizing about how the talented performers pulled off every trick.
✨ Decor
Create an atmosphere of wonder with enchanting decor that mirrors the magician’s stage. Use rich, dark colors such as deep purples and blues, mixed with twinkling fairy lights to create a mysterious and captivating ambiance. Add elements like velvet curtains or ornate mirrors to add to the theatrical feel. Use intriguing silhouettes, such as hidden compartments or a unique collection of candles, to create a sense of curiosity in every corner.
🫕 Menu
Keep the magic alive with a menu that surprises and delights. Consider interactive food stations like fondue and chocolate fountains. Magical cocktails and mocktails with layered colors or creative garnishes can further enhance the enchantment.
🎩 Entertainment
There are many types of skilled magicians you could hire for your company holiday party. A strolling magician can mix and mingle as they wow guests with their sleight of hand tricks. If you want a stage show, a corporate magician could perform mind-bending illusions.
5. Merry Murder Mystery Mayhem
Turn your company holiday party into a real-life game of Clue with a murder mystery event that will have your colleagues channeling their inner detectives.
🕯️ Decor
Set the stage for intrigue with decorations that transport your colleagues to a mysterious mansion or secretive speakeasy. Dim lighting, candle centerpieces, and crime scene tape can add an air of suspense, creating an immersive environment that sparks curiosity.
🍽️ Menu
A murder mystery dinner would be perfect for a corporate event. Serve a sit-down meal and let the story begin to unfold over each course. Serve a bloody dessert for the grand finale, timed perfectly with the untimely end of the first victim. Then let the hunt for the murderer begin!
🔎 Entertainment
Book a professional murder mystery company to run the show. They could even give the story a holiday twist! Encourage participation by assigning roles to willing attendees, or you could even hire an actor or theater group to help fill out the characters.
6. Join in the Reindeer Games
Add a little friendly competition with a game-themed party for your company’s holiday event. Whether everyone works together or goes head-to-head, it’ll be a great way to build camaraderie and increase team bonding!
🏆 Decor
Your decorations for this holiday party idea will depend on the type of games you play. Doing Office Olympics? Turn your venue into our favorite Scranton workplace. Or, go bright and bold for a game show-style setup. If all else fails—classic holiday decorations work as well.
🧑🍳 Menu
Make the menu part of the competition with a good old-fashioned cook-off. Everyone can taste test and vote for their favorite recipe. Or, host a bake-off to see who can prepare the most delicious pie or decorate the best gingerbread house! For drinks, do a wine tasting to see who can correctly identify each pour.
🎲 Entertainment
Choose games and team-building activities that work best for your team size and skill set. A scavenger hunt or escape room would be great for creatives or engineers. For a close-knit group, hire a game show host for your own Family Feud showdown. And, of course, Minute-to-Win-It competitions are always a classic choice.
7. Jingle Jam Dance Party
You can never go wrong with live music for a company holiday party. Your team members will have a blast cutting it up on the dance floor all night long.
🎶 Decor
Set the stage with decorations that celebrate the world of music. Think stage lights, giant piano keys, music notes, and a backdrop that captures the essence of a concert hall or jazz club. Be sure to designate a space for dancing! It can be as simple as an open space or as elaborate as renting a portable dance floor for the evening.
🍹 Menu
Stick with a simple buffet of hors d’oeuvres and small plates for your food offerings, and use your drinks to tie in your party theme. Hire a bartender to craft some signature cocktails inspired by famous musicians or songs. Think Watermelon Sugar Highball for Harry Styles or a Lavender Haze for Taylor Swift.
🎸 Entertainment
Get ready to dance the night away! Hire a professional party band to keep the energy up and rhythms groovin’. Or, for smaller corporate events, choose a lively singing pianist to play a mix of popular tunes with a few popular Christmas songs thrown in.
8. A Classic Christmas Affair
Not everyone celebrates Christmas, so only choose this office holiday party idea if you know your team well enough. If you do, then embrace the holiday season and throw a festive bash with all the clichés!
🎄 Decor
There is no shortage of Christmas party ideas when it comes to decor. Fill your event space with gorgeous Christmas trees, colorful lights, and red and green garlands. Fill big jars with ornaments and decorate plain items in wrapping paper for DIY Christmas decorations that serve as accents and centerpieces.
☕ Menu
Host a Christmas feast with all the classic holiday fixings. For smaller gatherings, you could even do a potluck! Serve eggnog or set up a hot chocolate bar to give your guests something sweet to sip. And, of course, you can’t go wrong with some simple Christmas cocktails.
🎅 Entertainment
It wouldn’t be a classic Christmas celebration without a visit from Father Christmas himself. Hire Santa and his special lady, Mrs. Claus, to hand out holiday bonuses or special gifts, judge an ugly sweater contest, or lead any team-building activities.
We hope these eight outside-the-box corporate holiday party ideas inspire you to plan something truly memorable for your company. Your team worked hard all year and deserves a chance to let loose and have some fun to close out the year! 🎉
Book something awesome for your corporate holiday party! Find musicians, performers, and more on GigSalad.
Heather is the Content Manager and a GigSalad veteran of 15+ years. She loves helping event planners create unforgettable celebrations and talent make a living doing what they love. When not at work, she enjoys reading romance and fantasy books, bingeing TV shows, playing board games, and spending time with friends.