Posted by Trey Mosier
The office holiday party is on the calendar, and someone asked you to “plan a few games.” Now you need ideas that work for the quiet folks and the loud ones. They also have to fit in the break room and can’t take an hour to set up.
The games below are grouped by how you’ll use them: warm-ups while people arrive, team games for big groups, low-key games for small teams, quick games for a meeting, and contests that run all season. Each one tells you what you need, so you can pick a few and start gathering supplies.
Start with two questions: how many people will play, and how much time do you have? Most office parties work best with one mingling game, one main team game and one gift exchange or contest. That adds up to about 45 minutes of games and leaves plenty of time for food and talking.
| Your Party | Games That Fit | Time |
|---|---|---|
| People arriving at different times | How Many Ornaments, Desk Personalities, Baby Photo Guess Who | Runs in the background |
| Large group (30 or more) | Office Reindeer Games, Paper Snowball Fight, Charades Tournament | 20 to 40 min |
| Small team (under 15) | Holiday Two Truths and a Lie, Blindfold Tree Drawing, Hot Bow | 10 to 20 min |
| Team meeting or video call | Holiday ABCs, Name That Christmas Tune, Emoji Movie Quiz | 5 to 10 min |
| The whole month of December | Festive Workspace Contest, Ugly Sweater Contest, Cookie Exchange | A few weeks |
People rarely show up at the same time. These games give early arrivals something to do and get people talking before the main event.
With a big group, the goal is to keep everyone playing at once instead of watching a few people play. Teams of six to eight work well.
Genius Tip
Running stations? Create one sign up with a slot for each station lead and each supply, like "2 rolls of painter's tape" or "1 bag of mini candy canes." Slot limits stop five people from bringing tape while nobody brings prizes, and automatic reminders go out the day before.
Create a Free Sign UpSmaller teams can play games that rely more on stories and laughs than on running around.
Not every team gets a party. These games fit into the first or last 10 minutes of a December meeting and work on video calls too.
Contests spread the fun over a few weeks, and you can announce the winners at the party.
Genius Tip
If coworkers are chipping in a few dollars for a prize pool or the cookie contest trophy, add Payments to your party sign up. People pay when they sign up, and you can see who has paid without chasing anyone down at the coffee maker.
See how Payments worksA gift exchange is often the part of the party people remember most. Set a spending limit, usually $15 to $25, and make it optional.
Secret Santa. Everyone who wants to play draws a name and buys a gift for that person. Have each player fill out a quick likes and dislikes card so gifts land well. Our Secret Santa gift ideas for coworkers can help.
Ornament Exchange. Each person brings one wrapped ornament. Put them all in a pile and let people pick one on the way out. It’s simple, low cost and easy for any group size.
Giving a Gift to the Boss?
Group Gifts lets everyone add what they want to a shared gift for a manager or a coworker who's leaving. You get one total, and nobody has to track cash.
Start a group gift for your teamGames go smoothly when a few people share the work and the plan is set before the party. Start about three weeks out.
Keep every game optional. Some people would rather watch, so give them a job like judge, scorekeeper or DJ. Skip games that need lots of physical contact, and choose ones that work without alcohol so everyone can join in.
Three Weeks Before
Two Weeks Before
Party Day
What are the best Christmas party games for a large office group?
Choose games where everyone plays at once. Office Reindeer Games, with teams rotating between stations, works for 40 to 100 people. A paper snowball fight and a charades tournament are also good choices because whole teams compete together.
I only have 20 minutes for games at our work party. Which ones should I pick?
Pick one quick team game and one game that runs in the background. Holiday ABCs or Name That Christmas Tune takes about 10 minutes, and How Many Ornaments can run while people eat. Save the gift exchange for the end so you finish on a high note.
How do I make office Christmas games inclusive for people who don’t celebrate Christmas?
Call it a holiday or winter party and choose games built around the season, like the paper snowball fight, a wrap race or winter trivia. Keep every game optional, and give people other ways to join in, like judging or keeping score.
What are some quick Christmas games to play in a work meeting?
Holiday ABCs, Name That Christmas Tune, an emoji movie quiz and a five-question trivia round each take 5 to 10 minutes. They all work on video calls, so remote teammates can play too.
Can teachers use these games for a school staff holiday party?
Yes. The arrival games, Holiday Two Truths and a Lie and the cookie contest all fit well in a teachers’ lounge. Many schools use a sign up so staff can claim snacks and supplies without a long reply-all email.
What prizes work well for office Christmas games?
Small prizes work best, usually $5 to $15. Think gift cards for coffee, holiday candy or a funny trophy that passes to a new winner each year. If coworkers want to chip in for a bigger prize, you can collect the money with SignUpGenius Payments.
How do I organize supplies and helpers for office party games?
Make a list of every station and supply, then turn it into a sign up with one slot per item. People can claim what they’ll bring, slot limits prevent doubles, and automatic reminders make sure everything shows up on party day.
This was our first year using SignUpGenius to coordinate volunteers for our girls Carmel High School swim team season. We absolutely loved it. It was so easy for volunteers to use and gave our coordinators the tools they needed to effectively manage the 240 volunteers for the multitude of activities throughout the five-month season.
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