54 Fun & Festive Corporate Holiday Party Ideas in 2024

corporate-holiday-party-photobooth

Light up the night this holiday season with our fun, festive, food-filled, and affordable company holiday party ideas.

Whether you’re working together as part of a Party Planning Committee, or it’s just little old you putting together a beautiful evening for your favorite coworkers, a corporate holiday party is no easy task!

To help you show employees how much they’ve been appreciated this year, we’re giving you 54 company holiday party ideas broken down into 12 different themes with some useful cost info. With this many vetted, unique, and just plain fun ideas, your office is sure to feel a little brighter and a lot cheerier as we move from 2024 into 2025!

We’ve included unforgettable team-building activities, stellar food and drink ideas (Roaming Hunger’s vendors are ready to cater your party!), and games that’ll not only get everyone in the mood for some eggnog, but that’ll also fit into any size budget (you heard that right…whether you have $500 or $5,000, we’ve got your yule-tidings under control).

Bonus Content: enjoy some of the savvy “Pro Tips” we’ve gathered this year and included from experts in the event planning industry. Rest assured… we’ve got something for everyone!

And here it is — your first PRO TIP.

Wild Sky Events, who counts Lyft and The Knot as clients, suggests getting everything down on paper and out of your brain. Before you pick up the phone to call your first vendor, or start Googling to find the best guest check-in app, start your event planning with a full, bullet point list of every detail so that nothing is overlooked. This way, you have a mega checklist for vendors and anyone else helping out with the event!

Theme: Tonight I'm gonna party like it's 1999

1. Karaoke (or, Kara’s off key)

Turn your corporate holiday party into a good old-fashioned MTV music video karaoke off! Ah, the good old days when MTV actually played music videos. Look up the top hits from 1990-1999 and prepare everyone’s ears for some special renditions of “Livin’ La Vida Loca.”

2. The Original Board Games

Snag some retro games on eBay or raid your parents’ closet for classics like Grape Escape, Gator Golf, Mr. Bucket, Jumanji, and Jumpin’ Monkeys.

Set up a lounge area in the event / office space where people can play a few rounds of their favorite nostalgic games while taking a breather from breakdancing in the center of the dance floor.

3. Food + Drink: Grab Some 90s-Style Eats

Roaming Hunger is ready to help you book a food truck that can whip up some 90s-inspired dishes.

Wanna create your own Lunchables-style mini pizzas, Cheez Balls, P.B. Crisps, or some adult Dunkaroos? We’ve got your every holiday craving covered! Don’t forget to send party guests home adorned in oversized Ring Pops to really turn the season on its head.

The Cost of Holiday Corporate Catering 

This throwback-style party won’t set your corporate budget back! Food trucks are an affordable option for a vintage-y party of 50-100 guests. Minimums start at $800-$1000 on average.

What you can expect to pay for a food truck based on the number of eaters:
– 50 eaters = $1000
– 75 eaters = $1200
– 100 eaters = $1600
– 150+ eaters = $2400+

4. Attire: Throwback ‘Fits

Lucky for you (if low rise jeans and crop tops were your thing) the 90s are back in fashion! Some employees might already have some of these “vintage” gems lying around. Woof, saying 90s is vintage hurts. Moving on!

Encourage attendees to show up in overalls with one strap undone, bleached tips, chain wallets, neon windbreakers, grunge ripped jeans, Hypercolor tees, and anything else that screams the 90s.

Dressing up in an agreed upon theme can bring out the silly this holiday season to start loosening everyone up (with or without that eggnog).

When it comes to themed parties, A&M Events has lots of experience! These expert party planners advise choosing a theme that’s unique, but specific and reasonable to execute. They recently produced a Mad Men x Palm Springs-inspired event and guests knew just how to dress up without wondering whether or not they would feel out of place.

Theme: A night of chance

corporate-holiday-party-tickets

5. Who Has #88302?

What better way to start off a company holiday event than passing out a little something as everyone enters the party? Give everyone 1-2 raffle tickets as they enter the space. Then, a few times during the evening, halt fun activities to announce winners. Stock the prize box with interesting items like gift cards, Apple TVs, and tickets to sporting events.

While this options increases the price of your party, it also lets your employees know you’ve been thinking about them. Gifts like these are mini surprise bonuses no one saw coming. Create goodwill going into the new year!

6. Up The Ante

It’s easy to bet big when you’re playing with “fun” money.

Set up slots, poker tables, and roulette for a casino corporate holiday party activity. Yelling “Mama needs a new pair of shoes” and accusing your colleagues of being card sharks is mandatory!

7. You Won’t Believe Your Eyes (or ears)

A talented magician is always a corporate holiday party pleaser — especially if the Full House Martinis already have guests seeing double. Another option is to invite a fortune teller to offer party goers a peek into the future of their 401k.

8. And The Beat Goes On

There’s nothing like a blast from the horn section to keep the energy up at the craps table. Book a local band to make sure the whole night is up-tempo.

9. Food + Drink: Casino Bites

With all eyes on the cards, you’ll want to make sure the food is in small bites — available on toothpicks, as shish kabobs, or are dippable (like chips or veggies).

Pack the buffet table with on-theme nibbles like Texas Hold ‘Em Hamburger Bites, Black Jack Cheese Dip, Full House Martinis, Roll The Dice Sushi Rolls, Poker Chips and Dip, Big Money Meatballs, and if you’re feeling really brave, Clams Casino.

For a sweet treat, cut brownies into squares and decorate them with frosting to make them look like dice.

Chrismasy Catered Bites

Whether you’ve chosen a buffet or a private chef for the evening, you’re down for upgrading your guests’ experience. If you have a large number of guests, then platters make more sense for your office party.

Buffet:
– 40 eaters = $1000
– 60 eaters = $1500
– 100 eaters = $2500
– 150+ eaters = $3750+

Private Chef:
– 20 eaters = $1000
– 50 eaters = $2500
– 100 eaters = $5000
– 150+ eaters = $7500+

10. Attire: Glam It Up

Jazz up your corporate holiday event with more than just jeans. Ask attendees to put together their best Queen of Hearts, Lady Luck, or fedora-wearing gangster ensembles for an extra bit of luck.

Bixel & Company, an LA-based event agency responsible for some of the area’s most buzzed about events, suggests building excitement for the event in advance through email blasts, social media posts, blogs, and word of mouth. You know your event is going to be awesome — make sure invited attendees know too!

Theme: Do good, feel good

corporate-holiday-party-puppies

11. No Grinches Allowed

Get into the spirit of giving with an office-wide charity event. Volunteer at a local soup kitchen or ask everyone to donate to a charity of their choice instead of giving gifts. Check out Givewell.org, a great tool that ranks charities in order of their effectiveness and shows where your money is going and the impact it will have.

12. Pull Out The Puppers

Help adoptable pups find their furever homes with a PuppyParty. Seriously, it’s a real thing. Guests can get in as many snugs and boops needed with these doggos.

Make it impawsibly better by getting a pupper photo in a slow motion video booth. Capture every adorable moment in a highlight reel.

13. Food + Drink: Food Truck

Park a fantastic food truck outside to keep the fluff and the food separate. Click on the banner below to learn more, or click HERE to find out just how much it might cost to cater your company evening with a food truck meant for making your event memorable.

14. Attire: Ugly (or not) Sweaters

Anything that can easily be lint-rolled. You’ll be covered in fake snow and dog fur after the first ten minutes.

A&M Events in Nashville has learned through working with clients like BarkBox and Church’s Chicken that their favorite events are those where guests are immediately comfortable. A recent success involved a party where dogs were the main invitees and their people were the guests. If your office is dog-friendly, consider throwing a party where pups are on the guest list too!

Theme: Merry Craftmas

corporate-holiday-party-gingerbread-house

15. The Great Cookie Bake-Off

Nothing says “it’s the holiday season” like the smell of freshly baked gingerbread walls and roofs. Stock up on sugary decor like candy canes, cinnamon hearts, gummy bears, M&Ms, Starburst, Smarties, sprinkles, icing, and of course, gumdrops, and let staff create their own gingerbread houses. When everyone’s done building their masterpiece, hold a vote to see who wins for best curb appeal.

If gingerbread’s not your thing, use cookies instead!

16. More Glitter, Please

Start the festivities with a holiday ornament decorating party. Grab some plain ornaments and crafts supplies at Target or a hobby shop. Throw down some newspaper and let guests go to town.

17. Get Crafty With Cocktails & Culinary Skills

Calling all Julia Childs and Gordon Ramsays (just no yelling, please). Take a company-wide cooking class and ensure you end up with some new knife skills and a delicious homemade holiday dinner.

And, in lieu of hiring a bartender, set up a mini bar and let guests craft their own drinks. Organize mixers, tinctures, spirits, and herbaceous ingredients like rosemary, mint, sage, basil, cilantro, and thyme, along with suggested recipe cards. Don’t forget the muddlers and shakers!

Ready to bring the best food trucks to your company’s holiday party? Get started here.

 

18. Food + Drink: Morning Pick Me Ups

Get a little DIY with an endless amount of sweet or savory treats with your preferred toppings.

Hire a donut food truck to cook up some piping hot dough rings and set out a smorgasbord of toppings choices. Or, cater in a holiday breakfast before an evening party. Fill it with breakfast burritos (or some Yeastie Boys bagels).

Drop-Off Donuts and Bagels 

These are an inexpensive way to bring a smile to everyone’s holiday. Whether you set up a little buffet with all the toppings and noshes, or order everything prepaid, you’re guaranteed to get a lot of sugary, cream-cheesey smiles when all is said and done.

Corporate Catering Drop-Off Cost:
– 20 eaters = $240
– 50 eaters = $600
– 100 eaters = $1200
– 150+ eaters = $1800+

19. Attire: Channel Your Inner Martha Stewart

Aprons! Buy a box of cheap holiday print aprons for guests to take home with them to remember your gorgeous gathering by.

A&M Events says you should allocate your total budget before you sign any vendor contracts. You want to make sure you have every piece covered so you don’t run out of money too soon.

Theme: Holidays around the world

White Chocolate Candy Cane fudge via Mom.me

20. German Party Game – Schokoladenessen

Translation: Chocolate Eating!

It’s a German party game where players sit in a circle and roll / pass the dice until someone rolls a double. Whoever rolls a double puts on the hat, scarf, and gloves, then tries to unwrap a candy bar using kitchen utensils and eat all the candy before someone else can roll a double. The new double roller then takes over the hat, scarf, and gloves and continues eating the chocolate. The game ends when you’re outta chocolate. Of course, this can always be modified into an adult version with drinks… but we’ll leave that up to you.

21. Break Out The Blindfold 

In Mexico, piñatas aren’t just for birthdays. Buy a piñata you deem safe-for-the-office, and stuff it with goodies like airplane-sized shooters of booze, candy, and toys even adults would love, like sticky hands.

Click here if you are looking for birthday party catering for a co-worker, friend, or family member.

22. Food + Drink: Aren’t We Potlucky

Hire a food truck or organize catering to provide the main meal (like tacos), then create a sign-up list for employees to reserve a traditional holiday side dish from another country. Start with potato latkes from Israel, mince pies from England, chocolatey Bûche de Noël from France, spiced hot chocolate from Peru, and for those who don’t cook, KFC from Japan.

Pop-Up Eats for a Party

Mobile caterers are amazing when you’re looking to provide just a main meal. The average cost of a simple food cart or pop-up is only $16/person, so your corporate holiday party won’t only be fun, but it won’t break the budget.

Here’s some starting pricing based on the number of eaters:
– 30 eaters = $480
– 60 eaters = $960
– 100 eaters = $1600
– 150+ eaters = $2400+

23. Attire: Tradition

Encourage guests to wear traditional garb from the region their dish is from.

Wild Sky Events suggests assigning a task to every team member to make sure nothing falls through the cracks during planning, set-up, execution, and wrap. A well-organized Google Doc with a name next to each to-do ensures everybody knows who is responsible for what.

Theme: Let the games begin

corporate-holiday-party-donuts

24. Take Me Out To The Ball (or puck) Game

Hockey, basketball, and football are all in full swing during November and December, so round up the troops and turn your corporate holiday party into a sports-fueled soiree. Want a fun perk? Provide everyone with a hat or shirt to cheer on your team.

If you’re up for spending just a bit more of your budget, hire a bus to bring everyone to and from the game so cars can stay parked at the office.

25. Beat The High Score

Race your colleagues to the finish line by renting out a go-kart race track or run to the flashing lights of your own private arcade as you challenge one another to a game of air hockey or Skee-Ball.

26. Food + Drink: Ballpark Faves

Prepare employees for a night of junk food: ballpark hot dogs, salty nachos, cotton candy, Bud Light in an aluminum bottle, pretzels and “cheese.”

We have an array of carnival food carts and trucks to choose from if you wanna pre-pay for your company holiday party eats.

27. Attire: Athletic / Casual

Keep it light, airy, and breathable if you plan on running around the whole night through.

Theme: Santa Con

Sugar Philly Holiday Macaroons

28. Gift Exchange

A Secret Santa or White Elephant can make even the most unbearable parties a little better because… gifts. And if you don’t know what to give, this gift compilation will help you find the perfect present for your coworker.

29. Pin The Nose On Rudolph

Without his nose so bright, Rudolph won’t be able to guide Santa’s sleigh tonight! Put on the blindfold, take a few dizzying spins, and listen to the laughter as everyone witnesses you stumble your way to Rudolph to try to save the day.

30. Food + Drink: Holiday Treats

Go all out with the red and white: strawberries topped with whipped cream, bowls stuffed with candy canes, red velvet crinkle cookies, winter white red velvet fudge, sangria with stocking-shaped ice cubes, tomato and mozzarella kabobs, and more.

31. Attire: Reverse Santa

Roaming Hunger’s CEO, Ross Resnick, suggests a unique spin on staff dressing in head to toe red and white: “everyone dresses like Santa, but you hire a model to come dressed as an office worker for everyone to take pictures with.”

He sure knows how to throw a good party!

Memorable photo moments are a must. Bixel & Company takes the traditional photo booth to the next level with virtual reality and green screen effects. The Party Goddess, an LA-based event producer who’s handled parties for celebs like Sofia Vergara and Snoop Dogg, suggests projecting the photos in real-time so everyone can watch the party in progress. And A&M Events likes to extend photo opps outside the booth with “Instagram-able moments” like a bespoke backdrop near the entrance or a crazy dessert display at the back of the event space.

Theme: Movie (and games) night

corporate-holiday-party-movie-night

32. Put On A Classic

Home Alone, It’s a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Story, Elf… the holidays are the perfect time to recline and take in some classics. Dim the lights, pass the popcorn, and get everyone comfy for the cherished tradition of watching classic movies and collectively quoting all the best lines. And hey, if there’s booze around, why not create a whole new drinking game? Here’s one to get you started: Take a drink every time Buddy says “Santa” in Elf.

This is budget-friendly option that just requires a screen, a streaming subscription or DVD, and a few bucks for movie-worthy treats.

33. Gimel! Gimel!

Every culture can appreciate the joys of candy and gambling. The dreidel game gets everyone in a circle with a pile of game pieces (money, candy, etc.) spinning the dreidel to see how it lands.

Nun = nothing – the player does nothing. Gimel  = everything – the player gets everything in the pot. Hey = half – the player gets half of the pot. Shin = put in – the player adds a game piece to the pot. The game is over when one person has won all the pieces.

34. Ok, Who Wrapped This Thing? 

There are a few variations on this classic holiday game. One way to play is to wrap a gift in countless layers of wrapping paper and pass it around the circle to be unwrapped one layer at a time. Whoever tears off the last bit wins the gift! Another way is to take turns attempting to open the gift with bulky oven mitts.

35. Cheer Pong

Use jingle bells instead of ping pong balls for a holiday twist on a cherished drinking game. Just don’t jingle all the way to a hangover.

Or, sprinkle some Christmas spirit over the beloved classic game of musical chairs by playing only holiday music to signal it’s time to get up again.

36. Food + Drink: Pizza Truck

Pizza and a movie go together like, well, pizza and movie. Check out food trucks and catering options in your area and try to set a limit now on how many slices you’re going to eat.

Oh Holy Basil Night!

Bring in a pizza truck for a melted cheese, fresh baked crust, veggie and meat-topped night to remember. These trucks are a great way to ring in the merriment with style while guests watch their pizzas be made right before their very eyes.

Based on number of eaters:
– 50 eaters = $1000
– 75 eaters = $1200
– 100 eaters = $1600
– 150+ eaters = $2400+

Click here to bring a pizza truck to your company’s holiday party.

37. Attire: Ugly Sweaters

It just wouldn’t be a proper festive list unless we suggested ugly holiday sweaters somewhere this corporate holiday party season.

Let technology work for you. You already have so many details to manage, every little bit that you can delegate will help. Rely on companies like Eventbrite to handle ticketing / guest check-in, Asana to help you assign tasks to team members, or Heytell for easy communication (this app turns your phone into a walkie-talkie).

Theme: Let's get physical

corporate-holiday-party-ice-skating

38. Triple Salchow Anyone?

Bundle up, watch out for that toe pick, and show off your best figure 8 with an ice skating soiree. Serve (spiked) eggnog or hot cocoa afterward for a toasty warm-up off the ice.

39. Line ‘Em Up

Bowling is not only an engaging retro sport, but also a modern nightlife staple. The animated scoreboard, the competition, the cocktails, the dance beats, and the glow in the dark decor, all make for corporate party paradise… and no one has to worry about what shoes to wear.

40. Food + Drink: Slider Truck

All this carving up the ice, flying through the air, and pin pushing calls for a carb load. Feel like a baller on the field by pulling up your own food truck, or getting catering inside the office (limited to select cities). The cuisine options are as endless as the number of times your bowling ball will end up in the alley.

41. Attire: Seasonally Sporty

Any piece of clothing that mentions Lycra, sweat-wicking, breathable, and stink-proof on the tag, but have fun with it. Go for white, gold, silver, green, red, or blue. Wear that ugly sweater out on the ice to stay snuggly or get those reindeer ears ready to wear as you wrack up numbers on the scoreboard.

Decide what you want people to be talking about the next day, and spend extra time (and possibly money) to make sure it happens. Is it the food (then be sure to book with Roaming Hunger!)? An artist or musical act that’s the talk of the town? A hip venue? A unique activity?

Make it the centerpiece of your event and plan the rest of the details from there.

Theme: Teamwork makes the dream work

corporate-holiday-party-drinks

42. I Spy

…with my little eye. Scavenger Hunts are the adult version of the classic boredom-busting game I Spy. Create your own treasure hunt theme and tie the clues to that topic. Send teams on a pub crawl to find a mustached man drinking a PBR, or on a foodie adventure to find something flavored with Sriracha. Here are some tips on getting organized.

43. Get Us Out Of Here

Escape rooms come with their very own theme: zombies, music, murder mysteries, and more. The puzzles encourage everyone to work together or risk death. Maybe not death, but at least a disappointing loss. Roaming Hunger took on an escape room and highly recommends it as a great exercise in friendly company-wide competition (via HuffPost).

44. Silly Superlatives

Handing out silly superlatives to your team is a surefire way to get a few laughs. Need some ideas?

  • “Earliest to every meeting”
  • “Most likely to use an emoji over slack”
  • “Messiest desk”

Just make sure that no employee feels slighted. (Courtesy of Claudia Kiss, VP of Marketing, The Vendry.)

45. Food + Drink: BBQ

After all that work, employees deserve something that’s finger lickin’ good, like BBQ. Make sure no one has to lift a finger by booking a BBQ truck or catering.

46. Attire: Your Best Spy-Ware 

Think Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible. Sleek pants with multiple pockets and a snug shirt tight enough that it won’t impede sudden movements you might need to make.

Embrace your limitations and view them as a chance to get creative. Maybe you have a tiny budget. The Party Goddess suggests sharing the costs with a potluck. Use a Google doc or Pinterest board to keep track of who’s bringing what. And don’t stop at the food when it comes to assignments – put someone in charge of the playlist, dishes, decor, etc.  No matter what the challenge is, don’t let the details bog you down.

Theme: Boozy bonding

Winery On Wheels

47. It’s The Holidays, There’s Nothing To Wine About

Who can ever really remember the nuances of every blend, especially on the third winery stop? This beats the heck out of a museum tour. Ride the buzz of tastings and artisanal menus as you create hazy, Pinot Noir-fueled memories with your colleagues.

If beer is more your speed. Make your colleagues yell “IP YAY” with a stop at a brewery for some lessons on brewing beer and a taste of pale ales, porters, stouts, lagers, and more. Strap on your beer goggles and keep a bottle of water by your side.

48. Food + Drink: Pretzels, Pizzas, Popcorn Oh My!

Drinks are already covered, clearly. Food should be anything known to help soak up the booze. Some of our faves include pretzels, pizza, pasta, and burgers and fries.

Consider throwing your party at an off peak time, i.e. not a weekend night in December. You’ll find better availability at venues and have more leverage to negotiate deals with vendors. The Party Goddess suggests a Sunday brunch as a way to mix up the usual routine.

Theme: VIPs only (very important partiers)

lukes lobster

Ready to bring the best food trucks to your company’s holiday party? Get started here.

 

49. Hark! The Herald Employees Sing 

Who doesn’t love a heartfelt carol, especially when it’s belted out of a party bus? Sing along to a pre-recorded song, or go acapella as you use your vocal talent to share company holiday cheer with everyone.

50. Get Merry Around Town

Whether you rent out an entire restaurant, set sail for a night with your coworkers on a dinner cruise under the stars, or choose a day out at a theme park for your corporate holiday event, your coworkers will love getting to spend some relaxing time OOO.

Keep it budget friendly: some restaurants offer affordable appetizer or dinner packages, or if you wanna spend your company holiday party outdoors, you may be able to book a private outdoor area in a park for a lunch or dinner event.

51. Howdie Partner

Besides the pure entertainment factor of seeing which guests show up, allowing employees to bring a plus one to your corporate holiday party is a nice gesture to include everyone. Also, people are more inclined to attend if they can bring their spouse or significant other along.

This also opens up the opportunity to choose games where can pair people up, like scavenger hunts, I Spy, boardgames, and more.

52. TGIF

No one wants to go to work the day after a night of overindulging with colleagues. Have your corporate holiday party on a Friday or Saturday and save everyone the struggle of trying to make it in on time to work the next day. No one can resist an end-of-the-week rager.

53. Food + Drink: Lobster Rolls 

Line up some gourmet catering (like lobster rolls or sushi burritos) for your company holiday party (and if it’s at the bosses house, even better).

Tradition…Tradition!

Traditional buffet or private catering is ideal for more gourmet items than require ultimate freshness and flavor. Hire a caterer that can set up at your event space and make everything look as appetizing as it tastes.

– 40 eaters = $1000
– 60 eaters = $1500
– 100 eaters = $2500
– 150+ eaters = $3750+

54. Attire: Classy Casual 

Classy casual is on the agenda for tonight’s dress. You want to look a little posh for a rooftop bar, dinner at sea, or the boss’s house. If you ended up taking a bus somewhere fun with your coworkers, keep it classy even if you go for a more fun-loving vibe.

Get feedback! A holiday party comes but once a year. Send out a simple survey to find out what people liked so you can build off of it next year.

In the spirit of giving, here are a few additional tips to make sure your corporate holiday party is as inclusive, fun, and repeatable as possible:

  • If you plan on taking your festivities up a notch, some of your guests may need a ride home. Save your employees the burden of figuring it out and provide a free ride service.
  • Any parent knows that a night out is a rare event, and a company holiday party is the perfect excuse. If your company has a lot of working parents, consider offering a babysitter stipend to show that you understand how special the night is.
  • If your company is spread out amongst different locations, it doesn’t mean employees can’t get in on the holiday cheer. Offer remote workers a gift certificate for a nice dinner out, some movie passes, or sporting tickets to make everyone feel included in the fun.

So there you have it! Roaming Hunger’s top 54 corporate holiday party ideas for 2023! We know your employees are on Santa’s nice list, so celebrate them with a bonding holiday celebration outside the cubicle walls.

The good news is that everyone loves a party (especially if it takes away from actual working time). Decide on your theme, get your ducks and details in a row, and then just listen to the pros.

Ready to bring the best food trucks to your company’s holiday party? Hire a holiday party caterer today!

Happy Holidays from Roaming Hunger!