office christmas party

How to Host an Office Party Everyone will Love

It’s hard to believe there’s just over a month left until Christmas, which means there’s just over a month left to plan the office Christmas party! It’s a great opportunity to let off some steam and celebrate all the hard work you and your co-workers have put in over the past year. But it can also be tricky planning an activity that appeals to everyone’s sense of fun.

Fun Staff Christmas Party Ideas in Melbourne

So if you’ve been dreading the whole ordeal, here are a few guidelines on how to host a corporate Christmas Eve party that everyone will enjoy.

Step 1. Start planning your office Christmas party early

Step 2. Take a vote in your office

Step 3. Add a fun activity to your staff Christmas party

Step 4. Offer personalised presents

Step 5. Mingle with your colleagues

Step 1. Start planning your office Christmas party early

You want to make the party appeal to everyone’s sense of fun, so make sure you plan ahead! Don’t wait until December 18th and scramble around trying to find a venue and entertainers at the last minute. It’s also important to know in advance what type of party you’ll be having:

  • A smaller company’s Christmas party is likely to be held in-house or in an outside space like a pub or restaurant. 
  • A larger company Christmas party is likely to be held at a large venue with enough space (and food and beverages) for all your guests, such as a hotel. 

Step 2. Take a vote in your office

Take the guesswork out of party planning and ask around the office for people’s ideas and preferences. The tone of your staff Christmas party will set the mood for the rest of the year, so it’s important not to make anyone feel uncomfortable, and go for the type of entertainment everyone will enjoy. For example, if you know there are a number of staff members who don’t drink alcohol, why not go for a classic Australian pub meal? That way the drinkers can enjoy a beer and the non-drinkers get to enjoy a nice meal with their favourite co-workers. Or if you’re looking to foster some camaraderie after months of working from home, why not try a team building escape room? If it’s within your budget, maybe you’re able to do multiple activities, such as an escape room followed by a restaurant meal! We’ve got a list of the best team building activities in Melbourne here!

Step 3. Add a fun activity to your staff Christmas party

If your workplace is feeling the party vibe, why not plan an activity together? This way, no one is left behind with nothing to do. Melbourne has a huge range of things on offer including mini golf, axe throwing, go-karting and of course, escape rooms for your corporate event! If you do decide on an activity, it’s probably best to time it so that people can arrive when they want to and leave when they’re ready (for example, planning an activity in the early afternoon means your co-workers won’t feel like they need to stay out late). 

Step 4. Offer personalised presents

The last thing you want is for your corporate Christmas party to look too corporate! One way to make the party feel a little bit less formal is to offer guests the option of giving personalised gifts. You can set up a place where people can buy small tokens or other presents and then write messages on them to their co-workers, family and friends. This will also help spread goodwill in the office, which makes everyone’s Christmas even more special!

Step 5. Mingle with your colleagues

This is the most important part of any party. Make sure you get people talking and mingling with one another, maybe in the breakroom getting a coffee with the new office coffee machine. People may be feeling a bit stiff due to the office Christmas party stress, so it can be nice to let them loosen up a little bit by pulling up a chair and joining in conversations over coffee or tea. Some venues naturally facilitate more mingling over others. If your office is also inviting plus-ones to the end-of-year celebration, it can be a good opportunity to meet some new faces.

The Final Word

In conclusion, the key to an enjoyable corporate Christmas party is to make it appealing to everyone’s sense of fun. Reading this article about fun staff Christmas party ideas in Melbourne is a start, but don’t hesitate to ask your co-workers what they’d like to see at the event, and plan an activity that everyone will enjoy. Then, come December, you can be sure your party will go down in office lore as one of the best!

If you have a team of staff interested in scary escape rooms or a more difficult challenge, check out our guides!

Owen Spear
In addition to a passion for board games, Owen holds a PhD in psychology and is a practicing clinical psychologist, bringing a unique dimension to our escape rooms and experiences. Owen, together with co-founder Ali, have designed and built over 8 exceptional and innovative escape rooms that have been licenced in over six countries worldwide. In addition, Owen was commissioned to create a learning-based installation for Melbourne University (in a thief’s hideout van!), demonstrating his ability to cater to diverse audiences and create engaging experiences in various settings. In 2021, Owen led a successful application for the State Library’s Alchemy program, where ERM was among 14 applicants chosen from over 300 to help support the recovery of Melbourne’s creative industry and breathe new life into Australia’s oldest public library.