How to throw an unforgettable office holiday party in 2023!

2023 has had its ups and downs, and it feels like it's blinked by – how is it almost Christmas? If you haven’t already, it’s time to start thinking about the office Christmas party. It’s undeniably one of the hottest moments of the year for companies to socialise, team build and bring employees closer together, and everyone loves a good party. Whether you’re into Christmas or not, it’s a chance to celebrate your successes and let your hair down after 12 months of hard work. You’ve all earned it!

So, if you're ready to turn your holiday party into the highlight of the year, let's dive into the details that will make your event a resounding success...

Start Soon!

From all the best places being booked to clashing schedules with your colleagues, booking a holiday event is not made to be a last-minute affair! If you’re stuck thinking late-October is still too soon to want to think about Christmas, never fear – our 2023 Christmas Download has taken the trouble out of planning. We’ve picked out the best venues, activities and gifting ideas for you, so all you need to do is book in and choose a day. Easy!

Grab our Christmas party planning download here. 

Try some Mindful Merriment!

Sober curiosity and mindful drinking have been big topics throughout 2023 – since the pandemic, more and more people have been taking a step back and prioritising their health, and with that comes a huge rise in mindful drinking. The ultimate office christmas party stereotype is having too many drinks and making a social blunder, so why not avoid the embarrassment and lean into some mindful merriment this year by making sure your office party is stocked with plenty of alcohol free drinks?

If you’re not clued in on the trend, you can get curious about sobriety with our recent blog post Sober-ish or catch up on our mindful drinking episode of the Off Record, On Point podcast with Mitch Cobb, founder of AF Libra Beer.

Go Eco Friendly

The word on everyone’s lips in 2023 was sustainability, and there’s no reason it shouldn’t extend to your Christmas party and gift giving this year. For the most joyful time of the year, the statistics are a bit of a misery: 81 million unwanted presents are given annually, with one in ten ending up in landfill. Between Secret Santas and White Elephant gift exchanges, it’s hard to know the right thing to buy for your colleagues, but buying green will lessen the impact on the environment no matter what.

And don’t forget to recycle your Christmas cards – over a billion Christmas cards end up in the bin each year when they could go in the recycling. Better yet, why not send virtual cards? 

Consider Virtual

Whilst the debate rages on about whether we should all be returning to the office (spoiler alert: we don’t think so!) many of us are still separated from our colleagues in our home offices, and gathering for an in-person Christmas party is not always an option. But distance is no reason to miss out on the seasonal fun. The Digital Voice™ will always be 100% remote with team members all over the world, so as well as an in-person Christmas lunch, we hold a virtual Christmas party to share the fun with our overseas colleagues. Last year’s Christmas quiz and virtual reindeer races were a riot!

Don’t forget the memories!

Photos and videos to look back on are one of the best parts of any event, so plan ahead to ensure you make space for yours. With any luck you’ll all be having so much fun you’ll forget to take out your phones to snap some yourselves, so for a budget blowout option, consider hiring a photographer to be your holiday paparazzi! If the purse strings are tighter, talk to a couple of colleagues and ask them to make sure they’re taking pics throughout the day. Better yet, set up a Christmas party photo competition – funniest shot gets to be next year’s virtual Christmas card!

Think Outside the Box

If you really want this year’s Office Christmas party to stand out from the crowd and be unforgettable, consider raising the bar with something unexpected. The whole idea of a big group holiday event is to step away from the grind and do something different, so forget the ugly sweaters and instead bring some real heart with a Christmas Cooking Class or an immersive experience – team building, skill building and memory making all at once.

You can find some amazing and unusual ideas on our Christmas party download, as well as some excellent gift ideas and venues that will have your team talking about the party well into the new year.

What are you waiting for? Download yours now!

Ren Bowman is Multimedia Lead at The Digital Voice™, a first-class graduate in Creative Writing and an award-winning podcast producer. They’ve written for a range of industries including tech, entertainment, education, business finance, and lifestyle. Outside of work, they are an activist for social justice, especially Women’s and LGBTQ+ rights.