The holiday season is upon us. Christmas is barely ten days away. What better way to infuse cheer into the workplace than with Christmas-themed team-building activities? It’s the perfect time to foster camaraderie, boost morale, and create lasting memories that extend beyond the office walls.

So, let’s look at some possible festive team-building ideas that will make this Christmas at your workplace unforgettable.

A Creative Contest

Bring out the inner artist in your team with an ornament decorating contest. Provide plain ornaments and an array of art supplies, letting creativity flow. Not only does this activity tap into the festive spirit, but it also encourages collaboration and friendly competition. Display the masterpieces in the office for everyone to admire, and maybe even have a “People’s Choice” award for the most popular decoration.

Ugly Sweater Showdown

The weather is colder now, even more so for those in western countries. Who doesn’t love a good, ugly sweater? Turn the office into a runway with an Ugly Sweater Showdown. Encourage team members to deck themselves in the tackiest, most over-the-top holiday sweaters they can find. You can even add a dash of friendly competition by having a panel of judges or letting the entire office vote for the “Ugliest Sweater” winner. The key here is to have fun and celebrate the uniqueness of each sweater! If you manage a remote team, then this may be recreated over video conferencing.

Christmas Movie Marathon

Transform your breakroom into a cozy cinema for a Christmas movie marathon. Allow team members to vote on their favorite festive films and set up a schedule for a day (preferably Friday) of cinematic merriment. Provide popcorn, blankets, and maybe even some hot cocoa. If you do not have sufficient office space for this, you can close work a couple of hours earlier and go to a nearby cinema as a team. This activity not only builds team spirit but also creates a relaxed atmosphere where colleagues can bond over shared holiday favorites.

Trivia & Carol Karaoke Night – Christmas edition

You can host a trivia night where team members have to solve puzzles and challenges individually and as a team. This can be done physically and virtually as well. You can also have Karaoke contests among teams and individual team members.

Secret Santa Gift Exchange

A classic for a reason, the Secret Santa gift exchange never gets old. Set a budget, draw names, and let the gift-giving commence. The mystery of who your Secret Santa is adds an extra layer of excitement to the holiday season. To make it even more special, consider having a reveal party where everyone can share the joy of giving and receiving. You can recreate this for a virtual team and have the gifts delivered to everyone by Christmas Eve.

DIY Holiday Card Workshop

Spread some holiday cheer beyond the office walls by organizing a DIY Holiday Card Workshop. Provide art supplies, cardstock, and festive embellishments. Encourage team members to create personalized holiday cards that can be sent to each other or orphanages and nursing homes. This heartwarming activity fosters a sense of community service and brings joy to those who may need it most during the holiday season.

In Conclusion

Nothing is set in stone. You can tweak the ideas and even suggest more in the comment section. The idea is to add much merriment to the workplace and strengthen bonds among team members. Some of these activities will not take all the time to plan, but the ripple effects will be seen and felt much longer.

Wrapping Personal Branding into the Christmas Season

As we have always said, branding is more than branding. During this Christmas season, many brands and companies are sending out Christmas messages, designs, and media content. But while some are simply sending out generic season greetings, those with a keen eye on personal branding understand that Christmas offers a unique platform to reinforce their brand identity.

What is wrong with the generic Christmas greetings? Nothing really, but even though Sending out a generic “Merry Christmas” message may seem like a thoughtful gesture, it lacks the personal touch that practical branding demands. True personal branding involves a message that resonates with your audience and reflects the unique values and identity of your brand.

The season is also not the time to embark on solely promotional campaigns. While promotions and discounts are a part of the Christmas marketing strategy, branding is not solely about selling products or services. It’s about creating a lasting impression that extends beyond the holiday season.

Also, this is not the time to deviate from your brand authenticity just to fit into the Christmas theme.Authenticity is vital to building trust and a solid personal brand. Attempting to fit your brand into a stereotypical Christmas mold can be disingenuous and, in some cases, outright offensive. A good example would suffice here.

Remember, during the 2023 Easter celebration, a certain Nigerian bank put out an Easter message that said, “Like Agege bread, he rose!”

While they had probably meant it to be a funny message and an attempt to blend with the season, that message never reflected the bank as a brand. They are not into the food business, so there was no reason for the analogy with Agege Bread. Worse still, the message hit some very wrong nerves and provoked rebukes from several corners.

Eventually, the bank had to withdraw the message and tender an open apology, but that did not do much. Maybe, just maybe, all of these could have been avoided if they chose to stick to their brand message as a bank instead of trying to fit into the season mold.

How to merge the brand into the message of the season

1. Themed Content Creation:By this, I mean staying true to your brand voice while embracing the season’s spirit. Beyond the regular e-flyers with the brand logo and name squeezed in, you can do festive blog posts, social media updates, or even a holiday-themed podcast. You can even vlog content about how your team is celebrating the season.
2. Personalized Gifts and Cards:Instead of generic holiday cards, send personalized greetings or small gifts to your clients, customers, or followers. This shows appreciation and reinforces your brand identity through thoughtful gestures. I saw a video on Instagram of a food vendor brand that chose to go out on the streets and give food packages + branded gifts to essential workers who still work on Christmas day. The video generated lots of reach and reaction: It also communicated the message of a brand that cares about feeding people.
3. Charitable Initiatives: Christmas is a time for giving, and aligning your brand with charitable initiatives can have a positive impact. Whether it’s a fundraising campaign, volunteering, or supporting a local charity, showcasing your brand’s commitment to social responsibility is a powerful branding strategy.
4. Interactive Campaigns: Engage your audience with interactive campaigns that involve them in the holiday spirit. This could be through a festive-themed contest, a collaborative holiday playlist, or even a virtual advent calendar. Encouraging participation creates a sense of community around your brand.

Conclusion

The idea is to pass a message that lasts beyond the season and resonates correctly with the public. Think about how some old online videos resurface now and then and still generate positive reactions. Personal branding during Christmas is about weaving your unique narrative into the holiday spirit, fostering connection, and leaving a memorable mark on your audience.