1. The Famous Secret Santa
This is a worldwide crowd-pleaser and there’s a reason for that: it’s an activity where everyone gets involved and fun is guaranteed. Each participant draws a colleague's name in secret, then buys a small gift for them to be exchanged on a chosen date, like the company’s Christmas party. Secret Santa works in both virtual and in-person settings, and it’s a fantastic way to promote a spirit of generosity, without anyone’s gift-giving budget going overboard.
Time estimate: 1-2 hours
Group size: Groups of any size
Great for: Promoting team spirit, strengthening relationships, and exploring creativity
2. Gingerbread House Competition
Challenge your team’s creativity with a holiday twist and divide into small groups to decorate gingerbread houses, transforming icing, candies, and cookies into delicious creations. This is an engaging activity for everyone, whether held in person or as a virtual event where team members can share photos of their masterpieces. The bonus? There’s often a sweet prize for the most imaginative house!
Time estimate: 2 hours
Group size: Groups of any size
Great for: Boosting creativity and strengthening team bonds
3. Holiday Scavenger Hunt
Looking for a way to get more festive inside or outside of the office? A Christmas-themed scavenger hunt is an effective challenge to spark some friendly competition and collaborative problem-solving. Create a list of festive items for team members to find, either in the office, around town, or even online. This activity can take place in hybrid and virtual formats, and it’s a way to get everyone moving and working together.
Time estimate: 2-3 hours
Group size: Groups of any size
Great for: Promoting creativity and enhancing problem-solving skills
4. Christmas-Themed Karaoke
Gather the team for a festive karaoke session featuring holiday classics. Belting out Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” or singing some jazzy Jingle Bell Rock, one thing is certain: Christmas karaoke offers a lively, team-bonding experience. It’s a great icebreaker, this activity lets everyone loosen up, it’s inclusive, and might even discover real singing talent within the team!
Time estimate: 2 hours
Group size: Up to 20 people
Great for: Unwinding while promoting team spirit
5. DIY Holiday Card Station
Set up a card-making station with art supplies, holiday stickers, and glitter. Challenge team members to design and create holiday cards for each other or for a local charity. This is an arts & crafts activity that stimulates creativity but also spreads holiday cheer, allowing everyone to bring a personal touch to the season.
Time estimate: 1-2 hours
Group size: Up to 20 people
Great for: Boosting creativity and enhancing work relationships
6. Holiday Ice Skating
Take the team to a nearby ice rink for a classic winter experience. Holiday ice skating can be an energizing way to enjoy the season, but make sure it’s suitable for all skill levels – seasoned skaters and first-timers – and accessible to all team members. It’s a relaxing way to bond outdoors and get into the Christmas spirit.
Time estimate: 1-2 hours
Group size: Up to 15 people
Great for: Team bonding and promoting wellbeing
7. Merry Murder Mystery - Christmas Edition
Are you familiar with Murder Mystery? Enroll your team and participate in the Christmas edition. Unleash everyone’s inner detective with a holiday-themed murder mystery game! Team members take on different characters and work together to solve clues, all while navigating a festive (but suspicious!) storyline. This event can be hosted in person or online, and it’s an effective way to promote teamwork and quick thinking while adding a twist to the holiday spirit.
Time estimate: 2-3 hours
Group size: Up to 20 people
Great for: Improving problem-solving skills and teamwork
8. Virtual Potluck Party
A Virtual Potluck Party brings people together online to share and celebrate their favorite dishes, even if they’re in different locations. Each team member prepares a dish in advance and then joins a video call to showcase their creation, explaining the recipe, ingredients, or any special story or tradition connected to it. During the call, participants can swap recipes and even create a shared holiday recipe book. You can even add themes, like “Grandma’s Recipes”.
Time estimate: 1-2 hours
Group size: Up to 30 people
Great for: Strengthening team relationships and enhancing communication
9. Holiday Trivia Game
A Holiday Trivia Game consists of competitive questions about Christmas movies, songs, traditions, and winter facts. Teams compete to answer questions, with rounds or bonus questions to keep things exciting. You can host it in person or online using a trivia platform, prepare a list of questions in advance and offer small prizes to make it even more fun.
Time estimate: 1-2 hours
Group size: Groups of any size
Great for: Boosting friendly competition and promoting teamwork
10. Cookie Decorating Contest
This is a tasty contest that invites everyone to decorate cookies, from classic holiday shapes to personalized designs. Teams are provided with plain sugar cookies, frosting, sprinkles, and other edible decorations, then tasked with creating the most festive or imaginative cookie designs. It’s an excellent way to bring out everyone’s inner artist, and it’s a great activity for both in-person and virtual gatherings, where employees can show off their masterpieces via video calls.
Time estimate: 1 hour
Group size: Up to 20 people
Great for: Boosting creativity and enhancing communication
11. Christmas Light Tours
Take a break from work and gather your team for a group tour of the best local Christmas lights! Explore neighborhoods, parks, or famous landmarks known for their extravagant light displays. This outing is an engaging way for teams to enjoy the season together outside of the office, grab a coffee or drink along the way, and get into the holiday spirit. If done virtually, team members can share photos or videos of their neighborhood lights and vote on the most festive display.
Time estimate: 2-3 hours
Group size: Up to 30 people
Great for: Unwinding, team bonding, and promoting company culture
12. Edible Paint Night
Never heard of Edible Paint Night before? As the name suggests, it combines art and dessert and it’s a twist on the classic paint-and-sip event, where participants use edible ingredients to create their artwork! Provide team members with frosted cakes or baked goods as their “canvas” and edible paints for decoration. This creative (and tasty) activity can be enjoyed either in person or online. The best part? You can always count on a sweet reward.
Time estimate: 1 hour
Group size: Up to 20 people
Great for: Boosting creativity and teamwork
13. Holiday Desk Decorating Contest
Encourage everyone on your team to give it their all with a holiday desk makeover. From mini trees to festive lights, garlands and chocolate galore, employees can transform their workspaces into seasonal displays. At the end, vote on categories like Most Creative, Most Extra or Top Prize, bringing holiday spirit to the workplace in a personal way.
Time estimate: 1 hour
Group size: Groups of any size
Great for: Promoting team cohesion and boosting company culture
14. Charity Volunteering
Work as a team and give back this holiday season by organizing a charity volunteering day. Choose from available options in your local area, whether it's helping at a food bank, organizing a toy drive, or participating in a community event. Volunteering fosters team bonding, boosts morale, and promotes teamwork. Plus, it provides an opportunity to make a positive impact together while helping local communities.
Time estimate: Full-day
Group size: Up to 20 participants
Great for: Giving back to the local community while promoting teamwork
15. Christmas Movie Marathon
Host a movie marathon featuring holiday classics like Home Alone, Elf, A Christmas Carol, or The Grinch. Employees can gather in a break room, lounge area, or virtually, and enjoy seasonal films while sipping hot cocoa. This low-stress activity promotes relaxation and a sense of unity, while providing a fun bonding experience for the whole team, no matter where they are.
Time estimate: Half-day to full-day
Group size: Up to 30 people
Great for: Getting in the holiday spirit
16. Festive Cocktail (or Mocktail) Making Class
A cocktail (or mocktail) making class is a great way to get creative while sipping festive drinks. Hire a professional mixologist or follow online tutorials to guide your team through crafting Christmas-inspired cocktails, like gingerbread martinis and sugarplum spritz. Not only is this a fun, learning activity but you can also sip your creations in the end!
Time estimate: 1 hour
Group size: Up to 30 people
Great for: Learning new skills and boosting team relationships
17. Holiday-Themed Game Show
Create a holiday-themed game show to bring some friendly competition to the office. Think Jeopardy! with Christmas trivia, or a Family Feud-style game. In this holiday challenge, teams compete to answer questions like "What is the most popular Christmas song?” and “The Grinch has what in his soul?”. It's an engaging activity that builds team spirit during the holidays, whether played in-person or virtually.
Time estimate: 1-2 hours
Group size: Up to 50 people
Great for: Enhancing communication and teamwork
18. Christmas Craft Workshop
A Christmas Craft Workshop lets employees explore their creative side while crafting festive decorations or ornaments. You can set up different stations with supplies like paint, beads, baubles, glitter, and fabric to create personalized holiday items. This hands-on activity encourages teamwork and gives participants something special to take home, promoting a sense of accomplishment.
Time estimate: 2 hours
Group size: Groups of any size
Great for: Boosting creativity, learning new skills, and team bonding
19. Virtual Escape Room
For remote teams, a Virtual Escape Room is an excellent way to bond and solve puzzles together from the comfort of home. Participants can join an online platform where they work together to crack codes, solve riddles, and discover clues in order to “escape” within a time limit (usually 60 minutes). This activity promotes problem-solving, communication, and collaboration. The best part? You can find holiday editions in most virtual escape rooms, which adds holiday spirit to the whole experience.
Time estimate: 1 hour
Group size: Up to 20 people
Great for: Problem-solving, teamwork, and strengthening team bonds
20. Advent Calendar Activities
Bring the holiday countdown to life at the office with a team-based Advent Calendar. Instead of just chocolate or candy, fill each day with small, exciting challenges or activities for your team to enjoy. Something like "Share your favorite holiday tradition", or “What’s your favorite holiday dish?”. This daily ritual creates excitement throughout the month of December, promoting a positive atmosphere leading up to Christmas.
Time estimate: 24 days in total
Group size: Groups of any size
Great for: Boosting teamwork and communication
21. White Elephant Gift Exchange
Unlike Secret Santa, White Elephant is a gift exchange with a twist. Each person brings a wrapped gift to add to the pile, then takes turns either choosing a new present or “stealing” one that someone else has already unwrapped. It’s unpredictable, mysterious, and a lot of fun, bringing surprise to the office as people compete eagerly for the most coveted (or comically strange) gifts. This activity can be done in person or online for remote teams, with digital gift cards or mailed items.
Time estimate: 1 hour
Group size: Groups of any size
Great for: Strengthening team bonds
22. Holiday Relay Races
A relay race is a team-based athletic competition in which participants take turns running or performing a specific activity. For a fun twist to the holiday season, organize relay races with festive themes, like a “Santa sack race” or “reindeer dash”. Teams can compete in a series of quick, silly challenges, such as carrying presents across the room or decorating a team member like a Christmas tree. This activity keeps everyone engaged and involved, while also fostering collaboration and a sense of healthy competition.
Time estimate: 1 hour
Group size: Up to 50 participants
Great for: Sparking conversation and enhance communication
23. Merry Meme-Making Contest
In a Merry Meme-Making Contest, team members create holiday-themed memes using festive images, phrases, or inside jokes private to the company. Once completed, everyone votes on the funniest or most relatable meme, with fun categories like "Best Office Humor" or "Funniest Holiday Snafu". It’s an engaging activity to spread holiday cheer, tap into creativity, and spend a different afternoon with your team.
Time estimate: 1 hour
Group size: Groups of any size
Great for: Stimulating creativity and teamwork
24. Ugly Sweater Contest
Get your team in their most outrageous, cringe-worthy holiday sweaters and enjoy everyone’s looks at the office or Zoom meeting. Create categories like “Most Festive”, “Best DIY”, or “Over-the-Top Ugly”. Inform the categories beforehand so people know what is expected. This activity is perfect for a fun time together and a great photo opportunity, and it’s sure to add a fun vibe to your team gathering!
Time estimate: 1 hour
Group size: Groups of any size
Great for: Breaking down barriers and creating a shared festive spirit
25. Holiday Pictionary Tournament
Bring out everyone’s artistic side (or lack thereof!) with a round of holiday-themed Pictionary. Split into teams, choose Christmas-related words or phrases, and let your coworkers try to guess the holiday doodles. This is a crowd-pleasing activity everyone will enjoy.
Time estimate: 1 hour
Group size: Up to 30 people
Great for: Friendly competition and team interaction
26. Early New Year’s Eve Party
Why wait until December 31st when you can celebrate with your team beforehand? Host a mock New Year’s Eve celebration complete with everything from sparkling cider to countdowns, and festive party hats. The best way to plan it? Everyone ships in or brings a snack/drink to the office. Divide into groups and assign tasks – decoration, cleaning, entertainment, and overall planning. This activity lets everyone get in on the fun early and celebrate together before the holiday break.
Time estimate: 3-4 hours
Group size: Groups of any size
Great for: Promoting holiday spirit and enhance relationships
27. Visit a Local Christmas Market
Take your team out on a festive outing to a local Christmas market. Everyone can explore handcrafted gifts, sample holiday treats, and take in the festive atmosphere. It’s also a great activity to help you find your Secret Santa gifts or last minute presents. It’s a relaxed way to connect and support local artisans while enjoying the holiday spirit.
Time estimate: 2 hours
Group size: Up to 20 people
Great for: Relaxing and promoting work relationships
28. Christmas Office Bingo
Christmas Office Bingo is a season-long game that keeps the holiday spirit alive and adds a friendly competition to the workday. Bingo cards are filled with holiday-related actions, items, or occurrences that are likely to pop up around the office. Categories can include activities like “Spot someone in a Santa hat”, “Homemade cookies shared in the breakroom”, or “Secret Santa gift spotted”.
Time estimate: 1 week in total
Group size: Groups of any size
Great for: Team bonding and cohesion
Why Choose Team-Building Activities For The Festive Season?
The holidays are a great time to bring teams together, celebrate achievements, and create memories. Furthermore, it’s an outstanding way to lift spirits as the year comes to a close.
Wrapping up our list of the "28 Best Team-Building Activities to Do at Christmas", we easily conclude that holiday team-building offers something for teams of every style: Creative competitions, collaborative games and holiday celebrations are crowd-pleasers your team won’t want to miss!
Each activity, whether indoors or around town, brings a special touch to the season, allowing teams to connect, relax, and strengthen relationships in a festive setting. Plan a virtual escape room, decorate cookies together, or enjoy an ugly sweater contest: these holiday-themed ideas bring new energy into your team’s work culture.
The best part? Planning these activities doesn’t have to be a big lift! Start with your team’s interests in mind, choose a combination of fun and meaningful events, and add a few personalized touches according to your team’s goals and values.
A well-organized, thoughtful team-building session can help your crew end the year with a positive, connected vibe. Need help with planning? Reach out to our TeamOut experts and schedule a free call today! Let’s create a standout experience that ensures an impactful holiday event for all.
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