In today’s world where everyone is in a rush to get things done, it seems that the Christmas spirit starts to creep into people’s homes from the moment Thanksgiving is over. Blame it on premature decorations, early gift-giving and the abundance of Christmas songs blasting out from the stereos of taxi cabs, grocery shops and restaurants, the fact is that the holiday spirit pretty much governs our lives throughout the whole month of December.
Since seemingly your entire city is getting ready for this special celebration early on, why not implement the cheerful holiday spirit at the workplace as well? You don’t necessarily need to exaggerate or place any kind of pressure on your coworkers; however, if everyone is on board with the idea, you can easily bring some early Christmas joy to your office.
Here are 5 ways you can get into the Christmas holiday spirit at your workplace:
Let the jingle bells chime
One of the easiest ways to signal the approach of the winter holidays is by putting on some Christmas music. To make it a fun, joint effort, get together with your coworkers and challenge each other to find the most appealing and festive tunes out there. Try to avoid commercial hits and focus on lesser-known songs instead.
Up the ante by presenting it as a competition to further motivate people, then give an actual prize to the person who comes up with the most appreciated Christmas melody. Make a playlist with all the songs everyone has collected and put it on during lunch breaks or even work hours to encourage a lively mood at the office.
Decorate together
Another fantastic group activity that can bring the entire office together is the simple art of Christmas decorating. Have everyone chip in with either a small handmade item or something they can spare from their own stash of ornaments and plan a fun afternoon specifically aimed at embellishing your office with Christmassy elements. These seemingly insignificant visual stimuli will surely amp up the holiday spirit at the workplace.
Share gifts
One of the most popular ways of exchanging gifts at the workplace is Secret Santa—a favorite now in many offices. The rules are pretty basic: everyone gets to buy something for the coworker they are randomly assigned. The gifts don’t need to be particularly expensive, in fact there’s usually an upper limit that the value of presents should not exceed. This is quite a fun way to involve everyone at your workplace and get into a vibrant holiday spirit.
Join forces for a good cause
Speaking of gift-giving, getting together with your coworkers for the greater good might provide a fantastic opportunity to not only lift your own spirits, but to also bring some joy to the less fortunate. Whether you collectively gather warm clothes and food items for a homeless shelter, sing Christmas carols with the folks at your local retirement center or bring gifts to sick children at the hospital doesn’t actually matter, as long as you do it together and spread a bit of Christmas cheer.
The corporate Christmas party and its alternatives
Most companies and large corporations host an office Christmas party where all their peers gather for an informal get-together that might involve snacks, drinks and some music. Whilst this is a fantastic way to unwind together with your colleagues after a long and possibly challenging year at your jobs, it’s not the only way to get into the Christmas spirit.
Don’t hesitate to try out a few unconventional methods if your colleagues are up for it. Take a short vacation together, organize a competitive sports event or simply set up your annual Christmas party, but with a twist—let family members and significant others come as well. This way you might see a more intimate side of your coworkers and contribute to spreading the holiday cheer by involving others from outside your usual office environment.
Whichever item you choose from the list, you can’t go far wrong, as you’ll be offering your colleagues, bosses or employees a bit of holiday cheer at the workplace. You may not only be ensuring a more enthusiastic and vibrant office atmosphere, but you’ll also help everyone ease into the Christmas spirit once they finally get to go on their holiday leave.
