The holiday season provides a wonderful opportunity to recognize your entire staff, bring teams together, lift spirits, and show your heartfelt appreciation. Try these ideas to end the year in good cheer, motivate and celebrate your hardworking crews, and create long-lasting memories.

1. Musical Gifts

Each year, find a unique way to distribute gifts of appreciation during the holidays. Try playing a version of musical chairs called “musical gifts.” Start by gift wrapping items that aren’t too bulky, such as pen sets, journals, travel mugs, and tumblers. Invite staff to a get-together, complete with snacks, decorations, and holiday music. Instruct everyone to pick out a wrapped gift and stand in a circle. Play an upbeat holiday tune as you have participants pass around the gifts; when the music stops, each person keeps the gift in his or her hand.

2. Celebrate Your Stars

This holiday season, let employees know that they shine! Hold a star-themed party. Sprinkle little silver stars on the tables and hang large silver stars on the walls. Freeze cranberry juice in star-shaped ice cube trays, and then float these flavored ice cubes in club soda. Use star cookie cutters to make star hors d’oeuvres out of bread and cheese. Serve star-shaped sugar cookies as well. Present each person in attendance with a gift of appreciation and your thanks for being a star all year long.

3. Moveable Feast

Give employees a chance to spend time in different areas of your building or facility by organizing a progressive holiday dinner. Instead of going house to house like a typical progressive dinner, take everyone department to department. Have each department serve a part of dinner, such as appetizers, soup or salad, the main course, dessert, or coffee. In each department, hold a drawing for gifts.

4. Festive Bakeoff

Give your employees the opportunity to showcase their baking skills by holding a holiday dessert contest. Have participants write down the names of their desserts in advance; use this list to create categories for the contest, such as Cookies, Pies, and Brownies. When it comes time for the judging, enlist the aid of your nonparticipating employees. Ask them to sample everything and vote for their favorite in each category. Reward each winner with a baking-related gift.

5. Wish Them Well

Help staff members stick with their New Year’s fitness goals. Organize a walking group that meets at lunch time or before work, or offer discounts at local fitness facilities. Then, develop an indoor company “Olympics” with an assortment of activities and events. Award prizes for your Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners, with wellness gifts for all the “Olympic” participants. 

6. Thank Your "Tea"-rrific Teams

December can be a hectic month, so offer your staff a chance to relax at a holiday tea party. Create centerpieces by filling teapots with candy canes. Place floating candles in teacups filled with water, and set a few of these cups on each table. Serve finger sandwiches and tortes to eat and, of course, tea to drink. Offer a variety of teas, including peppermint. Present each employee with a gift pack that includes tea and other soothing items as thanks for being so “tea”-rrific.

7. Holiday Surprise Party

Sometimes a little deception can be a good thing. Announce to your employees that despite it being the holidays, a mandatory employee meeting is being held. But instead of organizing a meeting, hold a surprise holiday party. When the employees enter, yell “Surprise!” Then, give an inspiring speech that thanks them for their hard work throughout the year and expresses how valuable everyone is to your company’s success. Hand out wall calendars for the New Year, and celebrate with holiday punch and treats.

8. Shopping Adventure

Help your employees get caught up on their holiday shopping. Buy prepaid Visa gift cards that can be used to purchase gifts. Place them inside holiday cards and distribute them to staff. Close the office a few hours early and take your staff to a nearby mall. If you have company vans, use them as transportation. If not, rent enough vans to hold everyone. Leave some time at the end of your outing for people to show what they purchased if they would like to.

9. Season Of Giving Back

Show your organization’s commitment to the community while honoring the season of charitable giving. Arrange a volunteer opportunity for willing staff members, such as helping for a few hours at a local food bank or soup kitchen. Arrange the details with the nonprofit organization ahead of time, and provide transportation for staff who want to participate. For extra team building, give participating employees matching jackets or pullovers with your organization’s logo to wear during the volunteer activity.

10. “Tree”-mendous New Year

If your facility has a decorated tree for the holidays, don’t rush to take it down after December 25. Turn it into a New Year’s tree. Remove your regular decorations, except for the lights. Start redecorating the tree with curling ribbon, bows, and small balloons. Add on party horns and top the tree with party hats. Remember to replace the tree skirt. Hand out New Year’s gifts, such as calendars, planners, or journals, around the first of January.