The best holiday spirit week ideas permit people to be a little silly at work. Two university students in British Columbia proved how far that can go. According to CBC News, Jordan Birch and Chris Boyd tried on matching penguin sweaters at a mall in Coquitlam. “We put them on, and we died laughing,” Birch told the CBC. In 2002, they threw an ugly Christmas sweater party at a friend’s house. About 30 people came.
The party kept growing. Within a few years, it moved to the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver and drew sellout crowds of 1,200. The pair now use the event to raise money for wish-granting charities. A goofy theme did what a formal invitation never could. It got people to show up and join in.
A holiday spirit week works the same way at the office. Below, you’ll find a sample five-day lineup with dress-up days that anyone can join. You will also see options for remote teams, busy teams, and a give-back day. The last section walks you through a three-week planning timeline.
Holiday Spirit Week Ideas for Every Day of the Week
The simplest holiday spirit week ideas give each day one clear theme. That way, people know the plan, and nobody has to plan more than one thing at a time.
Here is a sample lineup that many teams in the team-building industry use as a starting point. Run it Monday through Friday, or spread it over two shorter weeks if your calendar is packed.
Monday is Mug Day. Everyone brings their favorite or funniest mug. Then the office turns the break room into a hot cocoa station. It is an easy, low-cost way to start the week.
Tuesday is Sweater Day. Wear the tackiest holiday sweater you own or can borrow. Then take a group photo at lunch and let coworkers vote on the winner.
Wednesday is Traditions Day. Ask people to share a dish or a story from their own family’s December traditions. This includes Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Las Posadas, or simply a favorite winter recipe.
Thursday is Give-Back Day. Teams spend part of the day on a charity project. Because it gives the week a purpose, many offices call it their favorite day. You will find give-back ideas in the next section.
Friday is Finale Day. Hold a short awards ceremony and then a round of games. Award prizes for the best sweater, the best mug, and the most team spirit.
Of course, you can swap any day for a theme that fits your team better. Just keep the total effort small. Most people can handle one theme a day. However, few will dress up, bring food, and compete in contests every single day. If you run these holiday spirit week ideas in a busy month, lighter is better.
Christmas Spirit Week Dress-Up Ideas for Work
Dress-up days are the heart of most Christmas spirit week ideas. Still, they only work when everyone feels welcome to join. Keep each idea cheap, optional, and easy to pull off before morning coffee.
Color day. Assign each department a holiday color like red, green, silver, or gold. Then snap a photo of each team at lunch. Nobody needs to buy anything new.
Festive hat day. Santa hats, reindeer antlers, and winter beanies all count. Since a hat is easy to take off before a client call, it also works for client-facing teams.
Holiday movie character day. Invite people to dress as a character from a favorite holiday film. Coworkers then guess who each person is supposed to be.
Cozy day. Let people wear slippers, flannel, or their warmest socks. For many offices, this is the most popular day of the whole week.
Twin day. Pair coworkers from different departments and ask them to match outfits. Because partners have to coordinate, it also starts conversations between people who rarely talk.
Sweater swap. If someone doesn’t own a holiday sweater, set up a borrowing rack. Employees drop off old sweaters on Monday, and anyone can grab one before Sweater Day.
Make every dress-up day optional. Some people love costumes, while others would rather cheer from the sidelines. You can also give non-costume ways to take part, like voting or judging. That way, these holiday spirit week ideas work for the whole office, not just the outgoing few.
Christmas Spirit Week Ideas That Work for Remote and Busy Teams
Not every team can stop work for a week of parties. These Christmas spirit week ideas fit remote groups and teams with year-end deadlines.
Daily 10-minute challenges. Start each standup with a short holiday prompt. For instance, ask people to show their best holiday decoration or name a favorite holiday song. It adds fun without adding meetings.
Virtual background contest. Remote employees pick a festive background for one day. Next, the team votes in the chat, and the winner gets a small gift card.
Mailed spirit kits. Send each remote worker a small box with cocoa, a candy cane, and a festive hat. Then everyone opens the kit together on a video call.
Points board. Give points for each day someone takes part. Post a running leaderboard by department. In addition, a small trophy for the winning team keeps people coming back all week.
Next, plan the give-back day. It turns a festive week into something that matters. Charity team building gives teams a shared goal and a real result. Build-A-Bike is a well-known example. The Leaders Institute launched it in 2005, and many team-building companies now offer their own versions of gift builds. Teams solve challenges to earn parts, build bikes, and then present them to local children.
Smaller options also work. For example, teams can pack hygiene kits for a shelter or wrap gifts for a toy drive. They can also write cards for residents of a nearby senior center.
If you can, pick a local charity and let employees see who they are helping. That connection makes the day memorable long after the sweaters go back in the closet. Read our overview of charity team building for holiday events.
How to Plan a December Spirit Week
December spirit week ideas only work when people know about them early. A simple three-week timeline gives everyone time to find a sweater and plan a dish. It also keeps the planner from scrambling in the busiest month of the year.
Start by checking the calendar. Because December is busy, avoid weeks with major deadlines or year-end closes. The Society for Human Resource Management also suggests checking an interfaith calendar before you set the dates. That way, events don’t land on religious observances.
Next, choose a small planning crew. Include people from different departments and backgrounds, because they will spot ideas that could leave someone out.
Here is a simple three-week plan.
- Three weeks out. Pick the week, choose five daily themes, and decide how much to spend on prizes.
- Two weeks out. Announce the schedule by email and post it in the break room.
- 10 days out. Book the charity partner and order supplies for the give-back day.
- One week out. Mail kits to remote workers and set up the points board.
- Spirit week. Send a short reminder each morning with that day’s theme.
- The week after. Send around photos and ask which days people want to keep.
Keep the budget modest. A few gift cards, a hot cocoa bar, and a traveling trophy cover most needs. Instead of spending on decorations, put the extra money toward the give-back day.
Finally, name a photographer for the week. Photos from each day make a great year-end slideshow. They also help you sell next year’s holiday spirit week ideas to leadership.
For more celebration ideas, see our guide to company Christmas party ideas.
Pick Your Five Days and Start Planning
The right holiday spirit week ideas give every person an easy way to join in. A holiday spirit week doesn’t need a big budget or a long planning committee. A mug day, a sweater day, and a give-back day can lift an entire office in December.
Start by picking five themes that suit your people and your calendar. Then announce them at least two weeks ahead, so people have time to prepare. Keep every activity optional and every cost low.
Next, plan for the people who are not in the office. Mailed kits, video-call contests, and a points board keep remote workers in the fun. Finally, save room for a charity project. It is often the day people remember most.
After the week ends, ask for quick feedback. Keep the holiday spirit week ideas that worked, and drop the ones that didn’t. Next year’s spirit week will be even easier to plan.
Also save the schedule, the supply list, and the charity contact in one shared folder. When December comes around again, the next planner can start in minutes instead of days. A little record-keeping now turns one good week into a yearly tradition.
You can do the same!