1. Holiday this-or-that
Read two options (“mulled wine or hot chocolate?”, “real tree or fake tree?”); people move to a side of the room or vote with emoji in the chat. A perfect 5-minute warm-up.
Office holiday party agenda: a minute-by-minute template
Updated: 2026-10-19
Most office parties don’t need more budget – they need a plan. A clear agenda keeps the speech short, puts the main game at the right moment (after the main course, before the energy drops) and gives the evening a proper ending.
Use the template below for a typical 4-hour evening and shift the times to your start.
The games
2. Team holiday trivia
Split into teams of 4–6, play 4–6 short rounds (movies, music, traditions around the world, a round about your own company). Teams write answers on one sheet, so nobody has to shout an answer alone.
3. Secret missions
Everyone draws a sealed card with a harmless mission (“get three people to say ‘cinnamon’”, “find out someone’s favourite holiday film”). At dessert, people reveal and guess missions. Runs quietly in the background all evening.
4. Dice gift swap (white elephant with dice)
Everyone brings a small wrapped gift (set a budget, e.g. 10 €). Players roll a die in turns: each number triggers an action (take a gift, swap, pass left). When the timer ends, you keep what you hold. Full rules below in our guide.
5. Year-in-review awards
Collect nominations beforehand in light categories (“best rescue of a deadline”, “most helpful in the team chat”). Only positive categories – nobody should be roasted against their will.
Template: 4-hour evening
| 18:00 | Arrival, drinks, hand out bingo cards or secret missions |
|---|---|
| 18:30 | Welcome & thank-you speech (max. 5 min) |
| 18:40 | Warm-up: holiday this-or-that (5 min) |
| 18:45 | Starter and main course |
| 19:45 | Team quiz, 5 rounds (45 min incl. scoring) |
| 20:30 | Dessert + secret mission reveal |
| 20:50 | Dice gift swap or year-in-review awards (25 min) |
| 21:20 | Winners, prizes, short thanks |
| 21:30 | Open end, music, those who want to leave can leave |
Host tips
- Keep the management speech under 5 minutes – put the thank-you in the middle, not at the end.
- Run the quiz between main course and dessert, when everyone is seated and awake.
- Assign one person as ‘timekeeper’ who is allowed to cut segments.
- Plan the official end, so people who want to leave can do so comfortably.
FAQ
When should the party start?
For weekday parties, 17:30–18:30 works well; people can come straight from work.
How far ahead should we plan?
Book the venue 6–10 weeks ahead; the agenda and games can be prepared in one afternoon the week before.