Christmas Office Party Themes

Corporate comedian Larry Weaver outlines a very inexpensive and memorable Christmas office party theme in his newly updated book "Funny Employee Awards: Your Complete Guide to Organizing a Humorous, Entertaining, and Rewarding Recognition Ceremony." Weaver recommends an office “Awards Show” theme to maximize impact with a limited budget.

Employee awards ceremonies are nothing new, but Weaver has added a humorous twist with funny award certificates designed especially for the office.

Sure, you could gather everyone together and hand out plaques reading “Best Salesman” or “Most Valuable Worker,” but where’s the fun in that? “Your employees don’t want to sit through a dry presentation any more than you want to give one,” advises Weaver. 

Weaver's book gives tips on how to organize a corporate event to show gratitude and motivate staff. He suggests many low-cost touches to make your awards show special:

• Set up a red carpet outside the meeting space (check your local remnant store for deals).
• Station a photographer to pose as paparazzi as guests arrive.
• Serve “mocktails” to make the evening festive.
• Have a professional comedian or someone funny serve as the emcee for the event.
• Hand out funny certificates to the winners.

"Very few company awards shows make employees feel special.  But a little creativity in your awards shows your staff that you really put some thought into it this year," Weaver said. 

Weaver has employee award categories for teamwork, leadership, appreciation, achievement and excellence. Most of the awards "poke light fun." He encourages companies to only give those awards to employees with a sense of humor. For more sensitive types, the book contains a selection of "job well done" awards that range from congratulatory to silly.

"Funny Employee Awards" by comedian Larry Weaver contains everything you need to know about organizing a humorous employee recognition ceremony. And most important, you’ll get 101 printable certificates and templates that are appropriate for everyone around the office, no matter the type of business. 

About Larry Weaver:

Larry Weaver is a professional comedian and creator of the Funny Office Awards Show. With nearly 20 years as both a corporate comedian and office worker, Larry brings a humorous perspective to corporate events. His Fun Awards blog has free printable awards, office Christmas party games, and staff appreciation ideas from successful office parties around the world.

To order the funny office certificates, visit http://www.funawards.com

Employee Christmas Party Ideas

Hopefully you found this article on employee Christmas party ideas because you want to have the best holiday office party ever, and not because your Christmas party is in three hours and you have nothing planned. Either way, here are some last-minute ideas to liven up the festivities:

White Elephant Gift Exchange
Some call it White Elephant. Some call it Dirty Santa. Some call it "You know, that office party game where you try and steal each other's gifts." Just proceed with caution. Dirty Santa always starts fun, but never ends that way. In the beginning people are laughing and having fun. Then an hour later you’ve got two best friends who won’t speak for a month over a 9-pack of Starbucks flavored coffee. Hey, it’s a $10 gift. It’s not worth going to jail over. Imagine sitting in you cell, “What are you in for? "Well... I really wanted that Sham Wow.”

Holiday Party Entertainment
Maybe I'm biased, but live comedy is one of my favorite employee Christmas party ideas. Just make sure to hire an act that's both clean and experienced in front of diverse crowds. That means no curse words and no squirm-inducing jokes about what Tiger Woods does in his free time. As the person responsible for planning entertainment for your corporate event, there is no reason good enough to risk having a performer that might offend your group.

Employee Awards Show
The employee holiday party is the perfect time to give those who toil there a “thank you” that’s bigger than just free cups of warm sparkling  cider in the conference room. And that’s where the Employee Awards Ceremony comes in. Just make sure it's fun. Sure, you could gather everyone together in some conference room and hand out plaques reading “Best Salesman” or “MVW” (Most Valuable Worker), but where’s the fun in that? Funny awards give thanks while simultaneously making sure everyone has a good time. Your employees don’t want to sit through a dry presentation any more than you want to give one.

Here are some other ideas to try at your own risk:

• Cancel catering and have a pot luck dinner. It allows employees to show off their culinary skills, and it allows you to have your own personal episode of Fear Factor. Is that hair in Bob's casserole human or animal? You just don't know!
• Raffle off a job at a better company.
• Really mismanage the whole thing and the government will bail you out.

Got your own employee Christmas party ideas? Please share them in the comments section!

Free Achievement Certificates

Find free printable certificates of achievement samples, templates and examples at FunAwards. Plus blank certificate of achievement templates to make your own achievement certificates.

Sample Certificate of Achievement

Within every workplace, office or organization, there's always at least one employee, volunteer, or staff member who always seems to avoid responsibility or blame. Celebrate their outstanding lifetime achievement of dancing around the issues with this free certificate of achievement.

Download Free Certificate of Achievement (PDF)

Suggested wording for presentation or speech:
"The roots of true achievement lie in the will to become the best that you can become." - Harold Taylor

This is just one sample certificate of achievement you'll find in our FunAwards signature collections:

• Funny Employee Awards - certificates of achievement for employees, volunteers, staff
• Funny Teacher Awards - teacher achievement certificates

Each collection comes with blank certificate of achievement template in PDF format so you can add custom wording to make your own achievement certificates. If you need volunteer achievement certificates or staff achievement certificates, take a look at either collection. They both have dozens of silly and humorous gag certificates applicable to any organization or gender.

Keep checking back for more free printable certificates of achievement

Office Christmas Party Disasters to Avoid

Office Christmas Party season is upon us and that means it's time to be on your best behavior. Remember: Santa is watching. And by Santa I mean your boss. And by watching I mean posting the video of you dancing on the buffet table on the Internet.

But don't despair. It's time for my annual roundup of office party tips from around the World...

How to survive the office Christmas party
Take it from the African Business Review (yes, that's right - The African Business Review), "there is a fine line between having a good time and making a complete fool of yourself." Their advice? Avoid alcohol and "behave appropriately." That means no "informing your employees that sexual attention may assist career progression." Seriously, it says that.


No hug ruling must be embraced by employers
I'm not making this up. Things have gotten so bad in Australia that the Sydney Morning Herald warns "a few hugs between co-workers in the office or at the work Christmas party could leave you open to a sexual harassment claim." Hope those folks never attend an office party in Africa. And if you do find yourself facing a lawsuit, remember: "a ''huggy'' workplace is no defence."

What happens at the office party stays with you for a long, long time
The Winnipeg Free Press offers a much more tasteful array of advice. They encourage you to "practice the art of moderation" and "make a graceful exit". And remember to hold your monocle in your left hand while you sip your Earl Grey tea lest your "shenanigans" be flashed across the "worldwide net."

So to sum up... don't have any fun at the office party. Wear clothing that covers most all of your visible skin (a burka or hazmat suit will suffice) and don't drink anything. No touching and no smiling. Try not to blink, lest your involuntary eye movement be mistaken for flirting.

Or better yet, use some common sense and enjoy yourself.

If you really need to be told by a newspaper article not to encourage your employees to sleep with you, you're probably not management material anyway.

Further reading:

• Top 11 Holiday Office Party Do's and Don'ts
• Beware of Cameras at the Office Christmas Party
• Don't Take a Date to the Office Christmas Party
• How to Toast Your Boss at an Office Party

Certificate of Leadership

Find free printable certificates of leadership samples, templates and examples at FunAwards. Plus blank certificate of leadership templates to make your own leadership certificates.

Sample Certificate of Leadership

Within every workplace, office or organization, there's one fearless leader -- a bold risk taker who isn't afraid to step out of the pack and take on new challenges. Celebrate their superior management, direction, and control with this free certificate of leadership.

Download Free Certificate of Leadership (PDF)

Suggested wording for presentation or speech:
"Leadership has been defined as the ability to hide your panic from others." - Anonymous

This is just one sample certificate of leadership you'll find in our FunAwards signature collections:

• Funny Employee Awards - certificates of leadership for employees, volunteers, staff
• Funny Teacher Awards - teacher leadership certificates

Each collection comes with blank certificate of leadership template in PDF format so you can add custom wording to make your own leadership certificates. If you need volunteer leadership certificates or staff leadership certificates, take a look at either collection. They both have dozens of certificates applicable to any organization or gender.

Keep checking back for more free printable certificates of leadership