The best work holiday parties are easy to attend and include everyone, including people who don't drink. Below are eight ideas that work for offices of any size, plus a closer look at one that suits almost every crowd: a coffee and hot chocolate bar run by a barista.
8 holiday party ideas for work
- 01
Hold it during the workday
A long lunch or an afternoon party gets more people in the room than an evening event, especially staff with kids or a long drive home.
- 02
Add a coffee and hot chocolate bar
A barista making drinks to order gives people a reason to gather, and it works for guests who skip alcohol.
- 03
Invite clients to an open house
A relaxed afternoon at the office, with drinks and food, doubles as a thank-you for the year.
- 04
Run a gift swap with a price cap
Keep the cap low so nobody feels pressure, and let people steal a gift once or twice to keep it fun.
- 05
Make time for thank-yous
Five minutes of recognizing people by name, from a manager, often means more to staff than the decorations do.
- 06
Give back together
Collect toys, coats or food for a local charity and drop them off as a team.
- 07
Create a signature drink with no alcohol
A seasonal latte or a flavored hot chocolate named after the company gives the party something people remember.
- 08
Keep it short
Two hours is plenty for most office parties. People leave while they're still having a good time.
Why a coffee and hot chocolate bar works at a work party
An open bar at a work event comes with questions about who drinks how much, who's driving and how it looks to clients. A coffee and hot chocolate bar avoids all of that. Everyone can have a drink, from the intern to the CEO, and it fits a daytime party as well as an evening one.
It also gives the room a center. People line up, talk while they wait and walk off with a warm cup in hand. A barista making each drink to order feels like a treat.
Where it fits
- —Office open house: the cart sets up in a lobby or break room, and staff and clients drop by through the afternoon.
- —Holiday lunch: coffee after the meal keeps people around instead of heading straight back to their desks.
- —Evening party at a venue: the bar runs alongside the regular bar, so guests who don't drink have something better than soda.
- —Client thank-you: custom cups with your logo turn every drink into a small reminder of who hosted.
What to serve
Keep the menu short so the line moves. A good holiday menu has three parts:
- —Espresso drinks: lattes and cappuccinos, hot or iced.
- —Hot chocolate: rich and creamy, the drink kids and non-coffee drinkers reach for first.
- —Something seasonal: a latte with a house-made syrup like brown sugar, honey or cardamom, or a London Fog for tea drinkers.
Offer oat, almond or soy milk so guests with dietary needs aren't left out, and decaf for anyone avoiding caffeine late in the day.
Timing and planning numbers
Popular December dates fill first, so reach out at least four weeks before the party. If your date is closer than that, ask anyway.
For the drinks themselves, one barista serves roughly 50 to 60 drinks an hour. A 50-person office party over two hours needs one barista. A 150-person party where everyone arrives at once needs two or three, so the line doesn't eat into the party. Tell the team your headcount and the time window, and they'll set the staffing.
Book a holiday coffee bar in San Antonio, Boerne or New Braunfels
Reunion Coffee Cart brings a barista-run coffee and hot chocolate bar to office parties, open houses and client events across San Antonio, Boerne, New Braunfels and the Hill Country. The cart is self-contained, sets up indoors or out, and every quote includes the cart, baristas, ingredients, setup and cleanup. Ask for a quote and hear back within 24 hours.
Plan your holiday party