Forget the boring “secret santas” where everyone is disappointed with their gift! Celebrate Christmas at work in a fun and original way.

One of the most wonderful times of the year is fast approaching. Christmas is a time for bonding, for celebrations, for meeting up with your nearest and dearest. A time for joy and goodwill.

As is to be expected, at this time of year every company worth its salt will be holding a celebration, with the aim of fostering team sprint among its employees.

As we all know, over the years, the activities chosen for such events have been snowballing in terms of variety and originality.

In the past, it used to be based on a gastronomic get-together and everything would draw to a close after that pleasurable but, ultimately, humdrum company meal where, if you were lucky, somebody had suggested the ubiquitous “secret santa” activity, sharing out the participant’s names throughout the office in order to anonymously regale each other with presents, thus cultivating a slight aura of mystery and fun among all the colleagues. That emotion was all we could hope for at the company Christmas dinner.

Now, however, with the rise of remote work and concerns about the loss of team spirit, it’s more important than ever to aim for different activities that connect and delight employees. So here are the top 5 best ideas to celebrate Christmas at work while working on team building.

Top 5 Christmas at Work Activities Summary

1. A different Christmas Dinner
2. Go see the Christmas Lights
3. Organize a Charitable Activity
4. Decorating the office
5. Christmas Scavenger Hunt

A different Christmas Dinner

If the team is settled on having a Christmas dinner in a restaurant but still wants to bring something different to the moment, why not organize a tour? This fun-filled activity can start at our company’s address and end at the restaurant. This way, instead of meeting each other there, you can all go together and enjoy a few moments of discovery and relaxation.

Many tour companies in the capital city offer personalized corporate services, which means you can pick any of them. However, to make your life easier, here are a few recommendations:

HIPPOTrip

This Lisbon-based company has a different concept: they organize tours that allow you to explore the city from land and river. They can also customize their itinerary to fit your needs.

Local Tuk Tuk

We love to share our passion for travelling with everyone, so, besides publishing these articles, we also organise corporate tours. During the holidays, we offer a special tour + dinner pack where we can set up the meal for you. It’s your choice!

Tram Tours by Carris

With its branch Yellow Bus Tours, Carris offers a wide range of services. One of the most interesting to couple with a Christmas dinner are the tram tours.

Go see the Christmas Lights

There’s nothing more magical than seeing the colourful Christmas lights that light up every year all around Lisbon! Besides being a great activity to do with kids, friends and family, it’s also a pleasurable idea for companies looking to bring a bit more magic to the dreary winter days.

You can choose between doing the tour on foot or, for a more comfortable and less tiring experience, on a tuk tuk. During the holidays we offer special Christmas lights tours that can show you the city’s monuments all dressed up in sparking decorations. The standard options are for a 1h30 Christmas lights tour and for a 2h30 Christmas lights tour. However, if none fit your needs, we can create something just for you and your team.

Organize a charitable activity

Christmas is a time to be with family and friends celebrating the warmth and joy that being together brings us. Nevertheless, it’s important to remember that not everyone has a family, a roof, or the means to celebrate Christmas.

In the spirit of being grateful and giving back to the community, you can always organize a charitable activity. Here are some ideas that you can apply:

• Collect toys and donate them to institutions or children’s hospitals.
• Participate in a soup kitchen or collect food to donate.
• If your company is pet-friendly, organize a day in an association or collect food/toys to donate.
• Contact your local nursing home and organize an activity with them to light up the elderly’s days. For example, do a personalized tour of your company or if you’re a smaller place think of a hobby or activity you can do together.

Decorating the office

We admit this one might not be for all the teams out there, but some will for sure delight themselves with a few moments to release their creativity and go all out in the Christmas decorations. If you want to make this activity a bit more eco-friendly and less wasteful, you can always set a few rules. For instance, you can set aside a day and invite your coworkers’ families and kids to make the decorations together out of recyclable materials.

Christmas Scavenger Hunt

There’s nothing more perfect for fostering Christmas and team spirit than a Christmas-themed scavenger hunt. While learning more about Lisbon’s history and culture, the team will also get the chance to develop their competitive side and make some unforgettable fun memories. During the holidays, we offer a service just like this. Inspired by our classic team building, our Christmas scavenger hunt can be customized to your needs and group size.

Are you feeling inspired yet? We hope our top 5 ideas to celebrate Christmas at work have inspired you to make these holidays a time to remember for years to come. If you need our help, contact us! We promise to be your friendly Santa this year.