Goodtalk
Goodtalk

Office Holiday Party Games: 9 games that get everyone talking, without putting anyone on the spot

A good holiday party is about getting to know your coworkers or friends a little better, not putting anyone on display. These games work at the office, at a club and among friends, and the cards are written so everyone can answer without regretting it on Monday morning.

Play the 30 cards

The games

The year-in-review office quiz

6-80 players, 20-30 min, Adults

  1. The party committee writes 10-15 questions about the year: new coworkers, big projects, funny moments.
  2. Each table plays as a team and writes down its answers.
  3. The answers are revealed from the front of the room, and the winning table picks the first song on the playlist.

Tip: Have each table write one question for the other tables to answer.

Two truths and a lie

4-12 per table, 15 min, Adults

  1. Everyone shares three things about themselves. Two are true, one is made up.
  2. The table votes on which one is made up.
  3. Whoever fools the most people wins bragging rights.

Tip: Pick a theme, like "things I could do as a kid" or "my first job."

Who on the team

6-30 players, 15 min, Adults

  1. One person reads a pointing card out loud, like "Point at the person who always remembers everyone's birthday."
  2. Everyone points on three.
  3. The person with the most fingers pointed at them says briefly whether that sounds like them.

Tip: Use only kind cards. The cards below are written so nobody gets singled out.

Coworker bingo

10-100 players, All evening, Adults

  1. Make a bingo card with 16 squares like "has lived abroad" or "plays an instrument."
  2. Guests have to find a coworker who fits each square and write down their name.
  3. The first person with a full card shouts bingo and tells three of the stories.

The table's wish list

4-12 per table, 10 min, Adults

  1. Each table writes down three things that would make next year better at work.
  2. The lists are read out, and the room applauds the best idea.
  3. Leadership promises to respond to the most popular one in January.

Tip: Only works if leadership actually responds. Otherwise, skip this one.

Guess the baby photo

8-60 players, 15 min, Adults

  1. Anyone who wants to sends a childhood photo to the party committee ahead of time.
  2. The photos are numbered and shown on a screen or hung on a wall.
  3. Guests guess who's who, and whoever gets the most right wins.

Tip: Strictly optional. Nobody should feel pressured to take part.

Conversation cards between courses

4-12 per table, Between courses, Adults

  1. Put a phone or a stack of cards in the middle of the table.
  2. Between courses, a new person draws a card and reads it out loud.
  3. Anyone who wants to can answer, and you can always pass.

Carol relay

6-60 players, 10 min, Adults

  1. Give each table one verse of the same song. "The Twelve Days of Christmas" works perfectly.
  2. The song is sung table by table, so nobody has to sing alone.
  3. The whole room sings the last verse together.

A kind word

4-30 players, 10 min, Adults

  1. Everyone draws a slip with a coworker's name on it.
  2. On the back, you write one thing you've appreciated about that person this year.
  3. The slips are handed out anonymously, and people can take them home.

Tip: A quiet and well-loved way to wrap up before the music starts.

The cards

  1. What was your first job, and what did it teach you?
  2. Which project this year are you most proud of?
  3. What's the best advice a coworker has ever given you?
  4. If you could swap jobs with someone at this table for a day, who would it be?
  5. What do you love doing most when you have time off over the holidays?
  6. What would you be doing if you didn't have your current job?
  7. Which holiday party do you remember best, and why?
  8. What's a hidden talent of yours that few people at work know about?
  9. Who taught you the most this year?
  10. What are you most looking forward to next year?
  11. Where in the world would you love to hold a meeting?
  12. What was the funniest thing that happened at work this year?
  13. If our workplace were a movie, what genre would it be?
  14. What's the best dish at a holiday party, and what do you always skip?
  15. What small habit of a coworker makes your day better?
  16. Challenge:Tell us about your first year on the job in one minute or less.
  17. Challenge:Give a compliment to someone at the table you don't work closely with.
  18. Challenge:Describe your year at work in three words.
  19. Challenge:Share a good tip that makes the workday easier.
  20. Challenge:Tell us about a mistake you learned from, and what it taught you.
  21. Challenge:Pick the next song on the playlist, and tell us why.
  22. Challenge:Thank someone who helped you this year, and tell us how they helped.
  23. Point:Point at the person who always remembers everyone's birthday.
  24. Point:Point at the person who has the best coffee story.
  25. Point:Point at the person who's always first to bring in treats.
  26. Point:Point at the person who's best at ending a meeting on time.
  27. Point:Point at the person who'd most like to be off on an adventure right now.
  28. Point:Point at the person who can tell the best travel story.
  29. Point:Point at the person who always has a charger you can borrow.
  30. Point:Point at the person who's best at making new coworkers feel welcome.

30 cards.

Questions and answers

How do we keep the games from getting awkward?

Choose games where everyone decides how much to share, and use only kind pointing questions. Anyone should be able to pass without explaining why.

Which games work for a big company party?

The year-in-review quiz, coworker bingo and the carol relay work well with lots of guests. The smaller games work best at each table.

Can we use the games for a holiday party with friends?

Yes. Swap "coworker" and "work" for "friend group," and most of the games and cards work as they are.

Do we need to prepare anything?

The quiz, the bingo cards and the baby photos take some prep. You can start the rest straight from a phone at the table.