You want the team to actually enjoy this one. Not endure another hour of forced fun, not sit through a call where half the cameras are off, but actually connect before the year runs out.
The tricky part is that a good Christmas team building activity has to work for everyone at once: the people in the office, the ones dialling in from home, the extroverts, the quieter ones, and whatever budget you have left.
This guide gives you 18 activities that do exactly that, from quick in-office games to virtual sessions remote teams can join, plus one idea that turns the session itself into a gift your team keeps long after the season ends.
Key Takeaways
- Plan early and inclusively so everyone can take part, no matter their location or schedule.
- Mix fun, creative challenges with opportunities for genuine connection.
- Add a low-waste twist, from recycled wrapping to a real tree planted for each person.
- A team tree-planting activity works in the office or online, and keeps giving back after the season ends.
- Balance your budget with memorable activities that don’t rely on extravagance.
Short on time? The simplest activity that doubles as a lasting gift is to set up a tree-planting activity for your team, where everyone plants a real tree in their name. You can start one free at giftstory.ai, or run it across the whole company through our employee gifting programme.
Your Guide to Planning Festive Team Building Events
Planning holiday team building activities during the Christmas season presents a unique opportunity to foster camaraderie, boost morale, and celebrate the year’s achievements in a fun and meaningful way.
With considerations such as budget, logistical challenges of in-office or virtual events, and the need to create inclusive and engaging activities, the task can seem daunting.
This guide aims to simplify the process by providing thoughtful strategies and creative ideas that will ensure everyone feels welcome and valued.
From understanding how to schedule the event to managing expectations and incorporating low-waste practices, we will cover all the essential elements you need to create memorable Christmas team building activities.
Let’s explore how to bring joy and connection to your team this holiday season.
Planning Your Holiday Team Building Activities
Budget Considerations
Budget is a critical factor in planning Christmas team building activities. Recognize financial constraints to choose enjoyable and cost-effective options. Determine available funds and allocate them for venue, materials, and facilitation costs.
For virtual events, include digital platform and subscription expenses. Prioritize high-engagement activities that don’t break the bank.
Leveraging in-house resources, like having team members lead activities or creatively using company spaces, can save costs.
The goal is to create memorable experiences without financial strain. By being strategic, you can ensure a festive and inclusive event that everyone will love.
In-Office vs. Virtual Team Challenges
Choosing between in-office and virtual team building activities presents unique challenges and opportunities.
For in-office events, consider logistics such as space, catering, and materials. Physical activities can build rapport but might not suit everyone, especially those with health concerns or remote roles.
Virtual activities offer flexibility and inclusivity, removing geographical barriers and needing less logistical effort. However, they come with challenges like technical issues and maintaining engagement. Utilize user-friendly platforms and interactive activities to keep participants involved.
Ultimately, the goal is to ensure everyone feels connected and valued, whether in-office or virtual.
Creating Engaging Activities
To make your Christmas team building activities engaging, prioritize inclusivity and variety. Understand your team’s interests and preferences to select activities that resonate with them.
Mix games, creative challenges, and collaborative projects to cater to different personalities and working styles. Balance fun with meaningful interaction by promoting problem-solving, communication, and collaboration.
Provide clear instructions and ensure all materials and tools are available. Thoughtful planning will create a memorable and enjoyable experience for your team.
Read more: Top Work Christmas Party Ideas
Ensuring Inclusivity
Creating inclusive Christmas team-building activities is vital for ensuring everyone feels welcome and valued. Consider the diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and abilities of your team members. Focus on universal themes like togetherness and gratitude instead of specific religious elements to avoid excluding anyone.
Offer a range of activities to suit various physical abilities and preferences, such as active and seated options. Ensure virtual activities are accessible, and all participants have the necessary technology and support.
Involving your team in the planning process by seeking their input and feedback can help you choose activities that include everyone. By fostering respect and consideration, you create a festive celebration where everyone feels part of the team.
Scheduling for Everyone
Scheduling festive team building activities can be tricky due to varying schedules and time zones. Survey your team for the most convenient times using tools like Doodle polls to simplify the process.
For remote teams, consider all time zones and aim for overlapping working hours. If a perfect time isn’t feasible, host multiple sessions or record the event for those who can’t attend.
For in-office teams, account for different schedules, including part-time or shift workers, and plan events during core hours.
Flexibility is essential; offering multiple dates, times, or asynchronous activities can help. Careful planning ensures everyone can participate and enjoy the festivities.
Managing Expectations
Managing expectations is key for a successful festive team building event, especially when there’s pressure to outdo previous years.
Set realistic goals and communicate them clearly. Let everyone know the event’s purpose, whether to have fun, build relationships, or celebrate achievements.
Be transparent about budget and logistical limitations to temper unrealistic expectations.
Involve your team by seeking their input and feedback, fostering realistic and accepted outcomes.
Focus on the experience over extravagance. Emphasize connection and enjoyment rather than flashy or expensive elements.
Clear communication and realistic planning ensure a positive, memorable event for everyone.
Gift your team tree kits to grow for Christmas. We plant matching trees in your Forest. They name their tree to plant more! See how branded team tree kits work
One activity does double duty as a gift and a team moment: plant trees together. You can turn a session into an eco secret santa where each person sends a colleague a real tree with a personal message, created free at giftstory.ai, or run a branded company forest for the whole team through our employee gifting programme. ForestNation has helped 500+ companies plant nearly 2 million trees in Tanzania.
What are the best Christmas team building activities?
The best Christmas team building activities balance real connection with fun, and they work for in-office and remote staff alike. Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace found global employee engagement fell to 20% in 2025, and it defines engagement as the attachment people feel to their work and their team (State of the Global Workplace 2026), so the sessions that land are the ones where people feel part of something, not just entertained. Here are 18 ideas, from quick office games to virtual options, including a tree-planting activity that keeps giving back long after the day ends.
In-person Christmas team building activities
If most of your team shares a room, these land best in person: a tree decorating competition, gingerbread or cookie decorating, wrap battles, a holiday relay or office olympics, an ugly Christmas sweater contest, a festive cook-along, and a team tree-planting session everyone does together. They use the energy of a shared space and give people something to make side by side.
Virtual Christmas team building activities
For remote and hybrid teams, these translate cleanly to a video call: virtual holiday bingo, an online escape room in breakout rooms, festive karaoke, a photo scavenger hunt from home, a trivia contest, and a tree-planting activity where each person plants a real tree in their name and shares it live. For a fuller set of remote-only ideas, see our guide to virtual Christmas team building.
Whichever way your team works, the 18 activities below note how to run each one in the office or online, so you can mix and match to fit the room and the people dialling in.
Eco-Friendly Secret Santa
Eco-Friendly Secret Santa is a fantastic way to celebrate the holidays while keeping waste down. Instead of traditional gift exchanges, encourage team members to give low-waste or handmade gifts.
Set guidelines that emphasize low-waste practices, such as using recyclable wrapping paper or reusable gift bags. Gift ideas can include potted plants, homemade treats, or items made from recycled materials.
Another option is to give experiences, such as a virtual cooking class or a donation to an environmental charity in the recipient’s name. This approach not only reduces waste but also encourages thoughtful and meaningful gift-giving.
To add a fun twist, create a theme or challenge, like “upcycled gifts” or “zero-waste packaging.” This can spark creativity and make the exchange even more engaging.
Tree Decorating Competition
A Tree Decorating Competition can be a creative and engaging way to bring festive spirit to your team. Whether in-office or virtual, this activity allows team members to showcase their decorating skills and holiday cheer.
For in-office settings, provide small trees or branches and an assortment of natural decorations. Encourage participants to use recycled or handmade items to decorate their trees.
For virtual teams, invite participants to decorate a tree at home and share photos or videos of their creations.
You can set themes such as “most creative tree” or “best use of recycled materials” to add an element of fun and creativity. Create a judging panel or allow team members to vote on the best-decorated tree.
Gingerbread Decorating
Gingerbread Decorating is a delightful and tasty way to celebrate the holiday season with your team. This activity allows for creativity and fun, whether in-office or virtual.
For in-office settings, provide gingerbread kits that include pre-baked pieces and a variety of edible decorations. Set up stations with icing, candies, and other toppings, encouraging team members to design their gingerbread houses or cookies.
For virtual teams, send out gingerbread kits or provide a list of required ingredients and decorations beforehand. Host a virtual decorating session where team members can share their progress and finished creations via video call.
Consider adding themes or challenges, such as “most creative design” or “best use of natural ingredients.” To make it even more engaging, organize a voting system for different categories and offer small prizes.
Xmas Photo Scavenger Hunt
An Xmas Photo Scavenger Hunt is an exciting way to get your team moving and engaged during the holiday season. This activity can be easily adapted for both in-office and virtual settings.
Create a list of festive items and scenes for participants to find and photograph, such as a decorated tree, a holiday sweater, or a homemade ornament.
For in-office teams, you can organize the hunt within the workplace or nearby areas, setting a time limit to add a competitive edge.
For virtual teams, participants can search for items around their homes or neighborhoods, sharing their photos in a designated online space, such as a Slack channel or a shared Google Drive folder.
To make it more interactive, include bonus challenges like “most creative photo” or “funniest holiday scene.”
Wrap Battles
Wrap Battles are a fun and lively way to bring some competitive spirit to your holiday team building activities. This challenge involves team members competing to wrap gifts in the most creative and aesthetically pleasing way. To add a twist, encourage the use of recycled paper, fabric, or reusable wrapping items like scarves or bags.
For in-office settings, provide a variety of recyclable wrapping supplies and set up wrapping stations. Split the team into small groups and give them a set amount of time to wrap their gifts.
For virtual teams, ask participants to gather their own recycled wrapping materials and hold a live wrapping session over a video call.
Judging can be done by team votes or a selected panel, with categories like “most creative,” “best use of materials,” and “most festive.”
Holiday Trivia Contests
Holiday Trivia Contests are a fantastic way to test your team’s festive knowledge while fostering a fun and competitive atmosphere. Whether in-office or virtual, trivia contests can be easily organized and tailored to fit your group’s interests.
Prepare a list of holiday-themed questions covering topics such as Christmas traditions, holiday movies, songs, and historical facts.
For in-office settings, gather everyone in a common area and divide them into teams. Use a whiteboard or projector to display questions and keep score.
For virtual teams, utilize online quiz platforms like Kahoot! or Zoom’s polling feature to conduct the trivia game in real-time.
To add more excitement, include a mix of easy and challenging questions, and offer small prizes for the winning team.
Virtual Holiday Bingo
Virtual Holiday Bingo is an engaging and interactive activity that can bring your team together, regardless of their location. This classic game is easy to adapt to a festive theme, making it perfect for holiday celebrations.
Create bingo cards featuring holiday-related items or actions, such as “wearing a Santa hat,” “holiday movie quote,” or “drinking hot cocoa.” Distribute the bingo cards digitally to all participants before the event. Use a video conferencing platform like Zoom to host the game, and share your screen to call out the bingo items.
To keep it lively, incorporate fun elements like holiday music or themed backgrounds. Encourage participants to interact by showing their bingo cards on camera and celebrating their wins.
Cookie Decorating Contest
A Cookie Decorating Contest is a delightful and creative way to bring your team together during the holiday season. This activity can be enjoyed both in the office and virtually.
For in-office settings, provide pre-baked cookies and a variety of edible decorations like natural food colorings, sprinkles, and icing. Set up decorating stations and allow team members to design their festive masterpieces.
For virtual teams, send out cookie decorating kits in advance or share a list of required ingredients. Host a live decorating session over a video call where everyone can showcase their skills and creativity.
Consider adding themes or challenges, such as “most festive cookie” or “best use of natural ingredients.” Create a judging panel or let team members vote on their favorite designs.
Holiday Relay/Olympics
Holiday Relay or Olympics is an energetic and exciting way to bring some physical activity and festive fun to your team building activities.
For in-office settings, organize a series of holiday-themed relay races or Olympic-style events. These can include activities like “snowball” toss (using cotton balls), Christmas tree decorating races, or a gift-wrapping sprint. Create teams and set up different stations, ensuring safety and inclusivity for all participants.
For virtual teams, adapt the activities to be done at home, such as a scavenger hunt relay or a holiday-themed charades competition. Participants can complete tasks individually and share their progress via video call. Use digital tools to keep track of scores and create a sense of competition.
Virtual Holiday Karaoke
Virtual Holiday Karaoke is a lively and entertaining way to bring your team together and showcase their singing talents. This activity can easily be organized over a video conferencing platform like Zoom.
Create a festive playlist with popular holiday songs and encourage team members to sign up for their favorite tunes. To make it more interactive, use a karaoke app or YouTube for instrumental versions of songs, and share your screen so everyone can see the lyrics.
Encourage participants to dress in holiday-themed attire or use virtual backgrounds to add to the festive spirit.
For added fun, you can turn it into a competition with categories like “Best Performance,” “Most Creative,” and “Funniest Song.” Allow team members to vote and offer small, low-waste prizes for the winners.
Holiday Scavenger Hunt
A Holiday Scavenger Hunt is an exciting and interactive way to engage your team in a festive adventure.
For in-office settings, create a list of holiday-themed items for participants to find around the office or nearby areas. Items can include things like a decorated tree, a holiday card, or a specific ornament. Set a time limit to add a sense of urgency and competition.
For virtual teams, design a scavenger hunt that can be completed at home. Create a list of common household items with a holiday twist, such as a red mug, a piece of wrapping paper, or a holiday cookie.
Participants can share photos of their finds in a designated online space or during a video call.
Sustainable Craft Workshops
Sustainable Craft Workshops are an excellent way to combine creativity with eco-consciousness during the holiday season. These workshops can be conducted both in-office and virtually.
For in-office settings, provide materials such as recycled paper, natural fibers, and non-toxic paints. Projects can include making holiday decorations, gift wrapping, or even upcycling old items into festive ornaments.
For virtual teams, send out a list of required materials or mail craft kits in advance. Host a live workshop over a video call, where an instructor can guide participants through each project step-by-step.
Encourage participants to share their progress and completed crafts by turning on their cameras or posting pictures in a shared online space.
Charity Drives and Volunteering
Charity Drives and Volunteering are impactful ways to celebrate the holiday season while giving back to the community. Organize a charity drive where team members can donate items like clothing, toys, or non-perishable food. Set up collection points in the office or arrange for a drop-off location if your team is working remotely.
Another option is to coordinate a team volunteering day. Partner with local charities or community organizations to find opportunities where your team can contribute, such as serving meals at a shelter, wrapping gifts for children, or participating in a community clean-up.
For virtual teams, consider online volunteering opportunities, like virtual mentoring or organizing a fundraising campaign. Encourage team members to share their experiences and the impact they’ve made through photos and stories.
Participating in charity drives and volunteering not only strengthens team bonds but also fosters a sense of purpose and community, making your holiday celebrations both meaningful and memorable.
Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest
An Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest is a fun and light-hearted way to bring holiday cheer to your team. Encourage team members to don their most outrageous and festive sweaters, whether they’re store-bought or homemade. This activity can be easily adapted for both in-office and virtual settings.
For in-office teams, designate a day for everyone to wear their sweaters and hold a mini fashion show. Take photos and let the team vote on categories like “Ugliest Sweater,” “Most Creative,” and “Most Festive.”
For virtual teams, organize a video call where everyone can showcase their sweaters. Use polling features or a voting app to let participants cast their votes. Enhance the fun by adding a brief storytelling segment where individuals can share the inspiration behind their sweater designs.
Team Tree-Planting Activity
A Team Tree-Planting Activity is the one idea on this list that doubles as a gift. Instead of a game that ends when the call does, the team plants real trees together and then follows them as they grow, so the afternoon keeps meaning something into the new year.
For in-office teams, hand everyone a tree-growing kit to pot up together at their desks, or take the team outside to plant at a local park or community garden. For remote teams, everyone plants a real tree in their own name online in the same session and shares the name and message on the call. You can set up a tree-planting activity for your team in a few minutes, in person or virtual.
It works because it gives the group a shared purpose rather than a scoreboard. Everyone takes part, wherever they are, and no one is left watching from the sidelines. ForestNation has helped 500+ companies plant nearly 2 million trees in Tanzania, so the trees your team plants join verified reforestation and community projects that are tracked over time.
Virtual Escape Room
A Virtual Escape Room is a strong choice for remote and hybrid teams who want a proper challenge rather than another quiz. Groups work against the clock to solve festive puzzles and clues, which rewards communication and quick collaboration.
Use an online escape-room provider and split larger teams into breakout rooms of four to six so everyone gets to contribute. Add a leaderboard across rooms to give big teams a shared, friendly competition, and keep sessions to around 45 minutes so it stays energetic.
Holiday Team Awards Ceremony
A Holiday Team Awards Ceremony is a warm, low-cost way to close the year by recognising people rather than just entertaining them. Invite the team to nominate each other for light-hearted and genuine awards, from “most likely to reply at midnight” to “quiet MVP of the year”.
It costs almost nothing, scales to any size, and works in the room or on a call. For large teams, run nominations in advance through a shared form and reveal the winners live. Because it is built on appreciation, it tends to be the part of the day people actually remember.
Festive Cook-Along or Bake-Off
A Festive Cook-Along brings the team together around one simple recipe, guided live by a host or a colleague who loves to cook. It suits both settings: cook together in an office kitchen, or send ingredient lists ahead so remote teammates cook along from home.
Turn it into a light Bake-Off with categories like “best decorated” and “most ambitious” and let the team vote. It is inclusive, hands-on, and gives people something to talk about well beyond the session.
Christmas Team Building Activities With ForestNation
If you want one of these activities to leave something real behind, that is what we do. Here are a few ways teams fold ForestNation into their Christmas get-together:
- Run a tree-planting session as the activity itself. Everyone plants, names their tree, and shares one thing they are grateful for from the year. It is quiet, it is real, and people remember it.
- Send each colleague an employee Tree Gift and plant trees in their honour as a thank-you for the year. It says more than a generic present because it is tied to their name.
- Turn it into a friendly challenge with a virtual tree-naming game, where colleagues compete to name the trees they have planted. Light competition, shared result.
- Fold it into a team retreat in a park or forest. Plant together, walk together, and let people take home a tree they grew rather than a branded mug.
ForestNation Gifts turn a team activity into real trees planted through verified reforestation projects in Tanzania, so a single afternoon keeps giving back long after it ends. Woven into your holiday team building, they create a shared moment your team remembers and a forest they can watch grow. If you are planning the wider season too, this activity sits alongside our full guide to corporate Christmas gifts.
Read more: 20 Eco-Friendly Christmas Gift Ideas for Employees
Research and References
- Gallup, State of the Global Workplace (engagement and team connection). State of the Global Workplace 2026
- ForestNation impact methodology and field-measured tree data. ForestNation impact methodology
- Planning the rest of the celebration: work Christmas party ideas.
FAQs
The best remote options are ones everyone can join from home with no special kit: virtual holiday bingo, an online escape room in breakout rooms, festive karaoke, a photo scavenger hunt, or a team tree-planting activity where each person plants a real tree in their name and shares it on the call.
Focus on time together rather than spend. A gratitude or team awards session, an ugly-sweater vote, a potluck, or a photo scavenger hunt cost almost nothing. Use in-house resources, let colleagues lead a game, and keep prizes small or symbolic.
Pick activities that split cleanly into smaller groups: a virtual escape room in breakout rooms, a trivia contest by table, a holiday relay with stations, or a company-wide tree-planting activity everyone joins at once. Collect awards nominations in advance so a big group can still take part.
Lead with universal themes like togetherness and gratitude rather than one tradition, offer both active and seated options, make sure remote staff can join fully, and ask the team for input before you choose. The aim is that everyone can take part comfortably.
Yes. A tree-planting activity gives the group a shared purpose, includes in-office and remote people equally, and leaves something that keeps growing after the day. You can set one up in person or virtually, with each person naming their own tree.
For most sessions, 45 minutes to 90 minutes is enough to stay energetic without eating the day. Shorter works well for virtual games; a half-day suits an in-person event with several activities or an offsite.
