December is the time of the year when the office looks like a happy place and everyone is in a good mood. This is because Christmas is just a few days away and the festival has filled people with excitement. Almost all the offices have started planning their Christmas party and are looking forward to it. While organizing such an office party, one of the major deeds to keep in mind is the process of buying gifts for everyone. Instead of giving the employees cliché gifts like every year, try to come up with something innovative. The concept of Secret Santa is great to evoke anticipation among the employees of the workplace.
The yearly ritual of exchanging gifts during the office Christmas party can be made fun by using the Secret Santa tradition to do so. This holiday tradition will help in spreading Christmas cheer among the colleagues as it will evoke curiosity among them. The feeling of anonymity will increase the excitement level of the party.
How to decide the receiver of the gifts
The main step to follow this holiday tradition is by selecting the person one is going to present the gift to. This should be done at least ten days before the party. Collect all the employees in the lunch break and make them draw the names. For this, write everyone’s names on little pieces of paper and put them in a glass bowl. In case everyone isn’t well acquainted with their colleagues, describe the person’s interest in two or three words. After the cards are drawn, make sure that nobody reveals the name of the person they selected.
One could inculcate the Secret Santa holiday tradition in the office Christmas party.
There must be certain rules for being Secret Santa. Firstly, the manager of the office should specify a particular budget for the gift so that there is uniformity in the financial value of the gift. The budget should be such that everyone in the office can easily afford it. Also, make sure that the gifts to be given are not offensive or vulgar in any manner. This concept is to spread happiness, not trigger fights among the employees.
Tips to be a good Secret Santa
The most tedious task is trying to decide what gift to purchase for one’s colleague. As the names are drawn, it usually happens that one might not be close friends with the person he is giving the gift to. But this is a great way to encourage a friendly bond between the two people. If the interests of the person are mentioned, then it becomes easy to decide the gift. Try to stick to what is written so that the person receives what he likes. In case the interests have not been mentioned, recall the conversations shared with the person. He might have shared something about his interests which can give an idea about what to buy. Still, if no idea strikes the Secret Santa; try buying a generic gift like a token of luck for the office desk.
The best part of the office Christmas party is the unwrapping of the gifts. The manager of the company must gather everyone and hand them their gifts. By unwrapping the gifts together, the Secret Santa can witness the reaction of the person when he opens the gift. This will become the highlight of the party and all the employees will definitely enjoy it.