1. Team holiday trivia
Split into teams of 4–6, play 4–6 short rounds (movies, music, traditions around the world, a round about your own company). Teams write answers on one sheet, so nobody has to shout an answer alone.
Inclusive office party games without alcohol
Updated: 2026-10-19
Many colleagues don’t drink – for health, religious, personal or practical reasons (someone has to drive). Drinking games and ‘take a shot’ penalties exclude them and are a liability for HR. The good news: the most popular party games never needed alcohol.
Inclusive also means: no games based on looks, relationships or money, and Christmas content that also works for colleagues who don’t celebrate it.
The games
2. Emoji Christmas movie quiz
Show a row of emojis (🏠👦😱) and teams guess the film or song. Works on a projector, in a video call or printed on the table. Ten emojis take about ten minutes.
3. Secret missions
Everyone draws a sealed card with a harmless mission (“get three people to say ‘cinnamon’”, “find out someone’s favourite holiday film”). At dessert, people reveal and guess missions. Runs quietly in the background all evening.
4. Paper tree build-off
Each team gets 20 sheets of paper and 1 m of tape and has 10 minutes to build the tallest free-standing Christmas tree. Great for mixing departments.
5. One-hand gift-wrap race
Pairs wrap a box together, each person may only use one hand. Fastest neat parcel wins. Loud, funny, done in five minutes.
6. Thank-you card swap
Everyone draws a colleague’s name and writes two specific sentences of thanks for something that happened this year. Cards are handed out (or read anonymously). Quiet, warm and memorable.
7. Year-in-review awards
Collect nominations beforehand in light categories (“best rescue of a deadline”, “most helpful in the team chat”). Only positive categories – nobody should be roasted against their will.
8. Blind ranking
Five holiday items are revealed one by one (e.g. cookies, films, songs) and each must be placed 1–5 immediately – no moving later. Sparks easy, low-stakes debate.
Host tips
- Offer a proper alcohol-free drink (a mocktail, not just water) as the default prize toast.
- Call it a ‘holiday’ or ‘year-end’ party if your team is diverse.
- Check accessibility: games should work seated and without running.
- Never make participation mandatory; offer spectator roles.
FAQ
Is it OK to have Christmas-themed games in a diverse team?
Usually yes, if the tone is about winter, food, films and the year – not religion. Add a ‘traditions around the world’ round.
What replaces ‘drink as a penalty’?
Points, silly hats, or the losing team picks the next song.