How to host an office holiday party everyone joins (no awkward silence)

How to host an office holiday party where the whole room takes part: the host's role, inclusive games played from phones, an emcee script, remote colleagues and a running order.

The best office holiday parties have one thing in common: nobody has to stand up alone, and everybody can join from where they sit. The worst have a host with a microphone asking for volunteers while 80 people look at their plates. This guide is about hosting: what the host does, how to choose games that include everyone, what to say, and how to keep the energy up for three hours. For a list of games, see our Christmas party games for work.

The host's real job

The host is not there to be funny. The host is there to tell people what is happening next, make it easy to join, and keep the night moving. A good host:

Explains every game in two sentences, and shows the QR code on the big screen while explaining it.
Never asks for volunteers; the games pick people at random, or everyone plays at once.
Keeps an eye on the clock, and cuts a round short rather than letting it drag.
Thanks people by name: the committee, the kitchen, the colleague who won.

It does not have to be one person. Many teams split it: one person on the microphone, one on a phone running the screen.

Choose games where everyone plays at once

The awkward silence comes from games where one person performs and everyone else watches. Pick games where the whole room plays from their phones and the big screen shows what is happening.

Party bingo. Every guest gets a card on their phone. Use moments from the night instead of numbers: "someone's speech runs over", "the boss dances", "a toast to the finance team". The first full line wins.
A team quiz by table. Six questions about the year, the company and the world. Tables play as teams, scores on the screen after each question. Ready-made rounds: office party quiz questions.
A photo and wishes wall. Guests post a photo and a short message; you approve them and they appear on the screen. It runs by itself and gives quiet guests a way to take part.
Truth or dare cards. The host picks a guest at random, the guest swipes a card on their phone, and the card opens on the big screen. Keep it friendly: "lead a toast", "say one thing you are proud of this year".
The prize draw to close the night, so everyone stays to the end. See our lucky draw ideas.

Make it a party for everyone

An office party includes people of different faiths, ages, languages and comfort levels.

Call it a holiday or year-end party if not everyone celebrates Christmas, and keep the decorations festive rather than religious.
Offer good drinks without alcohol, and do not build games around drinking.
Keep jokes, quiz questions and dares about the work and the year, never about one person's looks, age or background.
Pick at least one game where language does not matter, such as bingo or a photo wall.
If some colleagues are shy, bingo and the photo wall let them play without speaking.

Colleagues who are not in the room

Remote and hybrid teams often feel left out of the office party. Phone games help: anyone with the event code can play bingo, answer the quiz or post on the wall from home, as long as someone streams the big screen in a video call. Send remote colleagues the code in the morning, and read out a message from one of them during the night.

What the host says

Short lines work best. A few to adapt:

Opening: "Good evening everyone. Take out your phone and scan the code on your table. That one code is every game tonight, there is nothing to install."
Before a game: "Next is the table quiz. Six questions, your table is a team, answer on any phone. Fastest right answer gets the most points."
If the room is slow: "Thirty seconds left. Table seven, I see only one phone up."
Before the draw: "Everyone at this party is in the draw. One prize per person, and you need to be in the room, so nobody go home yet."

A running order for a three-hour party

Arrival (30 min): photo wall on the screen, bingo cards sent to phones.
Welcome (5 min): a short speech, no slides.
Dinner (45 min): bingo runs in the background, photo wall slideshow.
After the main course (15 min): team quiz, six questions.
Dessert (15 min): truth or dare, three or four rounds.
Thank-you moment (10 min): recognise the committee and a few colleagues.
Last 20 minutes: the prize draw, grand prize last.

Leave 20 minutes of slack. Something always runs over.

What you need

A laptop connected to the screen or projector you already have.
Guests' own phones. They scan a QR code; there is no app to install.
Someone to run it from their phone: the host or a colleague.
A printed running order, and the QR code on every table.

Rehearse once

A week before, run the whole programme in 20 minutes with the committee playing on their phones. It shows you which explanations are too long and which game needs a different time slot.

Try it free

You can play for free with up to 20 people to rehearse before the night, then choose a plan for your real guest count on the pricing page. For a bigger company dinner, see our annual dinner games.