07 Jul Holiday Party Games for the Office
Office Entertainment: Comedy, Games, and More
Liven Up Your Next Company Party
Arnold Schwarzenegger recently said that before going to the gym, life seems black and white, but upon leaving, it’s as if the whole world is in color.
Hiring a professional entertainer for your next company party could be the difference between a black-and-white party and one in color.
For starters, let’s consider why an office party can be such a great way to let off steam.
You spend all day, most days, with the same group of people, and cutting loose is a great reprieve from the grind of work. While everyone wants to enjoy an office holiday party or just a regular company party, getting into the rhythm can be awkward at first. Switching your brain from work mode to play mode doesn’t happen instantaneously; greasing the wheels a bit can really help your employees relax and enjoy themselves.
If you’re looking to get the wheels turning at your next office party, consider hiring a performer from The Comedian Company. Regardless of the activities you have planned, our performers are highly experienced at keeping a crowd engaged and entertained.
We have a wealth of comedians who can emcee light-hearted games or simply perform stand-up. Nothing helps people relax like a good belly laugh and a little friendly competition. Trust falls may be a tad outdated, but laughter and games never go out of style.
There’s even ample evidence that playing games helps people get through challenging times, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. While much of this evidence supports role-playing games, specifically the tabletop game “Dungeons & Dragons,” it’s not a stretch to see how other games can be a boon to our mental health.
Playing games gives us a sense of achievement and purpose. They foster team spirit and help us learn and grow. Games also reduce stress and can help us reach what are called “flow states,” where we lose track of time and become hyper-focused on the task at hand—a highly rewarding state most often achieved by professional athletes and sometimes artists.
At The Comedian Company, we have a roster of over 2,000 comedians and performers. Maybe you hired a comedian last time and want to shake things up a bit. Introduce a little of the unexpected by bringing in a magician, or dazzle and delight your staff with a hypnotist.
Read on to discover how you can make your next office party the next big water-cooler event. After all, what we find most gratifying as humans are experiences—and a gratified employee is a committed employee.
Feud with Your Coworkers at the Next Office Party
If you want to take a staid office party and make it lively, try throwing a Friendly Feud game with a stand-up comedian as the host. Receiving a Secret Santa gift can be touching, but it doesn’t leave you with the warm and fuzzy feeling you get from laughing your head off while indulging in a bit of harmless fun.
Inspired by the game show “Family Feud,” Friendly Feud follows a similar format. If you are unfamiliar with the game, here’s a quick recap: A host—in this case, one of our stand-up comedians—asks various survey questions, and two teams take turns trying to guess the answers. If this sounds familiar but you haven’t seen the show, perhaps you caught the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia episode “The Gang Goes on Family Fight.” That episode featured a nearly identical, albeit more unhinged, version of the game.
One of the best things about Feud is that there are multiple versions of the game. Feel like springing for something extra special? We also offer celebrity comedians. For example, you could book former SNL cast member Tim Meadows, who has also guest-starred on The Office, appears in the upcoming season of Peacemaker, and starred in films such as Mean Girls and Dream Scenario.
Feuds on Offer
Office Feud
Perfect for a work environment, this variation curates the questions to an office setting. Part of the fun is bringing disparate groups together, with Tim from accounting joining ranks with Roxanna from HR, battling it out with Laura from IT and Patrick from sales. If you want team bonding, skip the trust falls and bring a comedian and a little bit of novelty to the office.
Student Feud
Perhaps your office is for grad students. Great—there is also a student version of the game. The main difference in this version is that the survey questions are tailored to students and school-related topics. Escape rooms can be anxiety-provoking, but a playful game with your fellow students won’t cause any panic attacks.
Friendly Feud
This is the classic version of the game, but with the benefit of employing one of our stand-up comedians. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, we’re well-versed in entertaining both nightclubs and corporate audiences. Our performer makes sure the vibe stays humorous, the energy high, and the game on track. If you want to bring something unexpected and fresh to the office dynamic, give your team members the gift of Friendly Feud.
The Essentials
- Teams of 4 to 6 people face off in rounds of questions, following the classic Family Feud game show format.
- Survey-based questions range from work-related topics to general trivia, and teams compete to answer before the opposing team gets a chance.
- At the end of the game, a small prize is often awarded to the winning team.
Let the Feuding Begin
The beauty of Friendly Feud is that it can be played in person or virtually. If you have a global team that only meets remotely, don’t let that stop you from enjoying the fun—we’ll bring the game to you.
Regardless of the version you go with—Office Feud, Student Feud, or Friendly Feud—our comedian host will ensure the game runs smoothly and everyone has a good time, laughing and bonding as time flies. We’ll help set up the game and customize the questions. You bring the contestants.
Trivia Time
Another great option to get your next office party going is a trivia night. And by hiring a professional comedian, you take the pressure off your company to use one of its own employees to keep people entertained. Everyone has been working hard; let them relax while you let an experienced comedian take the reins.
The trivia questions can run the gamut from sports and entertainment to politics and current events—and the only thing broader than the trivia is our range of comedians. We have comedians ranging from squeaky clean to late-night edge. Tell us the rating, and we’ll match you with a suitable comedian.
A trivia night is a great way to get to know your coworkers, as nothing reveals who someone is quite like learning the depths of their knowledge (or lack thereof). We’ll help you set up the event—whether it’s at the office, a bar, or a restaurant—and design the questions, leaving you to decide on teams.
If you want your office party to be memorable, you can’t go wrong with picking one of the classic party activities: trivia. The fun of a trivia night has endured from the halcyon days of college to the suit-and-tie era of adulthood.
But unlike the trivia you may have played in bars in college, we bring a stand-up comedian to the mix. Hiring a comedian to emcee your trivia can turn the trivial into the uproarious. Comedians are used to thinking on their feet and keeping an audience enthralled. A technical glitch may throw off the room’s energy if your account executive is tasked with hosting, but our comedians excel in moments like these.
Stop scrambling for fun activities that will keep your team having a great time at your next company party. When you’ve been making people laugh for as long as we have, it becomes second nature. We’d love to show you what our entertainers can do, so why not give us a call today?
The Office Christmas Party
Celebrating an upcoming holiday at work is a bit incongruous; you really celebrate the holiday outside of work. But it’s still fun to pre-celebrate at the office. So let’s go over how you can get your staff in the holiday spirit. One of our performers can be the linchpin of that spirit. They help take the comedic energy to an 11. And with myriad options for striking that funny bone, making your next holiday party a success is a cinch. Let’s go over several suggestions for making your office Christmas party shine.
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Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest
The idea of intentionally wearing something hideous may seem odd to most people. However, the tradition of purposely wearing an “ugly sweater” has steadily gained popularity over the years. In fact, the tradition of ironically wearing an ugly sweater is so beloved that the third Friday of December is officially National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day.
So why not get the office in on the action and host an ugly Christmas sweater contest? Your comedian host can introduce the contestants as they come on stage and provide levity during the judging. Make it extra fun by offering a small prize for the winner. Who knows, it might just turn into a new office tradition.
Holiday Movie Reenactments (In 60 Seconds)
Much like charades but focused on movies, this game is a great way to engage participants. Once people are divided into teams, one person from each team acts out a holiday movie—say, Die Hard or Elf—while the rest of the team tries to guess the movie (and maybe discover who among your staff is willing to die on the hill of calling Die Hard a Christmas movie).
Supplementing the game is our comedian host offering a running commentary on the game. The brevity of each turn and the comedian’s comedic asides help keep the game zipping along.
If people are too shy to act in front of their peers, no problem. We have plenty more options to keep the party engaging.
What’s in the Stocking?
If you’re looking to try something different and your staff is game, “What’s in the Stocking” can be a silly, fun time. Simply have someone stuff a stocking full of items—e.g., a stapler, a leftover banana, etc.—and have the participant feel the outside of the stocking, describe what they’re feeling, and guess what the objects are. All the while, one of our comedians gently goads the participant and provides spontaneous jokes as the game unfolds. The stocking game represents a unique addition to the holiday party games lineup and is sure to bring out the ridiculousness in everyone.
Office Mad Libs: Holiday Edition
Most people are familiar with Mad Libs, but if you are unacquainted with this game, here’s how it works. One person, in this case, a comedian, has a pre-written story that’s missing various words, such as nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc. The person who has the story then asks the other players to provide random words that fill in the missing ones. Once all the missing words are filled in, the host reads the finished story. Depending on the imagination and sense of humor of the participants, the stories can range from the ridiculous to the outrageous and everything in between.
Kick the game up a notch by having people vote on the best choices. And if the Christmas Mad Libs start to get old, you can easily pick a different subject matter. There are infinite options with this setup. The best part about Mad Libs is that it’s a game that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. The fun rests entirely on how crazy people want to get with it.
Roast Em’ If You Got Em
If your company is comfortable living a bit on the edge, a roast can be a great way to get your staff grinning from ear to ear. If you saw one of the roasts on Comedy Central or the Roast of Tom Brady on Netflix, you might feel reluctant to hold such an event at work. But you needn’t worry; a roast doesn’t have to be as acerbic or envelope-pushing as one of these go-for-the-jugular events.
In fact, a roast can be more of a tongue-in-cheek affair—one that is far more lighthearted than you might expect. And one of the greatest benefits of a roast is that it humanizes the subject.
So if you’re a boss and you allow yourself (and the company) to be roasted, it shows you’re a good sport. People respect someone who can sit back and take jokes at their expense without taking undue offense. It’s not an easy feat to pull off. Most of us would rather crawl out of our skin than be made fun of in front of our peers or subordinates.
Again, you don’t have to fear public humiliation, as our stand-up comedians can adjust their humor—from the sort of withering jokes you’ve seen previously to the gentle ribbing you might share with friends.
One thing is certain: you’ll have your staff’s interest piqued if you announce a roast, especially if it’s at the boss’s expense. And if you allow your staff to get in on the fun, they’ll respect you all the more for it—just as long as you don’t pull a Gob Bluth from TV’s Arrested Development and overreact at the jokes.
Just remember, it’s all in good fun, and you’re providing a great way for employees to let off steam.
Bring a Little Magic to the Party
Speaking of Gob Bluth, yet another way to spice up an office party is to hire one of our esteemed magicians. There is something about magic—the excitement and enigma of being deceived right in front of our faces—that’s timelessly amusing. Even animals register palpable amazement when shown magic (not to mention the delight to be found in watching animals see magic).
At The Comedian Company, we offer two types of magicians: stage shows and strolling magicians. Stage shows entail a seated audience having tricks (sorry, Gob, “illusions”) performed in front of them. The second type of magician is called a “strolling magician.” In this case, the magician will work the room, going right up to people and performing magic—hence why they are also referred to as “close-up magicians.”
A great thing about magicians is that they are often a two-for-one deal: they are funny and perform illusions. So while you’re enjoying their sleight of hand, they’re also cracking jokes. Similar to comedy, watching a magic show helps tap into positive emotions. The surprise of an illusion releases dopamine in the brain, filling us with pleasure and delight.
However, that’s not all magic does for our brains. Research also suggests that being exposed to magic and/or learning magic can be beneficial to self-esteem and can improve psychological well-being.
Maybe you’re wary that a magician is too juvenile for the office party. Have no fear: we have access to many different kinds of magicians, from Christian magicians to those who perform on the college circuit.
If you’ve only seen magicians on television or in movies, you’ve been missing out. Much like hearing music live, the experience of seeing magic live is vastly different. The sense of wonder and awe felt is far more visceral when witnessing magic in person. After all, it’s much easier to suspend disbelief when the magic is right in front of you.
The Hypnotist Is In
Some people have seen stand-up comedy, whether at home or live. Far fewer people have seen a magician. Rarer still is the number of people who have seen a hypnotist. So if you really want to give your office a special treat, hire a hypnotist.
What makes a hypnotist such a great option is that it combines elements of stand-up comedy with magic, but with even more audience engagement than either act. When someone is under hypnosis, the laughter is really let loose as audience members see someone acting absurdly. It’s almost impossible not to laugh when you see people acting wholly out of character. Further, if the boss volunteers to be the subject, like being roasted, it humanizes them.
Here’s how it works (mostly): The hypnotist calls for a volunteer from the audience and puts them in a hypnotic trance. Once in the trance, the subject is highly susceptible to suggestions. The hypnotist will often get the audience in on the fun by taking suggestions and having the volunteer act them out.
Hiring a hypnotist is another great way to foster team spirit, because nothing brings people together like watching in amazement as someone in a hypnotic trance acts out various scenarios—e.g., being stuck to a chair, believing their shoe is a cell phone, or thinking they are an animal.
Hiring a hypnotist is a surefire way to make your next office party an unforgettable one.
Roll the Dice with a Casino Night
Yet another option for an office party is to host a casino night. The drawback to this event is that it requires more setup than the other options. However, don’t let this deter you. Casino nights are often described as big hits in testimonials—and for good reason. There’s something about the thrill of gambling that is uniquely fun and exciting. As you may have guessed, gambling is yet another activity that releases dopamine (the hormone associated with pleasure and reward).
Best of all, people aren’t gambling with real money, so even if someone strikes out, they won’t be giving up the pink slip to their car. It’s all in good fun—but that doesn’t mean you can’t provide rewards. At the end of the night, it’s common to exchange the gambling chips for small prizes.
Throwing a casino night is a great way to celebrate a special occasion. Maybe you just had an IPO, a product launch, or a record sales month. In that case, a casino night is a fantastic way to reward employees for all the hard work they’ve put in.
Dueling Pianos, Anyone?
For some, the idea of “dueling instruments” brings to mind banjos and Deliverance, among other unfortunate connections. Alas, dueling pianos is much more wholesome than the infamous Burt Reynolds movie.
For this event, two pianists—who are usually also comedians or can at least make jokes—play pianos side by side. The pianists take suggestions from the audience and engage in a high-energy performance.
The musicians, like comedians, are often gifted improvisers, which only increases the entertainment quotient. The audience will watch in rapt amazement as the musicians effortlessly switch genres and improvise lyrics.
Unlike casino nights, the performers for a dueling piano routine normally bring their own equipment and set everything up themselves.
If you like the spontaneity of comedy but don’t think your company would go for a casino night or hypnotist, a dueling piano act is a great alternative. And, as always, there is a range of musicians to pick from, and the act can always be customized to the crowd at hand.
Corporate Speakers: A Message with Laughs
Finally, if you want to bring a message to your office—but one laced with humor—a corporate speaker is a great option. While casino nights can be a great way to reward an office for an exemplary job or a momentous occasion, a corporate speaker is an excellent way to lift people’s spirits if the office is going through a rough patch.
And you couldn’t find a better corporate speaker than The Comedian Company’s own Jason Douglas. With dozens of reviews attesting to his comedic timing, ability to work the corporate room, and all-around easy-to-get-along-with demeanor, it’s no surprise that he has been in constant demand for decades.
From opening for the likes of The Beach Boys and Michael Bublé to comedians as diverse as Jim Gaffigan and Tom Green, Douglas is nothing if not versatile.
So if you’re worried that a pall will be hanging over your upcoming office party, consider hiring a corporate speaker like Jason Douglas. He will help get your staff out of their funk, inspiring and making people laugh in equal measure.
Make Your Next Company Party One to Remember
As you’ve learned by now, there’s no shortage of ways to make your next office party something people will love. Don’t be surprised if someone says, “Seeing a hypnotist was not on my bingo card for the Christmas party, but I can’t wait to see what the company will do at the next party.”
Just remember that when you hire a comedian, any event is instantly improved. Whether you need to rally the troops with a corporate speaker or introduce everyone to a few rounds of Friendly Feud, laughter is always the right medicine.
Reach out today, and we’ll be happy to help you find a comedian that suits your tastes and needs. From celebrity comedians like Nate Bargatze to crowd favorites like Leighann Lord and Brent Terhune, you’ll be amazed at the talent that’s out there. We’ll help you work within your budget to find the perfect match for your next event. After all, when have you ever heard someone say, “I had a miserable time laughing so much”? From in-person to remote, we’re happy to meet you where you are.