Secret Santa is more than mixing pieces of paper with your colleagues’ names written on them in a hat. In fact, this is quite a fun game that can be played on various occasions, not just at the office.
The game is simple and starts with the drawing of names. This way, each participant becomes someone’s Secret Santa and has to purchase a gift from a predefined list with gift ideas or by staying within a specific budget limit.
Everything ends at the Christmas office party (which may be faster than the 25th) where everyone must open their gifts and guess who was their Secret Santa. The purpose of this game, in an office environment, is to help everyone know their colleagues a little better and develop camaraderie between team members.
In addition, there are lots of ways you can make the experience even more enjoyable. And, to give you a head start, we have three fun ideas.
#1: Make the Gifts Fun
While you should get proper gifts for the higher ups (here is a list of appropriate gift ideas, specially for your boss) when it comes to colleagues who are on the same level as you, it can be fun to go a bit crazy.
For instance, if you know your colleagues are a bit geeky or love certain movies or video games, you can offer them a very thoughtful and unique gift, like the ones specified here. On the other hand, if you know they love art and enjoy playing with colors and textures, a great idea is to draw their portraits and surprise them.
The idea is to create gifts that are uniquely tailored to the giftee’s personality. Even more, if you do them yourself (some sort of a DIY project) the gift gains a lot more value than it would if you’d just buy it. After all, you’ve invested your time and skill, nu just a measly $50!
#2: Turn it into a Scavenger Hunt
Not everyone loves scavenger hunts, but we’re sure everyone hates boring office parties where you just sit in a corner, with the same two guys/gals from your team. So, to get everyone involved and talking, why not hide the gifts and let everyone find theirs?
For this to work, you will have to provide each participant with clues that will lead them to their gift. In addition, if you work for a tech company or department, you could get technology involved and turn it into a game people will really, really enjoy.
#3: Host the Party Online
2020 is a “magic” year for most people out there, but it’s also the year when we actually get to understand the importance of living in a world where advanced technology is possible. As such, due to advanced technologies like broadband internet and Zoom, you can make sure everyone gets a Christmas party online.
It may not be the most fun, but it is a great way to get everyone together – especially if you’ve switched to remote working (like 88% of organizations around the world did). The rules are the same and there are even dedicated apps that can help you make the name draw. The only thing different is that you’ll be sending the gifts to each other, instead of offering them in person.
Wrap Up
Secret Santa is a fun game that allows participants to get to know each other outside of work. So, even though there may be naysayers, you should not forgo it, especially at the end of this year!