Break Tradition with 10 Unique Ideas for Christmas Parties

Increase the holiday joy in your office this year with creative Christmas party ideas your whole team will love! Melt and pour soy candles, learn how to bake French pastries, shake cocktails, learn how to paint and so much more with these fun and hands-on team building activities. Not only will you and your colleagues get to socialise over a creative, new hobby, but you’ll also return home with personalised keepsakes and skills to last a lifetime—Christmas gift ideas that keep on giving.

While traditions like after-work drinks and a token Secret Santa gift exchange are popular, why not think outside the box in 2024 and throw a Christmas party with some pluck? With so many work ideas for Christmas parties to choose from, there’s no need to settle for a cliche celebration this year. 

If you’re looking for inspiration, we’ve got you covered with some totally unique office Christmas party ideas that will get the conversation flowing. After you’ve whipped up your guest list, read on to discover our 10 top picks for fun things to do in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and beyond.

Make DIY candles that look and smell amazing

Candle making classes are the perfect antidote to the stress that can inevitably come with Christmas. From the moment your team step into a serene setting, like a wicks and wine workshop in Sydney, they’ll feel their worries start to melt away. 

Led by passionate artisans, candle making classes teach you how to melt, pour, set and decorate candles from scratch. You’ll be tempted to keep your creations for yourself, though they also make fantastic Christmas gifts. 

Learn how to bake like a pro

From feather-light French macarons to artisan sourdough, baking classes make deliciously unusual Christmas party ideas. Clad in aprons, your team will learn how to whip, mix, fold, stir and score like pros. There’s no need for previous baking experience, with all our baking classes designed to take you from novice to a pro baker (just like grandma) in a matter of hours. 

Is your team made up of lots of different roles and seniority levels? The fun part about baking is that it's a great way to level the playing field and position every member of your team as an equal. It’s Christmas, after all… 

Shake, mix and muddle classic cocktails

What better way to celebrate Christmas with your team than a cocktail class? Held in some of Australia’s trendiest bars, cocktail classes take you behind the scenes and teach you how to create your favourite drinks from scratch. 

Not only will your team get to sip delicious cosmopolitans and espresso martinis at your cocktail party, but they’ll also leave with the skills and experience to recreate their own concoctions at home. Often held in the heart of the city, cocktail classes can be a great way to kickstart a festive night out this Christmas day. 

Let your team bonding bloom with flower arranging

There’s something incredibly therapeutic about flower arranging, which is why it makes it one of the best Christmas ideas for teams who need to take some time out for themselves. Check out a flower arranging workshop in Sydney and help encourage your team to get creative, let go of any built-up tension, and learn a new skill before they transition into the new year.

Get everyone feeling more eager for the holiday season with a Christmas wreath class! Guided by skilled florists, you and your colleagues will learn how to arrange flowers into the perfect Christmas object for their home. 

Looking for more unusual Christmas party ideas in Sydney, Brisbane and beyond? Jump on our favourite new trend and make a DIY wreath using dried flowers. Not only are dried flowers fun to play with, but they’ll also last until next year's Christmas—what a great way to remember a very special team bonding experience!

Create a unique masterpiece at a paint and sip class

Creative and social, paint and sip classes bring your team together for a night of fun in the studio. If you’re looking for fun things to do in Brisbane for your next Christmas party, combining art and alcohol is a guaranteed recipe for success. 

No experience is necessary, making our paint and sip classes ideal for every workplace. Skilled artisans will guide you and your team every step of the way, teaching you how to master modern techniques or recreate works by iconic artists like Frida Kahlo and Vincent van Gogh. You can even try out a paint your colleague class!

Fire up your corporate event with cooking classes

Perfect for kitchen newbies and gourmet chefs alike, cooking classes are a great way to unite your team this Christmas. There’s no need for prior experience in the kitchen, with enthusiastic and experienced chefs guiding you through every step of the recipe and method.

So, whether you’re making pizza dough from scratch or mastering the art of Asian street food, you’ll soon realise why cooking classes like our Asian street food workshop, top the list when it comes to fun things to do in Melbourne. 

Get mindful with calligraphy and brush lettering

While some members of your team are probably familiar with watercolours and fluid art, our calligraphy and brush lettering classes offer a whole new challenge. Both creative experiences call for a good amount of concentration, making them ideal for team members who find it hard to disconnect from the workplace. 

Speaking of which, let's put away all phones at the door to remove the temptation of checking work emails or scrolling social media and instead, simply enjoy having fun at your calligraphy and brush lettering Christmas party! 

Break bread together

Learn how to make sourdough at one of our beginner-friendly bread-making classes. This fun and flour-dusted corporate workshop in Melbourne caters for up to 60 people, making it the ultimate Xmas party idea for large teams. Your teacher, Yoke, can come to your office or the venue of your choice, where she'll teach your team the basic sourdough-making process. As you knead, stretch and shape your tangy dough, you'll forget about your worries and focus on present moment. Who knew bread-making could double as a wellness activity for teams? 

Extend the invitation to friends and family

Looking for more unusual Christmas party ideas? Expanding your guest list is a great way to break tradition at your next festive get-together. Instead of the usual plus ones like a partner or spouse, ask your guests to bring along a friend. This will prevent your office Christmas party from feeling like a couple’s affair and keep things fun and social. 

Be sure to organise some fun icebreaker activities to get people chatting. A good supply of bubbly will also work wonders. If a good percentage of your colleagues have kids, why not plan a family-friendly Christmas party? Activities like decorating gingerbread houses are a guaranteed way to keep the little ones entertained. 

Move the party outdoors

Why limit yourself to a bar or restaurant when you could plan a sun-drenched outdoor Christmas party? If you live near the coast, a BBQ followed by a game of beach cricket is a casual yet classy way to celebrate Christmas with your colleagues. 

A picnic in the park with lawn games like croquet (or a laidback game of cricket) is another great way to get outdoors and enjoy the sunshine. Extra touches like a DIY Christmas cocktail bar will take your picnic to the next level. 

Unique Christmas party ideas for colleagues

With so much to choose from, there’s no reason to settle for an uninspiring work Christmas party this year. Give your team the celebration they deserve with a truly unique event that will keep them smiling well into the new year. 

Whether you want to help your team destress, encourage them to get creative or simply create an environment where they can chat and connect, these unusual ideas for Christmas parties will reimagine how you celebrate the festive season.