It’s getting to be that time of year again! Time to plan out your company’s holiday event. There are so many options for corporate holiday parties in NYC. We’ve narrowed it down to seven for you to choose from.
Corporate holiday parties should be engaging, fun, and most importantly cheery to reflect the holiday season! Show your team that you’re not going to do the same old tired drinks and cookies around the water cooler in your office. And, most importantly, try to pick an event that fits your team’s schedule, budget, and interests. No matter what, we think you’ll find a great match below!
What are unique corporate holiday parties in NYC?
Before we get into our list let’s define what we’re talking about to be sure you’re in the right place. A unique corporate holiday party in NYC is one that is for colleagues that work together that live or work in the New York City area. While it will coincide with the holiday season, it is not required to make it holiday themed. Rather than being about a specific holiday, we like to think it’s more about having a reason to celebrate one another and send each other off before heading to your own personal holiday activities, trips, and events. New York City is the Big Apple baby! That means big opportunities to wow your team – whether you don’t want to break the bank, or have a big budget to spoil everyone! We think you’ll like what you find.
1. Fa La La La Food Tour
Take your team on Avital Tours Fa La La La progressive meal tour in the East Village or Flat Iron. As you follow your expert Avital Tour guide you’ll be taken to three incredible restaurants to eat three different scrumptious dishes. In between each stop, you’ll be led through the neighborhood and hear stories about it’s history as well as sprinklings of holiday stories, activities, and treats. This is out top pick out of the many offerings you have for corporate holiday parties in NYC. And don’t forget to add the optional curated beverage pairing upgrade. Your team will thank you for it!
Why we love it: This unique experience takes your team out into the city to learn about its history and culture as well as eat some amazing food!
2. White Elephant Gift Game
Have you never heard of the White Elephant Game?! Let us tell you – it is incredibly fun and engaging. With the White Elephant Game everyone brings a gift to the party. You can choose a limit on price to make things easy for everyone. This is particularly fun if there are some “great” gifts and some “bad” gifts. One at a time, people will open a gift. As you go along, each subsequent person can choose to open an unopened gift, or steal a gift that has already been opened. Fun rivalries, bargaining, and excitement will ensue. Click here to learn more about the rules of the White Elephant game.
Why we love it: This is a great way to create an intimate, yet fun, game that allows your team to really connect.
3. Mini Olympics and Cocktail Party
Change it up from the normal holiday glitz and glamour to a mini Olympics game for your team at Chelsea Pier. There are plenty of activities and sports for you to choose from. They have facilities for indoor rock climbing, tourney style dodgeball, corn hole, volleyball, and more. Challenge your colleagues to see what they got! After your Olympic games, relax and shmooze with a cocktail party and snacks in a private event space. The Chelsea Pier has a lot to offer for corporate holiday parties in NYC. If you aren’t game for the Olympics you can always rent out one of their many venues for a classic holiday party. Click here to learn more about Chelsea Pier’s corporate events.
Why we love it: Take your team on a different path and get physical for the holidays!
4. Hands-On Festive Feast
Treat your team to a two hour holiday themed hands on meal. What does a hands on meal look like? Your team will arrive at a restaurant location and be greeted with holiday beverages and light nibbles. Once everyone arrives and gets settled in, everyone will split up and either start learning how to make cocktails or a special dish from the restaurant. Leading the way will be an Avital tour host and an expert mixologist. After everyone makes their creation, it’s time to sit back and enjoy a hearty main course and another beverage pairing. This all inclusive experience really treats your team to something special.
Why we love it: This single location experience keeps your team in one place, but with many different engaging activities and mingling opportunities!
5. Bowling Party
Who doesn’t love a bowling party? Bring out your team’s inner child with a day or evening at the lanes. Add drinks and food, and they’ll be hanging for a while! With multiple locations you’ll be able to find a perfect place for your team to hit the lanes! And, they have party planners to help you plan your event to make it as easy as possible for you. Click here to learn more about scheduling an event at Bowlero Lanes.
Why we love it: With party planners and multiple locations this event is flexible and easy for you to plan.
6. Learn the Art of Cocktail with a Holiday Happy Hour
Have your team gather off site to get their hands dirty and their bellies full! This hands on experience welcomes you and your teammates to your offsite restaurant location with a welcome drink and a light snack. After mingling a bit, you’ll be taken to stations where you learn how to make two different craft cocktails. In between your drink making you’ll be catered to with delicious bar snacks. Everything will be cushioned out with holiday themed activities and games led by a jolly host. Click here to learn more about this event with Avital Tours.
Why we love it: This is a fantastic option for teams that have foodies and cocktail connoisseurs alike.
7. Holiday Movie and Trivia Night
This is a great option for a remote or in person event – or a mix depending on your team and their needs! Pick a classic holiday movie and hold a screening – you can use different online services online to create a virtual screening if you’re in need of that. Before or after the movie, hold a trivia contest about classic holiday films. You can give out tiered prizes for first, second, and third place winners. And, we think it’s fun and conducive to team building if you split everyone up into teams instead of having them do the trivia game alone. Every man for himself does not foster the holiday spirit!
Why we love it: This DIY option is great to create a nostalgic event that let’s people cozy up, sit back, and relax.
8. Experience a Holiday Classic: the Nutcracker
Who wouldn’t love to sit down in a festive theater and see one of the most iconic ballets of all time? Treat your inner child, and your team, to an exceptional treat and get them all tickets to see the Nutcracker performed by the New York City Ballet. This ballet is such a classic it is nearly ubiquitously performed every year at the holiday season by ballet companies. Learn more at the NYC Ballet’s website.
Why we love it: A more refined edge without the need for constant socializing – perfect for art lovers and introverts!
9. Volunteer at the Food Bank
This holiday season, have your team give back to those that need it most. The Food Bank for New York City is an amazing organization whose mission is to end hunger in New York. Visit their site to see their options for corporate volunteering events. You can coordinate with them to create the most helpful experience for you and your colleagues. Your customized project will incur a sponsorship fee.
Why we love it: Giving back to the community is what the holidays are all about – this is a great way to team build while helping your neighbors.
10. Virtual Merry Mixologist
If your team is remote, we have the perfect virtual holiday party for you. Avital Tours hosts an amazing virtual happy hour event featuring your own personal merry mixologist! Picture this, your team will be welcome to the video call with cheery holiday music. You’ll take out your pre delivered holiday cocktail kits (including alcohol). Get led through how to make your special holiday beverage, and learn a bit about mixology in general while you play some fun holiday themed games. After your mixologist takes their leave, you can all stay on your video call to chat with your new beverages. Bing bang boom, no one is going to have a bad time with this one!
Why we love it: This is a fantastic option for remote teams and lasts about one hour so their engagement will not wane!
11. Glam it up with a Private Yacht
Imagine a gorgeous holiday party taking place on a yacht that sails you and your colleagues along the NYC skyline as your backdrop. This is one of our more luxe feeling corporate holiday parties for NYC. Take advantage of this great idea and organize a yacht tour with Sail NYC. They even have specific holiday party packages from October to January for the festive season. In the winter their boat, the Manhattan, is heated for your comfort and fully decked out in merry decorations. From their site:
Take to the water on a majestic 80-foot or 105-foot sailboat, or cruise in NY Harbor aboard a luxurious 1920s-style yacht for your next Corporate Event!
Why we love it: With great sights along the water, this will be an event no one will forget!
12. Ice Skating at Rockefeller Center
What screams the holidays more than an outdoor ice skating rink? To answer this rhetorical question is – nothing! New York City’s iconic Rockefeller Center hosts an ice skating rink every holiday season. And, amazingly, they’re available to rent out for private events. Lace up your skates, put on your scarf, and get on that ice and organize a holiday party your team will never forget. Learn more about having a corporate holiday party at Rockefeller Center’s ice skating rink.
Why we love it: An iconic NYC landmark with amazing photo ops!
Well, that’s it! Our list of different options for corporate holiday parties in NYC. We hope you found one that works for you and your team! And, if you want to give out a special employee gift (whether they won White Elephant or got the most sales this quarter), we suggest you check out Avital Tours NYC Food Tours page. We have a selection of food experiences including a Michelin Starred focus tour and a historic foodie tour of the East Village.
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