7 Fun and Frugal Office Party Ideas

By CJ Liu, PayScale.com

With the current economic situation, you may find it necessary to plan your corporate party on a budget. While it's tempting to feel disappointed about this, remember that it is more about investing in and valuing relationships than spending on an expensive party.

To help you appreciate each other while keeping your corporate parties on a budget, here are seven, low-cost office party ideas:

1. Make music. You can learn a lot about a person through their musical tastes. Have each person in the office share their favorite tune for a group CD. Then, host a CD release party, complete with snacks and drinks.

2. Give a pat on the back. You dream of the day that your boss and co-workers will lavish praise upon you. Why not enjoy it now? Have each person in the office draws three different names out of a hat then write holiday cards to those three co-workers describing what they most appreciate about them.

3. Enjoy family foods. Share something about where you come from – with food. Have each person bring a traditional family dish accompanied by a story about who usually made it for them, why it's a favorite and the recipe.

4. Do a favor. Wouldn't it be a treat to have your own personal assistant? Have everyone in the office create a wish list of ways they'd like to be pampered, from having copies made to lunch delivery. Next, put the lists in a hat, have everyone pick out one and then enjoy both giving and receiving.

5. Give to others. How about some office competition for a good cause? Divide co-workers into teams and have each team pick a charity they want to support. Then, go bowling and let each team donate a certain sum of company money based upon their bowling record.

6. Relive your childhood. Have an office party where you play favorite childhood games like pin the tail on the donkey or musical chairs. It will hopefully take your mind off of your workload and help you feel like a kid again.

7. Play truth or dare. Are you ready to get the dirt on your office co-workers or watch them cringe with embarrassment? Create a bunch of work-friendly truth or dare questions. Find out if your boss ever was kicked out of class as a kid or laugh as the finance group serenades the front office staff with "Only You."

C.J. Liu is a certified, professional coach who helps professionals define success on their own terms. C.J. offers life, business, and career coaching and can answer your questions at cjliu@mywholelife.net.

Additional Links:
5 Office Party Faux Paus – Avoid these office holiday party blunders