Staff Christmas activity ideas

Staff Christmas activity ideas

Christmas is fast approaching, and this time of year can be extremely busy for SBMs and their staff. The last few weeks before the Christmas break are heavily focused on the students having fun, ensuring that they relax a little. However, teachers and staff can also be burnt out by this time through the amount of hard work they have done. Give your staff a break and allow them to enjoy themselves in those last week by providing some Christmas activities.

Take the edge off and refresh near Christmas with our staff Christmas activity ideas. Relax a little yourself too by joining your staff and winding down from the hectic stressful weeks.

Have books in the staff room

Have an array of books in the staff room for them to pick up and read during breaks to help them relax. Reading for staff is usually all to do with work so let them read for pleasure for a change. Reading helps to reduce stress levels which are vital at this time of year. You could even slip in some festive books to get staff in the Christmas mood. Take a couple of books for yourself too to help you unwind and prepare yourself for a relaxing Christmas break.

If there’s time for yourself and your staff, organise a festive book club. This will encourage you all to read for pleasure. Plus, there’s a vital social aspect when getting together to discuss the books.

Create a festive bucket list

Sit down with your staff during spare time and discuss a bucket list together of must-dos over the Christmas break. You could even list them down in a personal notebook or have a shared one that can be pinned up in the staff room. This helps you all to see that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and strive towards doing something different during the holidays. It can also create excitement for some time off and make you and your staff realise that you need time away from work by doing things for yourself.

Give gifts

One of the best staff Christmas activity ideas is giving them gifts in the last few weeks. Recognise the hard work they have done all year round and treat them to something small as a little pick me up. Go the extra mile for your staff by creating some festive gift bags to make their gifts extra special.

It may be a good idea to do a secret Santa between your staff as there is a lot of staff to get gifts for. This can be capped at a certain price so that everyone has an equal worth of gifts and staff don’t feel pressure to spend lots of money. You can gift secret Santa presents in the last week before the Christmas holidays.

Host a party

Allow your staff to have an enjoyable last few weeks of term by arranging a Christmas party for everyone. Usually, the planning focus is on the children’s Christmas party but this year, why not put just as much effort into planning the staff party? Find a large venue to hold all your staff in comfortably and source some Christmas decorations, such as crackers for the tables. Include a festive meal and drinks if the budget stretches that far. A party for staff is a chance to let their hair down and have fun, forgetting about work for one night.

For more information on how to host a Christmas party, read our planning a staff Christmas party blog.

Play festive games

Provide some festive games for staff to do in their free time together. Join in and have a bit of fun yourself whilst bonding further with your staff. You could play guess what’s in the stocking or Christmas charades. Introduce classic board games into the festive games but put a festive twist on them.

These could be games such as Twister mixed with musical statues. Spin the wheel as normal but whilst a festive song is playing. Players must move even if it’s a sway of the hips when the music is playing. When the music stops, players must move that body part to the correct spot and hold it. You could even create a festive guess-who or use the classic guess who and draw festive items on the characters.

Set up a Christmas photo booth

Let staff create memories and get in the festive spirit by setting up a Christmas photo booth. Source festive background that can be used in the photo booth as well as festive props. You could purchase some Santa hats, reindeer antlers and silly festive wigs as examples. To go the extra mile, you could create your own festive selfie frames or get staff to make them with their class as a fun activity for the children.

Hold a paint and drink session

Painting helps to relieve stress and can be one of the most fun Christmas activities to do together. Set up some blank canvases, paint and brushes in the staff room and let staff socialise through art. You could give out festive prompts so staff can create Christmas-themed paintings, or all try to follow a festive painting tutorial together. This activity is bound to improve your staff's moods and get a few laughs too. Whilst this session is ongoing, provide some festive beverages such as mint hot chocolate or alcohol-free eggnog.

Bring in baked goods

A simple yet effective way to boost your staff’s mood before the Christmas holidays is by bringing in some delicious homemade baked goods. Create any festive bake that you wish and bring it in for the staff to enjoy with a drink. You could even take this a step further and ask staff to participate and hold a baked goods swap day. This will ensure that there are plenty of treats to go around and there’s something for everyone.

Set up a hot chocolate and festive drink bar

Get everyone in the festive mood with a hot chocolate and festive drink bar. This can be paired with the baked goods swap activity so that staff can choose their favourite drink to go with their treats. It’s the perfect way to celebrate that warm feeling you get around Christmas.

Ugly Christmas jumper day

Have a laugh with staff by having an ugly Christmas jumper day. Let staff come into school in their worst Christmas jumpers as something fun to do. You could even run a staff competition where the worst Christmas jumper wins. Staff can vote for who has the ugliest Christmas jumper to keep it fair.

Make Christmas decorations for the school

Get crafty with your staff and make Christmas decorations together to put up around the school. Not only is this a perfect way for SBMs to bond more with their staff, but it also focuses the mind on something else that isn't work-related. It could be as simple as making Christmas bunting using honeycomb decorations or you could try and make your own garlands to put around the school.

Have a staff advent calendar

Create your own advent calendar that can be shared amongst the staff. Behind each door or in each pot (however you make the calendar) have little gifts that the staff receive. To make it fair, schedule who will open on what day. When on Christmas break, the staff can open the advent doors in the new year.

Have a sing song

Set up a staff choir for the festive period and unwind through music. Plan a performance for the staff to put on with a melody of different Christmas songs and carols. Invite the community to come and watch and even raise money for a local charity. As Christmas nears, remember, performances and plays don’t have to be just for the children.

Celebrate the end of term

Ensure to celebrate the end of the term with your staff in whichever way you can. This may just be thanking them for their hard work and socialising with them. Celebrating the end of the term shouldn’t only just be for students. Doing this could help stop any negative thoughts staff may have about their performance for the year.

Encourage staff to leave and switch off from their work throughout the Christmas holidays. Assure them that Christmas is a time of relaxation and it’s okay not to do any work as there's plenty of time when they return. Simply explain to them that they all deserve a break and to spend time with their loved ones.

Take the weight off your staff's shoulders, and even your own, as Christmas is approaching. Improve moods with simple yet thoughtful Christmas activities that make the last few weeks enjoyable. Remember these last few weeks shouldn’t all just be about making it easier on students, appreciate your staff’s hard work too. Try these staff Christmas activity ideas to give your staff the well-deserved break they need.