Getting into the New Year Spirit is easy, right? Well, not really. When we grow up, we lose the sense of wonder. Setting the right mood demands efforts: it doesn’t come naturally.
You might feel like what’s in it for you? But by filling your office with the right spirit, you will inspire them to work harder in the new year. You can show them how much you care about them and the lengths you are ready to go to make them happy. At the end of the day, it is the little things that matter.
Here are our tips on how you can make it feel like New Year for your employees.
Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells Rock
And we are starting with the most obvious one. Nothing feels the room with the New Year Spirit like holiday tunes do. They are essential for New Year, and without these songs, it will always feel like something is missing.
The best thing about them? Most of the people know the lyrics and hearing them mumble the words makes it even more fun. ‘Last Christmas’ as soon as the tunes play. But you can take it one step further and arrange a karaoke session, gather everyone around and start singing the lyrics. Nothing promotes a sense of unity as singing New Year songs does.
If you are looking for a cool Christmas playlist, check this one out. Someone was thoughtful enough to add all the classics alongside new Jingles.
Don’t forget about the most recognizable symbol
We bet you can’t imagine New Year without a cool New Year tree. And rightly so — it is one of the most recognizable symbols of the holiday. It can fill the office with the right spirit, reminding you it’s holiday season even when it doesn’t feel like it.
If you want to make it even better, you can ask everyone to bring a special tree toy from their home and ask them to tell why they choose it. It will turn the simple tree into a memory tree, filling people with good vibes every time they look at it.
Leave ‘Home Alone’ on the background
Those movies have a magical power — they can make you feel like it’s New Year even when it is not. And their special power is only amplified around the celebration. There is no better to indulge yourself, playing some of your favorite movies, including Harry Potter and Home Alone in the office than now.
To fill the office with the good old New Year Spirit, all you need to do is leave the movie playing in the background. You can even have the sound off. Most people already know the words already.
If you know that your office is filled with movieholic, you can host movie screenings. It is a great team-building activity that can also encourage your employees to push through the last weeks of work. Nothing fills you with hope, and courage like ‘Life is Beautiful’ does.
Up your decorations game
Decorating the office is not only about putting a Christmas tree. While it is still a big part of what makes the holiday special, decorations are what can truly breathe in the New Year Spirit into the celebration.
Of course, you can always pick the old decorations and turn them into your own. But if you are ready to go one step further, you can pick a theme and decorate your office around it. You can create decorations in the office or ask people to bring something from their home.
As an idea, you can ask your employees to bring toys or decorations their kids made. It will be a fun way to decorate the office that will surely stay in their memory for a long time. If that isn’t something you think you can pull off, you can refer to everyone’s favorite movies and host a party around the theme. It is truly an opportunity for your creativity to shine.
Cookies, cookies, more cookies and a bit of cacao
The weather is hot in Dubai. And while it is still one of the best places in the world to spend your New Year’s Eve, lack of snow and cold kind take off a bit of a spirit of the celebration. But there are a couple of simple tricks that can help you bring it back. And — you’ve guessed it — it is cookies and warm chocolate drink or milk.
Cookies and cacao are the golden combinations. They are one of the most New Year things one can think of. So, to make your employees feel like the New Year spirit hasn’t forgotten about them, make them part of your culture.
Ask people to bring cookies or have them always available during the season. The delicious move will sure be appreciated (and devoured right away).
Play Secret Santa
The game that brings people together and helps to make sure that no one goes out without a present, Secret Stana is your best friend during the holiday season. It encourages team spirit and brings people together.
It also makes all occasions a little more fun. The best thing about it is that people will not need to spend more than they would want to on buying a present for everyone. Secret Santa game is a great way to save money while buying something meaningful and memorable.
Encourage people to set goals and evaluate their year
By encouraging people to look back at their life, you will make them feel like they need to be changing something. It will make them feel like one part of life is over, and the new one is about to begin, and that excitement is what you want to keep and encourage. Reflecting on their achievements is beneficial not only for them but also for the company.
If you think they will be comfortable to share their goals and dreams, you can ask them to write them somewhere publicly. You can also take some of them upon yourself, and help bring some of their dreams connected to their job and your office to life. Just like real Santa! But even without it, it is a great way to help people understand themselves better.
Plan a team gateway
Most of the companies plan corporate parties. And while they are great, parties aren’t the only way you can make this year special. Instead of doing what you usually do, this time, plan a team gateway. Go skiing with your team or rock climbing. Play a team sport or head to a desert.
The special way of filling the office with the New Year spirit will make everyone feel more excited about the season and stay forever in their minds. We are sure, you will have many more casual parties. Make this one special! It’s the beginning of the decade.
The time to give
One of the best ways to make this year special is to make it the year of giving. Being generous and giving is great for celebrating the coming of the new decade which we want to hope will be a decade of prosperity and peace.
Make your team part of the better world and join a charity together. Even better if you can do something for people in need. You can prepare dinner for kids in foster care or volunteer to stage a play. You can ask your team to bring old toys, books, and clothes and donate them to a charity. It doesn’t take much effort to organize but make a big difference in someone else’s life. It is the right spirit to foster!
Let them leave early
Last but not least — if you want to make your employees truly feel like the New Year spirit didn’t pass them by, let them leave the world early. Usually, people have a lot to do right before the new year. By letting them spend more time with their families and on regular chores, you will encourage them to start the year from the right foot and show how much you care about them.
Of course, it doesn’t mean letting completely lose. But you can let your employees leave early when they are done with the work and don’t have other tasks. That way, they will be more productive with their time and — who knows — might even end up doing more than they usually do.
