Reasons Why You Shouldn't Have an Office Holiday Party After the Holidays

At many companies, there is a tradition to have an office holiday party to celebrate the holiday season. Normally, these celebrations take place during the actual holiday season. However, a recent trend at some offices is to postpone holiday parties until after the holidays. The reasons for this might be poor planning, scheduling issues, or financial problems. No matter the reason, most employees do not find the office holiday party nearly as much fun if it does not occur during the holiday season. I understand the concept of having the holiday party after the holidays in retail since the weeks leading up to Christmas are extremely busy. However, an office that has nothing to do with retail should not wait until after New Year's Day to have a holiday party. You might just want to give gift cards instead and just forget about it.

Just in case you are considering postponing your company's holiday party until after the holidays, I would like to give you a list of reasons why you should not. I hope this list helps you, as well as all of the employees at your office.

Many people tend to start the holiday season with high hopes and enthusiasm. By the time the end of December rolls around, people are tired, broke, and about to slap the next mall Santa they see. Have you ever tried to get an office full of people to agree to sign up for the potluck list when everyone has already spent all their time, money, and energy on all their prior Christmas activities? Oh, trust me on this one, it is unpleasant!

By the time the holiday party arrives in January, everyone wants to get back to their normal "pre-holiday" activities. Many people would actually rather work (gasp!) and catch up on all their office duties rather than go to a holiday party. However, everyone knows due to office politics, you are pretty much expected to attend the party no matter what.

The decorations have been up all over the office since the week after Thanksgiving. Let's face it, they are starting to look really tired now. The singing stuffed animals ran out of batteries long ago, the garland is starting to fall because the tape can't hold up any longer, and at least 5 ornaments have fallen off the tree by now. It is over. It is so over. But the decorations can't come down until this holiday party finally happens.

Everyone knows it is a time-honored tradition for many people to overeat during the holidays and then start diets the first day of the new year. When the holiday party does not happen until sometime in January, one of two things happen: A) no one wants to eat anything because of dieting, or B) participants must postpone starting their diets until after the party. Either way, there are bound to be some party poopers at the office holiday party for this very reason.

When the office holiday party occurs after the holidays, the gift exchange is not as much fun. If someone wanted to give away cute Christmas candles or holiday decorations, no one is too excited about receiving them. It can be so much fun to receive gifts like that at the holiday party BEFORE the holidays so those items can be used. With the party after the holidays, it just doesn't happen like that.

In all fairness, I will say there are some benefits to gift giving after the holidays though. One great benefit is the regifting of gifts can be very convenient. If you get a gift you don't like, you can just put it in the gift exchange at the holiday party. After all, everyone else has already given you your gifts already since the holidays are over. Also, this is the perfect time to hit the after Christmas sales and buy something for 70% off for a co-worker.

Christmas is over!

Hanukkah is over!

Kwanzaa is over!

New Year's is over!

So next time, why not have the holiday party a little earlier? How about having the holiday party during the holidays? It makes everyone happier.