What is a holiday luncheon?

A holiday luncheon is a daytime celebration held over lunch instead of an evening party. It suits teams with families or long commutes, shift teams and smaller budgets, and everyone can attend during working hours.

What are good holiday luncheon ideas for the office?

Popular formats are a catered buffet, a build-your-own bar, a company-hosted potluck, a chili cook-off, a cookie swap lunch, a private room at a restaurant and a lunch followed by a hosted game. Pick one format and one activity rather than trying to do everything. Without the holiday touches, the same formats work as everyday work luncheon ideas.

How long should an office holiday lunch be?

Sixty minutes works for a lunch with one short activity, and 90 minutes gives room for a gift exchange or a game. Book two hours if you want a full hosted game after the meal.

How much should a company spend per person on a holiday lunch?

It varies a lot by city and format. A hosted potluck or pizza lunch can come in under about $15 a person, a catered buffet often runs about $15 to $30, and a restaurant lunch can be $30 to $60 or more before tax and tip. Get two or three quotes.

What activities can you do at a holiday luncheon?

Table trivia, a tradition swap, question envelopes under each plate, a gift exchange, dessert judging and a thank-you wall all fit around a meal. For more, see our holiday party games for work.

How do you include remote employees in a holiday lunch?

Send every remote person the same lunch, as a meal delivery credit or a kit shipped ahead, put a camera and a good mic in the room, and choose an activity that works on video, like trivia or a hosted game. Kit workshops need about 3 weeks for shipping.

How do you plan an office Christmas lunch?

Pick a date in the first two weeks of December, before time off piles up, and choose one format and one activity. Send the invitation three to four weeks ahead with an RSVP date and a question about dietary needs, book the caterer or restaurant, and give one person the run of show so it ends on time.

What should a holiday luncheon invitation say?

The date, time and place, whether lunch is covered, what the activity is, an RSVP date with a link, and a request for dietary needs. Remote invitations add the video link and the date their meal or kit will arrive. Three templates you can copy are on this page.

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Holiday luncheon ideas: 25 ways to host the office holiday lunch

A daytime celebration everyone can make: formats, a minute-by-minute plan, menus by budget and invitations to copy. Written for teams that skip the evening party.

KraftyLab TeamUpdated Oct 202611 min read

Coworkers laughing and passing a salad bowl at a long office lunch table with pine and candle centerpieces.

A holiday luncheon does what the evening party can't: it happens during the workday, so parents, long-distance commuters, people who don't drink and every shift can come. These 25 holiday luncheon ideas cover the office, restaurants, remote teams and round-the-clock crews. After them you'll find a 60-minute and a 90-minute run of show, menu ideas by budget, cheap decor, 15 luncheon activities and three invitations you can copy.

25 holiday luncheon ideas for work

Pick one format and, at most, one activity. A lunch that tries to be a party, an awards show and a gift swap at once runs long and feels rushed.

Holiday lunch ideas at the office

No travel, no reservations, and everyone is back at their desk by two.

1. Catered buffet in the big room. Order a hot buffet for the whole team, push the tables into one long row and put the food at one end.Best for 20 to 150 people with one free afternoon
2. Build-your-own bar. A taco, rice bowl or baked potato bar from a caterer. People build their own plate, so most diets are covered.Best for mixed diets and picky eaters
3. Company-hosted potluck. The company covers the main dish, drinks and plates; everyone else brings a side or dessert.Best for small budgets and teams that love to cook
4. Chili and soup cook-off lunch. Volunteers bring a slow cooker each, everyone tastes with small cups and votes for a winner.Best for a cold December day
5. Cookie swap lunch. A simple catered lunch, then a long table of homemade cookies. Everyone leaves with a mixed box.Best for bakers, and for an easy dessert plan
6. Brunch at noon. Waffles, egg bakes, fruit and pastries with coffee and hot cocoa. It feels different from every other lunch.Best for a late-morning start
7. Food truck in the parking lot. Book a truck for a fixed headcount and let people order what they want, then eat together inside.Best for offices with parking and 40 or more people

Holiday luncheon ideas away from the office

A change of scene makes a lunch feel like an event. Book early: December lunch slots go first.

8. White-tablecloth lunch. A set menu at a good restaurant, with two or three choices per course chosen in advance.Best for leadership teams and thank-you lunches
9. Private room at a restaurant. Same restaurant, but the team gets its own room, so a short toast and a game don't bother other diners.Best for 15 to 50 people who want to talk
10. Family-style feast. Shared platters passed down the table at an Italian, Korean barbecue or Mediterranean place.Best for teams that don't know each other well
11. Volunteer morning, then lunch. Sort donations or pack meals with a local charity for two hours, then eat together nearby.Best for teams who want the season to mean something
12. Lunch at an activity venue. Bowling, mini golf or a game lounge with a lunch package, so the activity and the food are one booking.Best for active teams and a long lunch
13. Afternoon tea. Finger sandwiches, scones and small cakes at a hotel or tea room. Calm, festive and alcohol-free.Best for small teams and a quieter celebration

Team lunch ideas with one thing to do

A meal with a shared activity gives quiet people something to talk about besides work.

14. Lunch and a hosted game. Eat for 45 minutes, then a host runs a holiday game show or trivia round for the whole room.Best when nobody on the team wants to be the emcee
15. Gift exchange lunch. Set a small price limit, collect wrapped gifts at the door and run the swap over dessert.Best for teams that already know each other
16. Awards lunch. Five light awards read out between courses, with a small prize and a printed certificate for each.Best for closing out a big year
17. Sweater lunch. Make it an ugly sweater day and judge the sweaters while people are already in one room.Best for teams that like a theme
18. Lunch and decorate. Lunch at one end of the room, a cookie or ornament decorating table at the other for anyone who wants it.Best for hands-on teams
19. Thank-you card lunch. Blank cards and pens at every seat. Before dessert, everyone writes one note to a coworker who helped them this year.Best for teams that had a hard year

Remote, hybrid and shift-friendly lunches

Staff lunch ideas for teams that can't all sit at one table at noon.

20. Delivered lunch on a call. Send everyone a meal delivery credit for the same day, then eat together on video with one game.Best for fully remote teams in one or two time zones
21. Kit workshop instead of a meal. Ship a cookie decorating or hot cocoa kit to every home and make it together with a live instructor.Best for remote teams across many cities
22. Two-room hybrid lunch. The office eats in one room with a camera and a good mic; remote people get the same meal credit and join on screen.Best for hybrid teams
23. Rolling lunch for shift teams. Keep the buffet open from 11 to 3 and refresh it, so every shift gets a hot plate and a few minutes with the managers.Best for hospitals, warehouses and support centers
24. Night shift breakfast. Bring the celebration to the people who miss it: a hot breakfast at the end of the overnight shift.Best for teams that work around the clock
25. Snack box send-out. Mail a box of treats with a note from the team lead to everyone who can't make the lunch.Best for adding people who are out that day

Most of these double as staff luncheon ideas and corporate luncheon ideas outside December: drop the decorations and keep the format. Going potluck? Our office potluck ideas come with a sign-up sheet that works out how many mains, sides and desserts to ask for. For an evening party instead, see our office holiday party ideas.

A minute-by-minute run of show

Most office holiday lunches run over because nobody owns the clock. Print one of these and give it to whoever is hosting.

60-minute holiday lunch

Fits a normal lunch hour. One short welcome, one activity, done on time.

0:00Doors open, food line starts15 minMusic on low. Put a question card on each table so conversation starts while people sit down.
0:15Welcome and thanks3 minA leader thanks the team in two or three sentences. No slides, no year-in-review deck.
0:18Eat and talk17 minNothing scheduled. Seconds are open.
0:35One activity15 minA table trivia round, a gift swap or a quick awards moment. Pick one.
0:50Dessert and a raffle8 minDessert comes out after the activity, so people stay for it. Draw two or three prizes.
0:58Close and leftovers2 minSay when it ends, point to the to-go boxes, thank whoever organized it.

90-minute holiday luncheon

Room for a real activity and a slower meal. Good for a Friday or the last week before the break.

0:00Arrivals and hot drinks10 minHot cocoa, cider and coffee by the door while people find seats.
0:10Buffet opens15 minTwo lines if you have more than 40 people. Vegetarian and allergy-friendly dishes at the front.
0:25Welcome and a look back5 minThree wins from the year and one thank-you to a team that carried a lot.
0:30Eat and talk20 minTable cards with an easy question. Leaders sit at different tables.
0:50Main activity25 minA gift exchange, table-versus-table trivia or a decorating table. Keep teams to one table each.
1:15Dessert and awards10 minFive light awards or a raffle while dessert goes round.
1:25Wrap-up5 minThank the organizers, share the holiday schedule, send leftovers home.

Want a hosted holiday game after the meal? Those run about an hour, so book two hours: 45 minutes to eat, then the game, then dessert.

Holiday lunch menu ideas by budget

Typical food spend per person in many US cities. Real quotes vary a lot by city and caterer, so treat these as a starting point and get two or three quotes.

Under about $15 a person
Formats: Company-hosted potluck, pizza and salad, sandwich platters.
Sample menu: The company buys a sliced ham or a few pizzas, a big salad and drinks; teammates bring desserts.
About $15 to $30 a person
Formats: Catered buffet, build-your-own bar, boxed lunches with dessert.
Sample menu: Taco or pasta bar, two salads, rolls, a cookie tray, hot cocoa and sparkling water.
About $30 to $60 a person
Formats: Restaurant private room, family-style feast, upscale catering.
Sample menu: Shared starters, a choice of three mains (one vegetarian), sides and a plated dessert.
About $60 a person and up
Formats: White-tablecloth set menu, lunch plus hosted entertainment.
Sample menu: Three courses chosen in advance, a mocktail or cider toast, and a game or a show after dessert.

A holiday lunch buffet on an office counter with sandwiches, roasted vegetables, cookies and a hot cocoa urn.

Whatever the budget, order one vegetarian main for every three mains, label allergens on every dish, and keep a hot drink station going. Hot cocoa and cider make a lunch feel like a holiday for very little money.

Holiday luncheon decor on a budget

A lunch table needs far less than a party room. Eight cheap touches that do the most.

Kraft paper runners. A roll of brown paper down every table, with markers for doodles and name cards.
Greenery from a tree lot. Ask for trimmed branches and lay them down the middle of the table.
Battery candles. Warm light with no fire alarm worries. Group three of different heights.
Paper snowflakes. Cut a stack at the planning meeting and tape them to the windows.
One color scheme. Pick two colors, like white and green, and buy napkins and plates to match.
Low centerpieces. Anything taller than a coffee mug blocks the person across the table.
Printed menu cards. A folded card at each table naming the dishes and allergens looks planned and answers questions.
A wrapping paper backdrop. Tape two rolls to a wall for a photo spot people actually use.

Want a look that ties it together? Borrow one from our holiday party themes, or make it an ugly sweater party and let the outfits do the decorating.

15 luncheon activities that work at the table

Everything here works while people are seated with a plate, needs almost no setup and takes 5 to 15 minutes.

1. Table trivia sheets. A one-page quiz on every table, answered as a team before dessert.
2. Tradition swap. Each person shares one food or tradition from their winter holidays, whatever they celebrate.
3. Year in one word. Go round the table: one word for your year. The stories come after.
4. Question envelopes. A sealed question under every plate, opened one at a time between courses.
5. Name that winter tune. Play the first five seconds of a seasonal song; tables write their guesses.
6. Two-sentence toast. Anyone can stand and thank someone in exactly two sentences, with a cider or juice toast.
7. Gift wrap challenge. Pairs wrap a box with one hand each. Fastest neat parcel wins.
8. Centerpiece giveaway. Tape a sticker under one chair per table. Whoever finds it takes the centerpiece home.
9. Holiday story fill-in. A short party story with blanks: tables fill in nouns and verbs, then read it out.
10. Dessert judging. Number the desserts and vote with sticker dots for the best one.
11. Caption the year. Each table gets three printed team photos from the year and writes the best caption for each.
12. Snowflake cutting. Paper and scissors at each seat; hang the best snowflakes in the office afterwards.
13. New year wish jar. Everyone writes one hope for the team's next year on a slip; read five aloud over coffee.
14. Guess the jar. A jar of wrapped candies by the door. Closest guess wins the jar.
15. Thank-you wall. Sticky notes and a big sheet of paper: write a thank-you to anyone, signed or not.

Running a swap? Our gift exchange games have rules for 18 versions. For bigger rounds after lunch, see our holiday party games for work.

Holiday luncheon invitation wording

Three invitations to copy and fill in. Replace anything in brackets.

Company-wide email

Subject: You're invited: our holiday luncheon on [date] Hi everyone, Join us for our holiday luncheon on [day, date] from [time] to [time] in [place]. Lunch is on us, there will be [activity], and the dessert table will be long. Please RSVP by [date] using [link], and tell us about any dietary needs or allergies so we can plan the menu. Thank you for everything you did this year. We're looking forward to celebrating with you. [Name]

Slack or Teams post

Holiday lunch is on: [day, date], [time], [place]. Lunch is covered, there's [activity], and anyone who wants to bring their best cookies is welcome to. React with a thumbs up by [date] so we order enough food, and message [name] with any dietary needs.

Hybrid or remote team email

Subject: Holiday lunch for everyone, wherever you are Hi team, Our holiday lunch is on [day, date] at [time and time zone]. If you're in the office, we'll eat together in [room]. If you're remote, [meal credit or kit] will reach you by [date], and we'll all be on [video link] together for [activity]. RSVP by [date] at [link] with your dietary needs, and your address if you're remote, so everything arrives on time. See you there, [Name]

Remote and hybrid holiday lunches

A lunch on video works when remote people eat the same thing and have something to do. Five rules.

Send everyone the same lunch. A meal delivery credit for the day, or a kit shipped a week ahead. Nobody should watch others eat.
Pick a time that works across time zones. Late morning on the West Coast is early afternoon in the East. Call it a holiday lunch even if it's breakfast for some.
Give the room a camera and a mic. One wide camera on the table and a conference mic, so remote people hear the room, not just the nearest laptop.
Choose an activity that works on video. Trivia, a game show or a kit workshop work for everyone; a gift swap or a cookie table only works for the room.
Give remote people a role. Ask a remote teammate to read the awards or host a trivia round, so the screen isn't just an audience.