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Holiday party checklist: a week-by-week plan for work

Start about 8 weeks out: set the budget and format, invite at 4 weeks, book the entertainment by 3 weeks, and close RSVPs at 2.

KraftyLab TeamUpdated 5 min read
Get a free quoteor see virtual holiday parties

The holiday party planning checklist

48 tasks for an office, venue, video or hybrid party, one short line each. Pick where your party is and the list drops the tasks that don’t apply. Starting later than 8 weeks? Do the earlier weeks first, fast.

Where is your party?

0 of 48 done

8 weeks out

6 weeks out

4 weeks out

3 weeks out

2 weeks out

1 week out

2 days before

Day of

The week after

Book the entertainment before the dates fill

It is the one task with a hard lead time, and December slots go first. A live host runs the hour, keeps every guest playing, in the room or on video, and you get to be a guest at your own party. Hosted games book about 2 weeks ahead; kit workshops need about 3 weeks for US addresses, 5 with guests in Canada or abroad.

Party in the office? Hosts run Feud Night, Music Bingo and live trivia at your office in 17 US cities; start with the New York City holiday party page, which lists every city. Guests at home can open a kit together on a holiday craft workshop. Reserve online with a 50% deposit, or pay by invoice or PO.

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Who owns what

A party with one planner and no owners is a party where the planner does everything. Name these four people in week one.

  • Planner. The plan, the guest list, the invite, the agenda and every vendor booking.
  • Sponsor. The budget sign-off, who is invited, and the two-minute thank-you on the day.
  • Facilities. The room or venue, food and drink, AV, signs and the setup crew.
  • Remote lead. Everyone joining on video: the call, kit addresses, the tech check and the chat.

For a small team, one person can wear two hats; just never leave the remote lead empty when anyone joins on video. The budget lines are on our holiday party cost per person page, and the event budget template adds them up.

An office manager ticking items off a printed holiday party checklist at her desk while a coworker hangs lights behind her

Questions to put on the RSVP form

Ask once, in the invite, and the dietary list, the access needs and the kit addresses arrive with the replies.

  • Are you coming? Yes, no, or maybe until a set date, so the count settles.
  • In the room or on video? Only for a hybrid party; it sizes both the room and the call.
  • Any food needs we should plan for? Free text, not checkboxes: allergies are specific.
  • Anything that would make it easier to take part? Seating, step-free access, captions, a quiet corner, an interpreter.
  • Where should a kit or gift ship? Only for remote guests when you send something; ask for a phone number too.
  • Do you have a time you can't do? Only while the date is still open.
  • Who would you like to thank this year? One optional line that feeds the shout-outs on the day.

Need the words around the form? Our holiday party invitation wording page has examples for the office, video and hybrid. For a team that doesn’t all celebrate the same holidays, see these inclusive holiday party ideas.

Starting late? The short version

Fewer than 8 weeks is normal. Cut the nice-to-haves, never the entertainment booking or the RSVP.

  • 3 weeks left: Book the entertainment first, today. A US kit workshop still fits; send the invite tomorrow with a one-week RSVP.
  • 2 weeks left: Hosted games still fit (they book about 2 weeks ahead). Skip the theme and the save-the-date; use the office you have.
  • Under 2 weeks: Run a do-it-yourself game and order food. Spend the saved time on the guest list and the thank-you.

With 2 weeks left, a hosted game is the fastest way to a real party: Christmas Trivia Party needs no shipping and no setup beyond a call link or a screen. Under 2 weeks, run one of our holiday party games for work yourself, or see more last-minute holiday party ideas.

The day-of box

Pack it two days before. Most party-day problems are a missing cable, charger or pen.

  • Extension cord and a power strip
  • Gaffer tape for cables on the floor
  • Laptop charger and a phone charger
  • Spare video adapter for the screen
  • Name tags and two markers
  • Food labels and a pen
  • Printed agenda and vendor contact sheet
  • Scissors, tape and spare batteries
  • Trash bags and paper towels
  • Small first aid kit
Three coworkers setting up an office break room for a holiday party, with food trays, chairs and a screen for remote guests

Then time the party itself with our holiday party agenda samples, or give your crew a minute-by-minute run of show. Planning a company-wide event? A multi-event program runs several parties at once.

Holiday party checklist FAQ

When should you start planning a holiday party for work?

About 8 weeks out for a party in the office or a venue, and about 6 weeks for a party on video. Hosted games book about 2 weeks ahead; kit workshops need about 3 weeks for US addresses and about 5 with guests in Canada or abroad.

What should be on an office holiday party checklist?

The budget, the format and date, the guest list, an invite with an RSVP form that asks about food and access needs, the room and AV, food and drink, the entertainment, a plan for remote guests, the agenda, day-of setup, and a thank-you and short survey afterward.

Who should plan the company holiday party?

A crew of three or four with one named owner per task: a planner who runs the list, a sponsor who signs off the budget and says thank you, someone for the room and food, and a remote lead when anyone joins on video.

How far ahead should you send holiday party invitations?

Send a save-the-date about 6 weeks out and the invite with an RSVP form about 4 weeks out, with replies due 2 weeks before the party. Our holiday party invitation wording page has ready-to-send examples.

How do you plan a holiday party with remote employees?

Give them an owner (the remote lead), put the call link in the calendar invite, run a short tech check the week before, and pick an activity everyone plays on equal terms, like a hosted game on video. Our hybrid holiday party ideas page covers the room setup.

How much should a holiday party cost per person?

It depends on the format: food and drink are the biggest line for an office party, while a party on video is mostly the activity. Our holiday party cost per person page works it out at 25, 50 and 100 guests with live prices.

Can someone else run the holiday party entertainment?

Yes. KraftyLab books live-hosted holiday games and kit workshops on video, and hosts who run games at your office in 17 US cities. Reserve online with a 50% deposit, or get a free quote and a full plan within 24 hours.

Check the entertainment off your list

Hosted holiday games book about 2 weeks ahead, kit workshops about 3 weeks for US guests. Send your date and headcount for a full plan within 24 hours.

Get a free quoteSee virtual holiday parties