How far ahead do you need to book a virtual holiday party?

Hosted virtual games book about 2 weeks ahead. Kit workshops need about 3 weeks for US addresses and about 5 weeks when any guest is in Canada or abroad. Custom or branded work takes about 4 weeks.

Can you plan an office holiday party in one week?

Yes. Hold the date on day 1, send the invite on day 2, order food on day 3, prep a free game on day 4 and send a reminder the day before. Keep it in the office or on the team's usual video link so there is no venue to book.

What is the easiest last-minute holiday party for a remote team?

One shared game on video. A hosted holiday game needs about 2 weeks and nothing to prep; a free game like a holiday feud or a quiz board can run this week from one laptop with a screen share.

Is it too late to book a holiday party in December?

Not if you plan around what still fits: a hosted game needs about 2 weeks and a party at the office needs no booking at all. If December is truly full, hold a new year party in mid-January, when hosts and venues have far more open dates.

What food works for a last-minute office party?

Pizza with one standout dessert, a potluck with a sign-up sheet, a baked potato or taco bar, or a holiday breakfast. Give remote guests the same meal budget on the same day.

Last-minute holiday party ideas for work

Q: What can you still plan for a holiday party at the last minute?

With two weeks left you can book a hosted virtual game, since nothing has to ship. With three weeks left a kit workshop can still reach US addresses. With only days left, run a free game yourself, order food in and hold the party at the office during work hours.

Two weeks left? Book a hosted game, since nothing ships. Three weeks? A kit workshop still reaches US addresses. Days left? Run a free game and order food in. Here is what still fits your timeline, and a plan for this week.

KraftyLab TeamUpdated Nov 20266 min read

Get a free quoteDays left? Jump to free games

An office manager on the phone at her laptop while a coworker leans over the partition to point, beside a marked calendar

With two weeks left, book a hosted virtual game: nothing has to ship and a live host runs the hour. With three weeks left, a kit workshop can still reach US addresses. With only days left, run a free game yourself, order food in and hold the party at the office during work hours.

What still works with 3 weeks, 2 weeks or days left

Find how much time you have. Book from the first list and don't spend a minute on the last line.

3 weeks left

You still have every option except custom work.

A kit workshop shipped to every guest. Cookie decorating, gingerbread or holiday cocktails (21+), with a live host. US addresses need about 3 weeks; see our virtual cookie decorating party.
Any hosted game, on your first-choice date. Booking now instead of next week means you pick the day, not the host's calendar.
A host at your office. In 17 US cities a host brings Feud Night, music bingo or live trivia to your room. Ask with your date first.

Skip: Anything custom or branded, which takes about 4 weeks, and kits for guests in Canada or abroad, which need about 5.

2 weeks left

The sweet spot for a hosted game. Nothing ships, so the clock is only the host's calendar.

A hosted virtual game. Trivia, a holiday feud, music bingo or an escape game, about 60 minutes with a live host. Compare them on our virtual holiday party page.
A set-menu lunch. Call two caterers or a restaurant with a private table and take the first yes. Lunch is easier to get than a December evening.
One game for the office and remote people together. The office joins on one big screen, remote guests on their laptops, and the host mixes the teams.

Skip: Kit workshops: shipping to US addresses needs about 3 weeks.

Days left

Keep it simple and keep it in the office or on the team's usual video link.

A free game you run yourself. Pick one from the list below. Most need a screen share or some printing and about 30 minutes of prep.
Food delivered, or a potluck. Pizza and one good dessert, or a sign-up sheet split into mains, sides and sweets.
Ask about a hosted date anyway. Hosted games usually book about 2 weeks ahead, but an open slot is worth one quick question.

Skip: Anything that ships, new venues and evening reservations.

Two weeks out? Let a host run the hour

A hosted game is the one thing you can book late that still feels planned. Nothing ships, nobody on your team has to prep or emcee, and remote guests play the same game as the office.

Hosted games book about 2 weeks ahead and run about 60 minutes on Zoom, or Teams, Google Meet or Webex on request. Reserve on any activity page with a 50% deposit, or send your date for a full plan within 24 hours. Want several short rounds instead of one game? Holiday Fun & Games mixes them in one hour.

Get a free quote

Same-week holiday party games you can run yourself

Under two weeks and no open date? These free games need a screen share or a printer and about 30 minutes of prep. Pick one main game and one short opener.

A holiday feud on the big screen. Our Christmas family feud board has survey answers built in. Two teams, one host, 30 minutes.
A quiz board with point values. Our free Christmas quiz board runs from one laptop; teams call a category and a value.
A printable escape room. Five locks, about 15 minutes, printed or on screen: our Christmas escape room.
A scavenger hunt around the office. Clues hidden at desks and in the kitchen; the office Christmas scavenger hunt has them ready.
Song trivia between courses. Ten quick rounds while people eat, from our Christmas song trivia.
Charades with ready-made cards. No props, no prep: use our Christmas charades lists.
A five-minute opener. Start with two or three Christmas would you rather questions while people find a seat.

Want more to choose from? Our holiday party games for work list has quick games, longer ones and hosted ones side by side.

Coworkers in a break room with string lights and pizza, filling in answer sheets during a quiz on the wall TV

Last-minute food and drinks

Order what people already like and make one thing special. For full menus by budget, see our holiday luncheon ideas.

Pizza plus one good dessert. Order pizza the morning of and spend what's left on a bakery tray people will talk about.
A potluck split by course. Ask for mains, sides, sweets and drinks on a shared sheet so you don't end up with nine bags of chips.
A baked potato or taco bar. Two slow cookers and a toppings table, set up the morning of.
Breakfast instead of dinner. Bagels, fruit and good coffee at 10 am. Easy to order, and nobody stays late.
A meal budget for remote guests. Send the same amount the office spends per person, for lunch on the party day.
Drinks for everyone. Sparkling water, hot cider and one mocktail next to anything else you pour.

Where to hold it when every room is booked

In December the venue is usually what runs out first. These need no booking, or very little.

Your own office. Clear the kitchen or the biggest meeting room, hang string lights, and use the last two hours of a workday.
The team's usual video call. If people are spread out, skip the venue. One shared game on video beats a room nobody can reach.
A host who comes to you. In 17 US cities a host brings the game and the mic to your office. See holiday parties in New York City.
A restaurant at lunchtime. Group tables at noon are easier to find than December evenings, and the party ends by 2.

A 7-day holiday party plan

One small job a day gets a simple party ready in a week. Day 1 is today.

Day 1: pick the date and the format. Put a hold on every calendar today, even before the details are final.
Day 2: send the invite. Time, place or video link, dress code if any, and one thing to bring.
Day 3: order the food. Collect dietary needs in the RSVP and order for the people who said yes.
Day 4: prep the game. Test the screen share, print the sheets and ask two people to help run it.
Day 5: buy small prizes. Three or four, like a gift card or a box of chocolates for the winning team.
Day 6: send a reminder. One short note with the link, the start time and the plan for the hour.
Day 7: run the party. Start on time, play the game in the first 30 minutes, then a short thank-you from the leader.

Need the invite text? Copy one from our holiday party invitation wording guide and change the time and place.

Too late for December? Throw a new year party

A party in the second or third week of January has far more open dates for hosts and venues, and people come back from the break with energy to spare. Keep the cozy feel without the Christmas theme: our virtual winter games run all season.

Call it a new year party in the invite so nobody wonders why it moved. Planning a small team’s party from scratch? Start with our small company holiday party ideas.