The holiday season is an excellent time for team building. It’s an opportunity to connect, recognize and reward employees for their dedication before they enjoy some well-deserved time off.
For employees overwhelmed with a heavy workload, a break from the stress of the workday can serve to rejuvenate teams before the new year.
If you’re searching for the right experience for your team, here are 15 team building ideas that won’t just spark joy in your team, but can also improve their productivity and sense of belonging.
15 Holiday Team Building Ideas
Table of contents:
- Holiday gift exchange with your team
- Evoke holiday magic with winter moss wreaths
- Celebrate the holidays with cookie decorating
- Extravagant winter cocktails to celebrate the holidays
- The holiday tea(m) experience: Tea tasting
- Holiday wine pairing experience to celebrate together
- Holiday hops: Winter beer tasting
- Sip & synergy: A hot chocolate experience
- Discover the science of ice cream making
- Purposeful painting exercise for team unity
- Tartine Bakery and french press coffee & tea experience
- Building communication with LEGO Bricks
- Growing a terrarium to cultivate team well-being
- Making the grade: A maple syrup tasting adventure
- Discover a whole new world of cheese with your team
Below is a detailed overview of each experience to help you decide whether it’s the right fit for your team.
1. Holiday Gift Exchange with Your Team
Whether you’re remote or in-person, a gift exchange can ensure that every team member feels valued.
Studies have shown that when employees receive recognition and appreciation, they’re more engaged. A gift exchange is an excellent way to show appreciation to your team.
The session includes a virtual gift-giving activity involving the assignment of characteristics to each team member. Following the session, a gift will be sent to each participant based on their assigned characteristics.
This experience includes:
- Live virtual facilitation: This experience is facilitated by one of our team building experts
- Kit: Each team member receives a unique book and snack based on the gifts they’re assigned during the experience
- International shipping: This experience is available globally
Click here to learn more about this unique virtual gift-giving experience and how it can benefit your team.
2. Evoke Holiday Magic with Winter Moss Wreaths
Express your creativity and get into the holiday spirit by building and decorating a winder moss wreath!
If you’re searching for an experience to spark joy and give your team a well-deserved break, this wreath-building experience is an excellent option.
During this experience, you’ll learn how to build winter moss wreaths with your team. You’ll be guided by a facilitator who will instruct you in wreath-building while encouraging individuality in your decorating.
This experience includes:
- Live virtual facilitation: This experience is led by a professional artist
- Kit: Every team member receives a kit that includes preserved moss, a glue gun, a featured snack, and everything else they need for this experience
- International shipping: This experience is available globally
Click here to learn more about this experience and what outcomes you can expect from it.
3. Celebrate the Holidays with Cookie Decorating
Connect with your team while enjoying a tasty treat!
Decorating cookies is a popular holiday tradition. If you’d enjoy participating in this activity with your colleagues, this Teamraderie experience will make the process easy and seamless.
During the experience, you’ll learn decorating tips and techniques while connecting with your team and expressing individuality in your decorating style.
This experience includes:
- Live virtual facilitation: This experience is led by a food and beverage expert
- Kit: Every team member receives a kit that includes cookies, icing, a decorative art sheet, and a pair of gloves
- International shipping: This experience is available globally
Click here to learn more about this festive experience and how it can benefit your team.
4. Extravagant Winter Cocktails to Celebrate the Holidays
Enjoy a virtual happy hour with your team!
This cocktail-making experience is a great way to connect and bond with your team while participating in a shared activity.
During this experience, you’ll assemble and enjoy two holiday-themed cocktails while learning the history of this unique beverage. There are also non-alcoholic options for team-members who don’t drink.
This experience includes:
- Live virtual facilitation: This experience is led by a master mixologist
- Kit: Every team member receives a kit that includes a variety of alcohol, holiday syrup, and more. This kit has a non-alcoholic option as well
- International shipping: This experience is available globally (all kits shipped outside the U.S. will be non-alcoholic)
Click here to learn more about this enjoyable experience and how it can benefit your team.
5. The Holiday Tea(m) Experience: Tea Tasting
Snap your team’s mid-day slump and invite them to afternoon tea!
Much like the cherished English tradition, this experience is a time to gather, celebrate and brighten your afternoon.
Each holiday tea time experience will include five types of winter-spiced teas, various shortbread cookies, honey, and a ceramic Tea Forte tea-infuser mug. Your host will guide you through the process of brewing tea and teach your team about traditional English afternoon tea.
This experience includes:
- Live virtual facilitation: This experience is led by a top barista
- Kit: Every participant receives a Tea Forte Tea Tree with various seasonal teas, an assortment of cookies, and more. This kit includes gluten-free, nut-free, and vegan options.
- International shipping: This experience is available globally
Click here to learn more about this tea-tasting experience and how it can benefit your team.
6. Holiday Wine Pairing Experience to Celebrate Together
Celebrate your team with a virtual wine pairing experience from the renowned Napa Valley winery Chateau Montelena.
During this experience, you’ll learn the history of this critically acclaimed winery while enjoying a glass of wine and snacks. At the end, you’ll come away with an understanding of the winery’s success and how these lessons can be applied to your team.
If you have a team member that doesn’t drink, non-alcoholic wine is also available, as are vegan and gluten-free alternatives.
- Live virtual facilitation: This experience is led by Chateau Montelena’s wine educator
- Kit: Every participant receives a kit that includes a bottle of Chateau Montelena wine, salumi, crackers, and dried fruit. This kit includes non-alcoholic options.
- U.S.-only: This experience is only available to participants within the United States
Click here to learn more about this wine-tasting experience.
7. Holiday Hops: Winter Beer Tasting
Celebrate the end of the year with your team by enjoying an interactive beer-tasting experience!
Join an acclaimed beer expert to enjoy unique, holiday-style craft beers. This experience aims to unite your team and build camaraderie while giving everyone a break from the stress of the holiday season.
Attendees will receive four different beers for tasting while learning about the impressive growth of the craft beer industry, the different types of beer, and the ins and outs of running a brewery. Non-alcoholic versions with similar flavor profiles are also available.
This experience includes:
- Live virtual facilitation: This experience is led by a certified cicerone (beer expert)
- Kit: Every participant receives a kit that includes four cans of various seasonal craft beers, a commemorative pint glass, and a snack. This kit includes non-alcoholic options
- U.S.- and Canada-only: This experience is only available to participants within the United States and Canada
Click here to learn more about this unique experience.
8. Sip & Synergy: A Hot Chocolate Experience
Enjoy a steaming mug of hot chocolate with your team!
If you’re searching for ways to take a break from the busy holiday season and connect with your team, this hot chocolate experience is an excellent option. This interactive, hands-on activity is both engaging and delicious.
Together with your team, you’ll learn the secrets to making a delightful cup of hot chocolate, as well as the beverage’s fascinating history.
This experience includes:
- Live virtual facilitation: This experience is led by a food and beverage expert
- Kit: Every participant receives a kit that includes shelf-stable milk, hot chocolate spice mix, marshmallows, and everything needed to make the hot chocolate
- International shipping: This experience is available globally
Click here to learn more about this tasty experience.
9. Discover the Science of Ice Cream Making
Ever wanted to learn how to make ice cream?
In this hands-on experience, join your team in learning the science behind ice cream-making, connecting with your coworkers, and enjoying a delicious treat—right at your desk.
In this experience, you’ll be provided with the ingredients you need to make homemade ice cream. All you’ll need to bring is some ice and a willingness to learn.
This experience includes:
- Live virtual facilitation: This experience is led by a food and beverage expert
- Kit: Every participant receives a kit that includes everything needed to make the ice cream, including shelf-stable milk, vanilla sugar, salt, and more
- International shipping: This experience is available globally
Click here to learn more about this delicious and connecting experience.
10. Purposeful Painting Exercise for Team Unity
Explore your team’s creative side with a unique painting experience!
Led by a female-founded art studio in Northern California, this experience is an excellent way to get to know your team. Your instructor will facilitate discussion to allow team members to learn more about one another and lead you through the creation of your masterpiece.
This experience will focus on an identified theme, like a regional landmark or logo. Although each team member will receive the same instructions, everyone will have the opportunity to express their individuality through their artwork.
This experience includes:
- Live virtual facilitation: This experience is led by a professional artist
- Kit: Every participant receives a kit that includes a canvas, brushes, paints, a pencil, and a color mixing palette
- International shipping: This experience is available globally
Click here to learn more about this unifying experience.
11. Tartine Bakery and French Press Coffee & Tea
Bring San Francisco’s famous Tartine Bakery to your team!
Named “America’s Most Influential Bakery”, Tartine’s bread and baked goods are second to none. Connect with your team through this shared eating experience and learn more about one another.
During this experience, everyone will be provided with a hand-picked box of Tartine’s most sought-after items, paired with 12 ounces of ground coffee and a YAMA Coffee & Tea Press. Your barista host will instantly refine your team’s coffee preferences by demonstrating proper use of a French press while you enjoy the savory baked goods.
This experience includes:
- Live virtual facilitation: This experience is led by a top barista
- Kit: Every participant receives a variety of baked goods from Tartine Bakery, one YAMA French press coffee and tea maker, a choice of coffee or tea, and more. This kit includes gluten-free, nut-free, and vegan alternatives.
- International shipping: This experience is available globally
Click here to learn more about this popular Teamraderie experience.
12. Building Communication with LEGO Bricks
Build trust, build communication, and build LEGOs all at once!
Collaboration and communication are fundamental to this experience, as your team works together in pursuit of a common goal—completing a LEGO set.
In this experience, everyone will have all the LEGO pieces they need to construct their LEGO set, but nobody will have the complete set of instructions. The team must work together to accomplish their shared goal.
This experience includes:
- Live virtual facilitation: This experience is led by a team building expert
- Kit: Every participant receives a kit that includes a seasonal LEGO Bricks Kit, and over 150 LEGO pieces.
- International shipping: This experience is available globally
Click here to learn more about this brick-building experience.
13. Grow a Terrarium to Cultivate Team Well-being
Cultivate plants and team wellness at the same time!
Promoting wellness at work is important for today’s leaders. During this experience, you’ll be guided through important elements of self-care while bonding over a shared hands-on experience.
Team members will receive the materials needed to create a unique succulent terrarium while learning about the healing properties of plants. Your host will also discuss health and wellness, including opportunities to promote self-care and reduce stress.
This experience includes:
- Live virtual facilitation: This experience is led by a wellness expert
- Kit: Every participant receives a kit with everything needed to build a terrarium, including a glass globe, succulent, soil, moss, gravel, and more
- International shipping: This experience is available globally
Click here to learn more about this relaxing experience.
14. Making the Grade: A Maple Syrup Tasting Adventure
Explore the complexities of maple syrup during this tasting experience!
If you’re searching for a way to connect with your team and spark joy, this experience is an excellent way to celebrate the holiday season.
With each team member receiving four different maple syrup samples—representing four grades of maple syrup—your team will learn the fundamentals of maple syrup.
This experience includes:
- Live virtual facilitation: This experience is led by a food and beverage expert
- Kit: Every participant receives a kit with maple syrup samples, mini pancakes, maple candies, and more. This experience includes a gluten-free alternative.
- International shipping: This experience is available globally
Click here to learn more about this delectable experience.
15. Discover a Whole New World of Cheese with Your Team
Revitalize your team spirit by exploring the unique world of cheese together!
Shared activities are excellent opportunities to connect with your team, and this experience isn’t an exception.
In this experience, your team will be guided through the details of how cheese is made, and the difference between four types of cheese—goat cheese, brie, manchego, and parmesan.
This experience includes:
- Live virtual facilitation: This experience is led by a cheese expert
- Kit: Every participant receives a kit with crackers and a variety of cheese
- U.S.-only: This experience is only available to participants within the United States
Click here to learn more about this savory experience.
Which Experience Is Right for Your Team?
While these experiences are excellent options for the holiday season, Teamraderis has over 60 unique experiences to choose from, so there’s truly something for everyone.
Not sure what the right experience is for your team? Take our quiz to find the best match.
Happy Holidays!
