What to Do After the Office Christmas Lunch: Ideas to Keep the Team Together

The plates are being cleared, the coffee has arrived and somebody asks, “What are we doing now?” It’s the moment every Christmas lunch hits a crossroads.

Some colleagues want to carry on. Others are checking trains or wondering whether the official event has finished. A few head to the nearest bar, while everyone else waits for instructions that never quite come.

You do not need to schedule the whole afternoon to keep people together. You need a clear next step, an activity that suits the post-lunch energy and a relaxed social option that still gives people choice.

Be clear about when the official event ends

That awkward gap usually happens because nobody’s said where the company event stops and the optional socialising starts.

Before the day, let everyone know:

• When lunch is expected to finish.
• Whether there’s an activity afterwards.
• Which parts are organised and which are optional.
• The official finish time.
• Where any later drinks will be.
• How people can get home.

This helps people plan around childcare, travel, energy levels and how much they want to drink. It also means nobody feels judged for heading off once the official part is done.

Plan for the post-lunch dip

After a big Christmas dinner, nobody wants a complicated briefing or a brainstorming session. Choose something that’s easy to pick up, has a clear structure and is led by a confident host.

Build in a short comfort break while tables are cleared or the next room is set up, and keep water, tea and coffee flowing. If people have been sitting for a few hours, a bit of gentle movement will probably go down well, but don’t surprise anyone with something physically demanding without warning them first.

Keep the first instructions simple. Teams just need to know where to go, what they’re doing and roughly when it’ll finish.

Option 1: A hosted festive quiz

A quiz gives everyone something to focus on without anyone needing to move far. Big Smoke Events’ Festive Quiz is a hosted format that can be personalised with company and festive content, making it a nice way to celebrate the year’s wins and get colleagues mixing, especially if the teams are planned with a bit of thought.

Aim for a good mix of questions: a few about the company, some festive or general knowledge rounds, and a couple of picture or creative rounds. If every answer relies on having been at the company for ten years or knowing one particular Christmas tradition, newer and international colleagues can end up feeling left out.

Check the tech, screen visibility and sound before lunch starts. If you’d rather skip the screens altogether, the Team Quiz is a technology-free alternative.

Option 2: Magic Bingo or Festive Bingo

A one-room show is a great way to change the pace without anyone leaving their seat. Magic Bingo combines live magic, comedy and competitive bingo, while the Festive Bingo Challenge Show mixes themed rounds with team challenges. Both are professionally hosted, but they’re quite different experiences.

This works well when you want the whole room sharing the same moment. Check the seating plan, sound, lighting and sightlines, and make sure the show starts once the waiting staff have finished clearing, so nobody’s competing with the clatter of plates.

Option 3: Giant Jenga and challenge stations

For something a bit more hands-on, the Giant Jenga Challenge gives teams oversized blocks, points and challenges to tackle, and it can be set up indoors or outdoors where the space allows. There’s also a festive twist in the Festive Jenga Challenge Show.

Multiple towers can be used for a bigger tournament, but it needs a bit of planning. Give each team a starting point, leave plenty of safe space around the towers and agree how long each round lasts. If space is tight and people would spend more time queuing than playing, a quiz or one-room show might be a better fit.

Option 4: A light competition in another room

f the lunch venue has a room next door, a hosted game is a great way to get people up, mixing with new faces and shaking off the food coma. Crazy Golf and Ping Pong both use portable equipment and team-based competition, though each has its own space and setup needs.

“Portable” doesn’t mean it’ll fit anywhere, so share a floor plan, photos, access details and any furniture or ceiling restrictions early. And protect the setup time, so guests aren’t left watching a rushed changeover.

Option 5: A festive scavenger hunt

If lunch is just the start of a longer celebration, a Festive Scavenger Hunt can become the main event of the afternoon, with personalised challenges and an onsite host. It runs for around three hours, so it’s not a quick filler.

Let guests know about the route, what to wear and where it finishes in advance, and plan for bags, accessibility, the weather, daylight (which disappears fast in December) and the journey to drinks afterwards. If you’ve only got an hour to fill, it’s better to pick something designed for that slot than to squeeze a longer hunt into it.

Option 6: A relaxed social with just enough structure

Not every team wants a scored game, and that’s fine. You could book a comfy area, put out some conversation prompts, share a few team highlights from the year or offer optional tabletop games.

The aim is to answer “where do we go and what can we do?” without anyone feeling they have to perform. This works especially well if there’s already been an awards session over lunch.

Make sure there are good non-alcoholic drinks and some food on offer too, so the afternoon still feels like a team event for people who don’t drink.

Stay put or move rooms?

Staying in the dining room is the easiest option, as long as the room can be reset. Agree when the tables will be cleared, whether any furniture moves and how the sound will change. Nobody wants to hear a host over the sound of plates being stacked.

Moving to another room can give everyone a nice energy boost, but it needs clear directions and a bit of time. Make one announcement, put up signs and have a host waiting at the other end. Let people know what to bring with them.

Moving to another venue takes the most planning. Walk the route beforehand, check for step-free access and allow time for coats, toilet breaks and different walking speeds. Try to avoid several groups having to sort out their own transport.

Keep teams together without forcing everybody to stay

A good afternoon plan will naturally keep more people around, but it shouldn’t feel like a test of loyalty. Share the timings and let people decide for themselves.

During the activity, give people different ways to get involved. Some will want to answer questions, others might prefer keeping score, making decisions or cheering from the sidelines. Avoid knockouts where individuals are eliminated, and never spring a public performance on anyone.

If there are prizes, think beyond the top score. Awards for creativity, teamwork or the funniest moment make for a much warmer festive finish.

Keep company content light

A Christmas celebration is a nice chance to look back on the year, but it shouldn’t turn into another all-hands meeting. Keep leadership speeches short and sweet, and keep any quiz or challenge content accurate and light-hearted.

A good balance might include a handful of team achievements, company facts newer starters can have a go at, some festive fun, creative questions with more than one right answer, and a shout-out for teams that don’t usually get the spotlight. Leave out private stories, individual performance and any jokes at someone’s expense.

Lead the way into drinks

The activity should finish somewhere people actually want to be. If everyone’s staying in the same venue, have the bar or refreshments ready the moment the results are announced. If you’re moving on, pick somewhere nearby and make it really clear where to go.

A smooth handover might look like this:

• Final results and a prize or two.
• A quick thank-you from the organiser.
• A clear mention of the official finish time.
• Directions to drinks, food or the cloakroom.
• The music or lighting changing as the social kicks off.

Three example post-lunch plans

The one-hour shared moment

• 2.00pm: lunch finishes
• 2.15pm: comfort break and room reset
• 2.30pm: hosted one-room activity
• 3.30pm: prizes and official close
• 3.40pm onwards: optional drinks

The longer activity afternoon

• 1.30pm: lunch finishes
• 2.00pm: briefing for the booked activity
• Afternoon: team experience
• Finish: highlights and awards
• Afterwards: nearby dinner or drinks

The light-touch social

• 2.30pm: coffee and team shout outs
• 3.00pm: optional tabletop games or conversation prompts
• 4.00pm: official finish
• 4.00pm onwards: reserved social area

Timings will depend on the activity and venue you choose.

Get everyone running from the same plan

Share one running order with the caterer, venue, host and whoever’s organising internally. It should cover supplier access, meal service, any room changes, tech checks, the activity start, awards, the official finish and who can make changes on the day.

Ask the host what guests need to know in advance, and check the room once it’s fully dressed, not just on the floor plan. Christmas trees, dining tables and staging can take up a surprising amount of space.

A quick organiser checklist

• Is the activity part of the official event?
• Does it suit the post-lunch energy?
• Are setup and finish times in the schedule?
• Does everyone know what taking part involves?
• Does the venue work for the layout, sound and movement?
• Is there a good alcohol-free option?
• Where will coats and bags go?
• What’s the official finish time?
• How does everyone get to drinks or the evening plans?

Turn the gap into the best bit of the day

What happens after the office Christmas lunch doesn’t need to be awkward or over-planned. Give people a clear next step, choose something that suits the room and the mood, and wrap it up confidently enough for the social side to take over.

Have a browse of the Christmas and festive party range, then share your lunch venue, group size and plans for the day through the enquiry page. The team can help find the right activity to fill the gap.