Introduction
The holiday season is the perfect time to add a little sparkle, laughter, and creativity to the workplace. An Office Christmas Decorating Contest isn’t just about who can hang the most tinsel or plug in the most lights — it’s about boosting morale, building camaraderie, and spreading joy in often stressful year-end environments.
Whether you’re a minimalist seeking simple office Christmas decorating contest ideas, a DIY lover craving creative cubicle décor, or the office comedian ready with funny holiday setups, this guide offers a wide variety of options. With insights from Pinterest trends and real office experiences, this article is your complete inspiration board for a holly jolly holiday contest!
Why Host an Office Christmas Decorating Contest?
A decorating contest is more than just festive fun. Here’s why it’s worth your time:
Boosts Team Morale: Friendly competition energizes employees.
Fosters Creativity: Encourages out-of-the-box thinking.
Encourages Collaboration: Departments can decorate as teams.
Promotes Inclusion: Everyone can participate at their comfort level.
Spreads Joy: Offices look better, feel warmer, and invite smiles.
Whether you’re a team leader or an HR planner, introducing a holiday contest adds an extra sparkle to your company culture.
Planning the Contest: Essentials Before You Decorate
Before everyone grabs garlands and glitter, follow these planning steps:
1. Pick a Contest Format
Individual: Each employee decorates their own desk or cubicle.
Team-based: Departments or project teams collaborate on a theme.
Door/Area Specific: Focus on entryways, common areas, or meeting rooms.
2. Set Clear Guidelines
Decor limits (floor space, walls, ceiling attachments)
Allowed materials (fire-safe, no open flames, power usage)
Timeline for setup and take-down
Budget restrictions (if reimbursed)
3. Define Judging Criteria
Creativity
Theme execution
Use of materials
Humor or originality
Festive spirit
Provide judging forms or allow peer voting for extra engagement.
Simple Office Christmas Decorating Contest Ideas
Sometimes less is more. If you’re working with a tight budget or want to keep things easy and stress-free, try these simple but impactful ideas:
1. Wrapped Cubicles
Wrap desks or cubicle walls like presents using gift wrap and ribbon. Add a name tag with the employee’s name for a personal touch.
2. Snowflake Spectacular
Encourage employees to cut out paper snowflakes and hang them across ceilings or walls. Great for team bonding and quick decorating.
3. Mini Christmas Tree Desk Challenge
Provide or allow mini trees and let employees decorate them in their own unique styles — rustic, modern, colorful, etc.
4. Garland and Lights Corners
Simple strings of garland or battery-powered fairy lights instantly lift the mood and are super easy to clean up.
Creative Office Christmas Decorating Contest Ideas
For offices full of crafty or design-minded folks, you’ll want to level up with these Pinterest-worthy decorating themes:
5. Gingerbread House Cubicle
Turn cubicles into adorable gingerbread houses using brown paper, white trim (for icing), candy cutouts, and peppermint swirl decor.
6. Winter Wonderland
Deck out with silver, blue, and white hues, snowflakes, LED icicle lights, and cotton “snow.” Add a snowman or polar bear for fun.
7. Santa’s Workshop
Go full North Pole! Add toy-making stations, elves (paper cutouts), wrapped gifts, and a red velvet Santa throne in the breakroom.
8. Christmas Around the World
Each department or employee picks a country and decorates their space based on international holiday traditions. Great for inclusion and learning.
Office Christmas Decorating Ideas Pinterest Trends Love
Take your contest to the next level with these Pinterest-inspired design trends that are aesthetic and Instagram-worthy:
9. Minimalist Nordic Christmas
White ornaments, pinecones, wood textures, minimalist trees — a sleek design for modern office vibes.
10. Candlelight and Mason Jar Magic
Battery candles inside mason jars with faux snow, berries, or pine branches make for elegant tabletop accents.
11. Rustic Farmhouse Theme
Use burlap, plaid, distressed wood, and chalkboard signage for a cozy farmhouse aesthetic.
12. DIY Yarn and Felt Ornaments
Encourage a crafting session where employees make their own ornaments. Then hang them as part of a collaborative office tree.
Cubicle Decorating Contest Ideas That Stand Out
Working in a cubicle? You still have plenty of space to shine. Here are some compact but creative ideas:
13. Christmas in July
Swap snow for sand! Add beach balls, mini palm trees with ornaments, and a Santa in sunglasses for a tropical twist.
14. Cheese Tree Desk
Build a tree of cheese or snack items as décor (wrapped, of course). Functional and fun — a crowd-pleaser at lunch!
15. 12 Days of Christmas
Pick one of the “12 Days” and create your own quirky take — like three French hens wearing tiny berets.
16. Photo Booth Cubicle
Make your desk an interactive space with props, signs, and a photo frame cutout for silly holiday pics.
Funny Office Christmas Decorating Contest Ideas
If your office thrives on humor and good-natured fun, bring out these laugh-out-loud ideas that might just win on creativity and spirit:
17. The Grinch Who Stole the Office
Decorate your cubicle with stolen office supplies (paperclips, staplers, coffee mugs) and a big green Grinch. Add “stolen” holiday signs.
18. Ugly Sweater Desk
Wrap your entire space in ugly sweater patterns. Use mismatched colors, pom-poms, tinsel, and tacky garland. Bonus points for matching attire!
19. Alien Christmas Invasion
Aliens replacing Santa? UFOs flying over holiday villages? This sci-fi parody theme is great for tech teams or creatives.
20. Christmas Procrastination Corner
Decorate with crumpled wrapping paper, “out of order” signs, and a coffee cup mountain. Add a countdown sign: “0 Days Left, Still Not Ready.”
How to Judge and Reward Winners
A well-structured contest needs great rewards. Here are ideas for judging and prize categories:
Suggested Categories:
Most Creative
Funniest Theme
Best DIY
Best Teamwork
Best Use of Recycled Materials
Most Festive Cubicle
Prize Ideas:
Gift cards
Extra vacation hours
Holiday gift baskets
Office bragging rights trophy
Personalized office supplies
Make sure to document everything with photos — for company newsletters or social media (with permission, of course).
After the Contest: Clean-Up & Sustainability
Once the fun ends, it’s time to clean up responsibly:
Encourage reuse of decor for next year.
Recycle wrapping paper and cardboard.
Avoid glitter overload — it’s non-biodegradable.
Host a “cleanup party” with music and snacks to make it fun.
Celebrate the Season with Spirit — and a Dash of Competition
Holiday decor contests can transform even the most sterile office into a festive wonderland filled with warmth, laughter, and creativity. From simple cubicle wrapping to funny meme-themed setups or Pinterest-worthy winter scenes, there’s no wrong way to bring holiday joy to the workplace.
Whether you’re aiming for laughs, elegance, or DIY charm, a decorating contest is a small effort with big returns in employee morale and community. So bring out the snowflakes, string up those lights, and let the contest begin!
For more ideas and holiday inspiration for work and home, visit Dwellmend.com — your go-to destination for smart, stylish, and seasonal living.