Seasonal Strategy: Holiday Fun with a Purpose With Jennifer Ann Johnson

Forget forced fun. Thoughtful holiday celebrations can lift morale, strengthen culture, and even boost productivity—when designed with timing, inclusion, and purpose in mind. We reframe year-end festivities as a strategic tool: a chance to honor effort, spark connection, and end the year with momentum, not burnout.

We share a simple, stress-free plan: start early, pace events through the season, and work around crunch times. Focus on connection—try a handmade Secret Santa, potluck with personal roots, charity drive, or hybrid-friendly game night. Wrap it up with a year-in-review that celebrates wins and lessons learned.

Tight budget? DIY decor, local talent, and time off go further than you think. We cover safety and inclusivity too—optional attendance, work-friendly hours, low-pressure dress codes, and thoughtful accommodations like quiet zones and flexible schedules.

Finally, we offer easy ways to measure impact—quick surveys, participation trends, and pre/post productivity checks—to build a repeatable, results-driven playbook. If this helped you reimagine year-end celebrations, follow the show, share it with a manager, and leave a review to tell us what you’ll try first.

Visit us at jenniferannjohnson.com and learn how Jennifer can help you build the life you dream of with her online academy, blog, one-on-one coaching, and a variety of other resources!

Chapters

• 1:12 Why Holiday Cheer Matters
• 2:10 Timing Without Burnout
• 2:59 Practical Celebration Ideas
• 6:34 Budget-Friendly Festivity
• 7:14 Keep It Safe And Inclusive
• 7:52 Managing Stress And Expectations
• 8:32 Measuring Impact And Results
• 9:01 Culture, Appreciation, And Momentum

Transcript

Jennifer Johnson: 0:36

Today, we're decking the halls of your workplace with some holiday cheer. That's right, we're diving into the whys and hows of celebrating holidays in your business. Now, before you say bah hombug and dismiss them as frivolous, let me tell you: holiday celebrations can be a powerful tool for boosting morale, enhancing company culture, and yes, even improving your bottom line. So grab a mug of hot cocoa and let's slay this topic. First things first, why should you care about celebrating holidays in your business? Well, let me jingle your bells with some facts. Companies that celebrate holidays see a 44% increase in employee engagement. 78% of employees say holiday celebrations make them feel more connected to their company. And businesses that embrace the holiday spirit report up to a 20% increase in productivity in the following quarter. So, guys, that's not just holiday magic. It's good business sense. So let's talk about timing a little bit. The key to successful holiday celebrations is to really strike when the iron's hot per se. But not so much that you actually burn out your team. Here's how to nail it correctly. Start early. Begin planning at least two months in advance. It gives you a lot of time to organize without a lot of last-minute stress. Plus, if you get your holiday parties and celebrations in early, that's even better. Spread the cheer. Don't cram it all into one day. Spread it out throughout the season to maintain that festive spirit. And then respect their workload. Schedule events with consideration for your busiest periods. A stressed team is definitely not going to enjoy the full fun and festivities that you have going on. So let's talk about some ways. Let's just get into the nitty-gritty and let's talk about ways that you could actually have your team showing up and jingling all the way. So you could do something like an office decorating contest. If you have cubicles or offices or workstations, have that kind of contest going on. A secret Santa. But instead of buying gifts, have everyone create something handmade. Maybe a festive food feast. So you host a potluck and everybody brings a dish that represents their favorite holiday tradition. Maybe you're doing a charity drive. Nothing builds team spirit like giving back. Organize a toy drive or a food drive for a local shelter. Maybe you'll do a holiday movie marathon and set up a cozy corner for holiday movie screenings during lunch breaks. How about if you are virtual, you host an online game night virtually or do virtual happy hours? And how about a year in review showcase? Celebrate your team's achievements with a presentation of the year's highlights and successes. That is sure to get people to laugh and have a lot of fun. Now I'm I'm sure I'm hearing some people going, but wait, there's there's money involved in this. Sometimes, yes, there is. And you don't need to Scrooge, you don't need Scrooge's fortune to spread holiday cheer. Here's some budget-friendly ideas. So the potlock, that's that is definitely something that is going to be uh, you know, more cost effective. You can do use office supplies to create your decor. You can bring in free local entertainment, even time off. Get an extra hour to go do that Christmas shopping. Go home early, right? Those are all things that people really appreciate, especially over the holidays. But you are still a workplace, so we need to keep things merry and bright without crossing any lines. So you need to keep it optional. Not everybody has to participate. You have to make sure that you mind the clock. Schedule events during lunch hours or after work. And alcohol is always a slippery slope. That's ultimately up to you what you want to do with your company, but that's always a slippery slope. And then dress code reminder: ugly sweaters are fun, but no bikini Santa suits. You need to set clear guidelines so that your employees know exactly what it is that they can do or should do. Now, the Grinch factor. The holidays I know are stressful. So, how to ensure that your holiday celebration doesn't add to the pressure? Manage manage expectations first. Communicate with the company and let them know that, you know, it's the holidays. You don't have to do this. I understand, you know, you could be busy. That's really an important message to send. Then also offering support. Provide resources for employees who may be struggling during the holiday season, offering flexible scheduling and quiet spaces where it's the holiday free zone, no Christmas music going on, just quiet, soothing sounds, or maybe no sound at all. So, how do you know if your celebrations that you're doing over the holidays are hitting the mark? Well, employee feedback. You could send out a survey afterwards and say, Did you like this? Any suggestions for next year? Maybe you know by participation. If less and less people are attending every year, you kind of know you need to make a change. And compare your productivity before and after your holiday season. Is it up? Is it down? You may know if what you're doing is working. So as we wrap up, remember celebrating holidays in your business isn't just about parties and decorations. It's about creating a culture of appreciation and team bonding and ending the year on a high note that propels you into the new year. So go celebrate, sprinkle some holiday magic in your workplace and watch as it transforms into increased morale, stronger teams, and yes, a healthier bottom line.