If possible, try not to have the holiday office party at your place of business. Leave the work at work, and choose an outside space that encourages people to relax and have fun. Along with that same point, try to avoid office talk or gossip at other’s expense. Having the party away from the office encourages that separation. The office party should be a fun, comfortable environment for people to get to know each other, so work should be the last thing on an attendee’s mind.

Of course, food and drinks are elements of any great holiday office party. But hire a caterer or use an outside service to handle this task. That’s one thing you don’t want to worry about.

A sit down dinner may not be the most exciting party, so make the night an event that shouldn’t be missed. Instead of sitting at a restaurant, choose an unusual theme, or center the party on an activity.

As far as time, it’s standard to choose an evening time after work. You can switch things up and have a long lunch or brunch during the week. The time change could be more of an incentive for people to attend, and serve as a nice break from work before the holidays.

Host your holiday office party later in the week. This gives people something to look forward to since it’s closer to the weekend. Remember that the holiday office party is meant to break the ice and help people get to know each other better. It shouldn’t be viewed as a chore to attend, but an event that will help coworkers form a united front.

If you’re still at a loss for how to create the perfect holiday party, check out this post from CNN Money about what not do to when planning a party, HERE. Are you in charge of party planning? How did you do it?

The post The Holiday Office Party Planning Guide appeared first on Xdesk Blog.

1. iPhone 5 Amplifier
For the music connoisseur who can’t seem to get enough tunes in his or her life, the Meggabeat amp works both as a speaker and as an iPhone stand. It’s small so it won’t take up much space, and comes in a fun color. And who doesn’t like music in the office? But, if you’d rather have a quieter environment, check out these unusual iPhone stands that would be perfect holiday gifts, HERE.

2. Computer Rear-View Mirror
For the perpetual Facebooker, now he can browse the web all day without fear of the boss catching him in the act. These rearview mirrors are mounted on the top corner of the computer with Velcro, and they’re available in five different colors.

3. Whiteboard Notebook 
The NUboard Whiteboard Notebooks are great holiday gifts for anyone, but the office assistant or incessant note-taker will love them. It looks like a normal notebook on the outside, but you open it and voila! It’s a whiteboard – for easy, erasable note-taking (and doodling).

4. Stick-Up Weekly Calendar 
If you notice your coworker going through way too many sticky notes in one week, this sticky note calendar will put all of her “to-dos” in one place. And you can put it anywhere, on your standing desk, inside the keyboard tray, or right on your computer. Of course, there’s the online calendar, but where’s the fun in that?

5. USB Mini Fridge
Now your coworker can enjoy his energy drink chilled longer with this holiday gift. The USB mini fridge holds one can and never lets it get warm, and it connects right to your computer. It comes in red or black and even has a tiny light bulb inside.

6. Universal Travel Adapter 
The office jetsetter or the boss can now connect anywhere around the world with these holiday gifts while on business. The outlet adapter works in more than 150 countries, including China, India, Hong Kong, the UK and Europe. They’re available in four different colors.

7. Sky-Imitating Light Covers
So this holiday gift doesn’t exactly fit on your adjustable height desk, but it was too cool not to include. Fluorescent lighting isn’t ideal, but these light covers let you brighten up your workspace while imitating the open sky. You can feel like you’re working outside, and they can be trimmed to fit smaller sizes for tight spaces. They’re a little pricey, but you need a gift for your office, right?

8. Jot Desk Coaster
It’s everything you need all in one place: a pen, coffee and a coaster. The powder coat finish or aluminum Xdesk desktop is tough, but for the ultra-organized and coffee-addict, this is the perfect holiday gift. It’s also available in three colors for a bit more variety.

If you haven’t gotten anything for your coworkers yet, don’t worry! There are plenty more holiday gift options to choose from, so this list is just the beginning. If you’re ahead of the game, what kind of gifts did you get your coworkers?

The post 8 Easy Holiday Gifts to Give at the Office appeared first on Xdesk Blog.