30 holiday party ideas in Los Angeles

Exchanging gifts at the holidays is a time-honored way to express your thoughtfulness and appreciation, and a white elephant gift exchange (and gift stealing) puts a playful and hilarious spin on it. This team experience provides a host to guide you through the game and a selection of wonderful, diverse, and quirky gifts you can choose from to take the stress out of gift giving. After your host goes over the rules of the game, you’ll start the first high-energy round of gifting with a game of trivia to determine who goes first. Then, you can dive in and opt to either unwrap your gift or steal a gift from someone else. You’ll all leave the party with a virtual gift that will be mailed to you afterward.

If you love brain teasers and you always know the most obscure answers, you’ll love this private trivia game. With topics like music, movies, history, pop culture, and even ice cream flavors, everyone has a chance to shine. Your group will be divided into teams and compete through four rounds of holiday questions. It will take all of you to come up with the answers! After playing a traditional round to get warmed up, you’ll face off in your knowledge of music, images, and a surprise round. You’ll spend the first half of the session in mini teams, and then come together as one group to finish the game. Get ready, the questions are a real challenge, but they aren’t so hard that you’ll feel hopeless.

Those classic colorful interlocking bricks you probably played with as a child have never actually lost their appeal, and this team challenge will remind you of how much fun they are. In this popular holiday party event, you’ll split up into teams to work together on challenges like building a zoo scene, building the biggest tower, or creating your likeness in Legos®. In one contest, you’ll be asked to build exactly the same structure as your teammates using a set number of blocks and colors. Be prepared, you’ll be judged on both how similar your structures are and how ambitious and creative you are. You’ll have to work together and think outside of the box, or block, to emerge the winners.

When you bring the Olympics to your office for the holidays, the stakes are high and the contests are silly. This is a fun and high-energy event that will have your group laughing all the way through. Once your host goes over the rules of the game, you’ll face off in contests like type-racing, playing harmonicas, and spoon races. Challenges include a Family Feud-style competition and a race to build the tallest marshmallow tower. Everything you need to complete the challenges will be shipped to your office ahead of time, and a skilled facilitator will host your live event.

Groups who love the classic game show, Family Feud, will have even more fun playing it themselves. In this digital twist, you’ll divide into teams to compete in fast-paced rounds. Once your host goes over the rules of the game, it’s a showdown of quick thinking and on-the-spot creativity to come up with the right answers and do it first. Each team member tries to name the most popular answers to survey questions, and if you get it right you win points for your team. After three rounds plus a lightning round, the team with the most points is declared the winner. This is a high-energy option for your holiday party that’s sure to create fun memories.

Improv tests your ability to think quickly and harness your creativity, and it’s always a good bet for some laughs. This workshop blends team science with fun, spontaneous improv exercises to foster skills like deep listening, empathy, flexibility, psychological safety, growth mindset, and creative thinking. It’s a chance to grow your team’s relationships and productivity in a way that feels more like a party than team training, and it’s a great way to keep your group engaged and having fun through the holidays.

You can bring a sense of adventure to your next holiday party with an escape room team activity. Escape rooms are great for teams because they require communication, problem-solving, and creativity, and you have to work together to find the solution to the puzzle and escape from the scene. You can choose from popular themes like Prison Break, where you’ll embark on a daring prison escape, or The Heist, where you are elite agents who must infiltrate a museum to recover a stolen painting. Solve international crises, deploy your tactical skills, dive deep beneath the ocean, and decipher mysterious experiments to find a lost scientist. Whichever escape room you choose, you’re in for thrills and challenges that create a memorable holiday party.

Gift giving can be stressful and an office gift exchange often feels awkward, but there’s no better way to express your appreciation for others than a thoughtfully chosen gift. A Secret Santa gift exchange event makes it easy to spread holiday cheer and boost camaraderie without the stress. Each participant will be assigned a gift recipient and be able to personalize their gift. At the gift exchange, your facilitator will create a fun atmosphere and help the party move along with seamless organization. You are sure to learn new things about each other and connect through the timeless act of giving.

If you want your team to get to know each other better but you’re tired of dull party games, this Icebreaker event is a great option. Your team will break out into groups of two or three people and use a “prompt” list to try to learn fun and interesting facts about each other that you never knew before. Then, you’ll come back together to share the small facts, stories, and jokes you’ve learned. Knowing more about each other’s lives outside the office and each person’s past experiences will help you get to know each other just a little bit better.

People who grew up watching the popular price-guessing game show on television will take a trip down memory lane with this Guess That Price event. You’ll compete against your friends and coworkers to guess the prices of products and experiences. You’ll have to work closely with your team to come up with the right prices – who knows the cost of grocery items, luxury vacations, or tech gadgets? The interactive game platform makes it easy to recreate this experience at a holiday party in your office or venue.

This holiday event takes bingo and turns it on its head. In this reimagined multimedia version, you’ll have to test your pop culture knowledge of video clips, images, and riddles. Instead of waiting for numbers to be called out, you’ll tick the box by answering questions about songs, quotes, and slogans. Other prompts require you to complete a task, like finding something with your company’s logo on it in 15 seconds, or bringing a book that had a movie made on it. If you can complete a slogan like “Like a good neighbor…” you’ll get to tick another box on your card. Who will be the first to complete their bingo card and call out “Bingo!”

You don’t need any prior experience with clay to create a beautiful wheel-thrown vessel in this group event. This is a fun holiday experience where everyone will leave with their own cup, bowl, or plate that they made themselves. You’ll learn the basics of working on a potter’s wheel, including center, pulling the walls, and moral support to make a functional piece. After your piece dries for a couple of days, your host will fire it, glaze it for you, complete the final firing, and have it packaged and ready for you to pick up. All glazes are food safe, so you can even use your new pottery to serve your holiday meal.

Plan a holiday party at an art studio or bring the painting studio to your own office or venue. This traveling paint & sip event is a fun way to stretch your creativity and master some new painting techniques. All art materials are provided, including a 16 by 20 inch canvas, non-toxic paint, paintbrushes, table easels, aprons, and tablecloths. Your host will guide you step-by-step through painting the image of your choice, making it simple to craft a masterpiece. You can bring your own food or beverage to enjoy at this fun event.

Gingerbread houses conjure the spirit of the holidays, with their fragrant spices and colorful candy decorations. But, crafting a gingerbread house at home can be a process mired in more frustration than fun. In this class, all of the preparation is done for you, so you can just enjoy creating your own frosted-roof masterpiece. The class starts with some fun games to break the ice and get everyone into a holiday mood. Then, with seasonal tunes playing in the background, you can immerse yourself in gingerbread house building. Finally, show off our creation to your group and then get eating!

If you can’t decide between a craft-making experience or a social hour, this class is the perfect blend. You can relax with a glass of fine wine and a savory array of crackers, cheese, and grapes, enjoying time to unwind and enjoy your experience. When you arrive, your host will have everything set up for you to create an aromatic poured candle in vibrant colors. Once you’ve finished pouring and stirring, there will be time to play miniature golf and other games while you wait for your candle to cure. This is sure to be a fun experience and you’ll take home a beautiful candle to enhance your holiday decor.

Kintsugi is a traditional Japanese art of mending broken pottery with gold to make it even more beautiful in its imperfection. In this Kintsugi-inspired class, you’ll highlight the fracture lines in a broken coaster with glue and paint so it captures this traditional style. You’ll learn about the philosophy behind Kintsugi, a reminder that beauty can come from brokenness. All the materials you need are provided and you’ll complete a finished Kintsugi tile coaster to take home with you.

Goats milk soap is gentle and nourishing for your skin and contains alpha hydroxy acids for gentle exfoliation, vitamins to repair skin tissue, and milk fats to seal in moisture. This class will teach you a fun and easy way to make your own delightful goat’s milk soap that you can fully customize the way you like it. Let your imagination run wild with colors, scents, and botanicals to create beautiful designs. You’ll take home a truly special soap made with your own hands using high-quality ingredients.

This group event offers a fun and stress-free way to try something new and create a beautiful work of art for your coffee table or desk. Using alcohol inks and resin, you’ll create a custom-marbled coaster swirled with vivid colors and unique designs. Your finished coaster is sure to look impressive but it’s easy to get great results with the help of your experienced hosts. To ensure your coaster looks beautiful for years to come, you’ll coat it with a durable resin coating that safeguards your surfaces from both hot and cold beverages.

You can let go of any rules about painting because in this class you don’t need to worry about getting paint on the walls and floors. This wildly expressive art experience is a transformative process that fosters teamwork and communication for your group and builds new connections that carry through to the office. You’ll first choose the size of canvas you want and your favorite paint colors. Then, don the provided protective coveralls and let the paint fly. You’ll be surprised and delighted by your results.

A terrarium brings a touch of soothing nature to your home or office that can reduce stress and improve your mood. It’s also incredibly low maintenance, making it a great alternative to a potted plant that requires frequent watering or pruning. The glass enclosure creates a mini ecosystem that only needs water every few weeks or even months. In this class, you’ll build a terrarium using the Chinese principles of feng shui, an art of arrangement that creates balance and harmony. It’s even purported to bring good luck, health, and prosperity. Using succulents, moss, rocks, and soil, you’ll create your own miniature oasis within a bowl.

A wreath is a great way to adorn your space for the holidays and bring greenery into the darkest season. In this class, your team members can get creative as they craft a unique custom wreath. You’ll learn how to set up the elements of your wreath and which materials are the most long-lasting. The class includes a 10-inch grapevine wreath, greenery like fir, pine, eucalyptus, juniper, or incense cedar, and adornments like pinecones, sprigs of berries, and wide ribbon. Use the included wire to assemble your favorite elements, and then hang your wreath using a loop of twine.

Making pasta from scratch is easier than it might seem and the results are utterly delicious. In this team event, you’ll learn the secrets to making great pasta using just a few basic ingredients from your kitchen. You’ll start by whipping up a perfect pasta dough, and while it rests, your instructor will demonstrate how to create a classic carbonara sauce. Then you’ll break out the pasta rollers and watch ribbons of pasta flow through its tines. Your finished noodles just need a quick cooking time in boiling water and you’re ready to pair it with delicious sauces and sit down to share a meal together. This class is held in a restaurant or kitchen, and your group will have a private seating area and the option to purchase drinks from the venue or BYOB.

If you love Asian dumplings but you’re watching your waistline, this is the class for you. A professional chef will show your group how to craft delicious dumplings using healthful ingredients. You’ll split up into groups of two to four people to craft chicken and vegetarian dumplings. When you’ve finished, you’ll sit down together as a group to enjoy your dumplings along with stir-fried veggies and rice.

Choux is a delicate French pastry that has a reputation for being difficult to make, but in this class an expert pastry chef will break it down into simple steps that you can repeat at home. Your host will take you through a detailed demonstration, after which your group will be able to try their own hand at making the perfect choux dough, piping it into shapes, baking it, and finishing it with sweet or creamy fillings. You’ll feel like you’re in a patisserie in Paris as you enjoy your perfect eclairs and cream puffs.

You’ll have holiday memories to savor for years to come when you book a Sip and Sail event for your group. This is an unforgettable experience sailing aboard a 40-foot vessel while a sommelier guides you through fine wines. You’ll learn to see, smell, and taste for different wines, and understand how their quality is reflected in their balance, length, intensity, and complexity. After your tasting, you’ll have time to relax, explore the vessel, take some photos with your team, and enjoy the breathtaking views.

Celebrate the holiday with some south of the border favorites. You’ll feel like you’re on a Mexican vacation without leaving the heart of Los Angeles. This group event begins with a mixology primer where you’ll learn about the history of margaritas and learn to make this favorite cocktail yourself. Then, a professional chef will guide you as you mix up some guacamole, salsa, and ceviche to enjoy along with handmade tostadas. Your food will taste exceptionally delicious when you sit down to enjoy the meal you prepared together. Plus, you’ll take home guacamole and margarita kits with a shaker and lime squeezer, fresh limes, salt, simple syrup, and guacamole spice mix.

Sushi is a delicious Asian favorite, but it’s so much more than raw fish and rice wrapped in seaweed. This team event takes you on a journey through the culture and art of sushi, where your group will use precision, teamwork, and creativity to create beautifully crafted and irresistible sushi. After your sushi chef explains how to cook the perfect sushi rice, you’ll work together to master the techniques for creating temari, maki rolls, and urimake rolls. Then it’s time to think outside the box (or roll) in the Creative Roll Challenges. Teams will use a diverse array of fresh and colorful ingredients to design their own unique sushi rolls. Which team can create the most visually stunning roll?

Say good-bye to boring holiday parties and welcome this “spirited” workshop! You’ll learn how to shake and stir (and taste) delicious cocktails and have a great time along the way. Your friendly and experienced mixology host will walk you through making three amazing cocktail recipes using foundational skills and concepts that you can use to make your own unique elixirs in the future. You’ll learn how to choose the best ingredients for your cocktails and how to use essential bar tools, along with bartender secrets and history. There will be time at the end to ask questions, mingle, and enjoy your cocktails.

Celebrate the holidays with a Thai feast that you prepared yourselves. You’ll learn to cook a delicious meal from scratch, from cutting all the vegetables to garnishing the finished dishes. Your group will work together with a chef to prepare Shrimp and Chicken Fried Rice followed by Chicken Red Curry, Then, enjoy a final dish of Banana with Coconut Caramel prepared for you by your host. All the cleanup is taken care of so you can enjoy a restaurant-style dining experience with dishes you’ve cooked yourselves.

Are you tired of throwing away so much food in your kitchen? The food choices you make impact not just your own health but also the health of the planet. Zero Waste Cooking offers recipes and methods to reduce food waste as you enjoy cooking together. You’ll learn how to eat sustainably but still deliciously, and at the end of the class you can enjoy a plant-based meal together that you prepared yourselves. You’ll go home with a reusable tote bag and a three-week meal plan so you’ll be ready to begin your journey toward more sustainable cooking.

Agave spirits are distilled from a flowering succulent plant indigenous to Mexico. While the best-known of these is tequila, there are other spirits within this broad category known as mezcal. If you’ve ever wanted to understand the differences between tequila and mezcal, or blanco and anejo, this is the class for you. Your expert bartender host will lead your group through the tasting and flavor profiles of three specialty agave-based spirits. You’ll learn the best sipping techniques for appreciating agave spirits and learn about the history of this spirit family and how it’s distilled. There’s time to ask questions, share your notes, and mingle while you sip.

Learn to create the perfect traditional Spanish Paella yourself in this unforgettable team experience that will take you away to Valencia, the birthplace of paella. Paella is a social dish, usually made on Sundays over an open fire and infused with delicious flavors like saffron, smoky chorizo, chicken, and aromatic vegetables. Making a platter of paella is an instant party. The ingredients are easy to find at local markets, so you can recreate this delectable culinary experience at home. Preparing and sharing paella is great holiday fun whether you’re an experienced cook or a newcomer to the kitchen.

Celebrate the holidays with a delicious Asian feast that you prepared yourself. This is a great holiday option for groups who enjoy good food and enjoy keeping their hands busy while they mingle and chat. You’ll learn to cook from scratch, starting with chopping all the vegetables. Your chef host will show you how to prepare Asian Vegetable Skewers with Dashi Soy Reduction, followed by Soy Sauce Marinated Grilled Salmon with garlic, coriander roots, shiitake rice, and steamed vegetables. The host team handles all the clean up, so you can sit down and enjoy a restaurant experience while you savor your personally cooked meal.

At the end of a busy year, spending time with your team in a relaxed and festive atmosphere is a great way to lift everyone’s spirits. It helps group members connect with one another and unwind outside of work. Whether it's a sunset cruise in Marina del Rey or a cooking experience in a downtown kitchen, a well-planned holiday event allows employees to unwind and celebrate together. Holiday gatherings help break the ice so coworkers share laughs and stories outside the usual work setting. This is a great way to build stronger relationships and show employees they are valued. In fact, a well-planned holiday event can even boost job satisfaction and morale.

Having a holiday team party is perfect for celebrating the year’s achievements. When you recognize individual and team efforts in a festive atmosphere, it makes employees feel appreciated and motivated. Providing a special setting to highlight these accomplishments is a great opportunity to explore LA’s diverse settings. Remember to incorporate various cultural celebrations and traditions in your party. It helps to promote inclusivity and respect and ensures everyone feels represented and appreciated. Your team will feel more connected and ready to tackle the new year with energy and enthusiasm. You can also host a virtual holiday event if your team members are working from home or you just want to provide another venue for your team members to attend.

Planning the perfect LA holiday party
Creating a memorable team holiday party in LA starts with thoughtful planning. Start by choosing a class with a venue that fits your group size, whether it's a cozy cooking class in a private kitchen or a spacious art studio streaming with winter light. Send out detailed invitations early so everyone can plan and be prepared. Whether you’re planning a cooking class or an event with drinks and refreshments, consider dietary restrictions and include non-alcoholic options to ensure everyone feels comfortable and included.

The entertainment you choose can make or break your party. You’ll find a wide range of options for holiday parties in LA, from food and drink experiences to game events to creative outlets. You can ensure plenty of laughs when you plan a white elephant gift exchange or share interactive games like trivia or bingo. Many teams enjoy events that keep the energy high or offer a novel experience. For a quieter celebration, you might like art events like pottery or painting, or a cooking class in a private kitchen. Ensure the atmosphere is welcoming and inclusive by recognizing diverse backgrounds and achievements.

Once you've chosen your holiday party, nail down the details to ensure a smooth experience. Choose a point person to coordinate the event. They’ll coordinate the class details, provide instructions for group members, and arrange for any materials or preparations that are needed. Check in with your instructor or venue shortly before the class to address any last-minute preparations or changes, and let your group members know what they need to bring or wear to the class. If you want time for extra activities at your holiday party, such as annual awards or a social hour, ask whether you can extend the event time accordingly. In addition, consider whether the location of the class allows for transportation or parking for attendees.

Look at what the price for your holiday party includes and consider whether it’s a good value compared to other options. Many parties include all fees upfront, but others may have additional costs such as taxes or gratuities. Make sure you understand the price structure beforehand so you don’t have any surprises on the day of the party. Ask whether your instructors have experience teaching groups of your size and skill level, and consider whether materials for crafts, cooking, or similar activities are good quality. Consider the overall value for your money—some events may be more expensive initially, but they might offer a better experience with comprehensive hosting.

Choosing the best event for your team
When you’re looking for the perfect holiday event in Los Angeles, consider your budget and goals. Are you looking for a hands-on event where everyone will be engaged in a project like cooking or crafts? Do you enjoy high energy events like a high-stakes game of bingo or office olympics? Alternatively, would you rather plan a more relaxed event where you can just kick back, like a wine tasting. A simple white elephant gift exchange can be great fun and offer plenty of laughs along with time to socialize. Consider your team's dynamics. Friendly competition like trivia can be great for familiar groups, while newer teams might benefit from collaborative activities like gingerbread house decorating or a group art project. Make sure the event is accessible to everyone, regardless of their background or skill level. Distributing a pre-event survey can help gauge your team’s likes and dislikes so everyone has a voice in the planning process. A carefully planned holiday event offers a festive and inclusive atmosphere that strengthens bonds and leaves your team looking forward to celebrations in holidays to come.