Christmas challenge ideas for work: team games and quizzes that include everyone

A Christmas challenge at work is a team challenge or game that runs over a few weeks in December. It works when everyone can play from their own desk or site, at a time that suits them. This article covers the mechanics, 10 ideas for challenges and games, and a method for including everyone.

Challenge, game or quiz: what are we talking about?

The words are often mixed up, but they do not describe the same thing. A challenge asks for a concrete action, such as walking, moving or helping someone. A game relies on a rule and some luck or knowledge, such as a quiz or a prize draw. A challenge programme combines both and runs over time, with points, teams and tracking.

This article is about these team mechanics. It does not cover Christmas parties, gifts or the advent calendar, which each have their own article. The links are in the last section.

Shared moments are not always enough. According to the United Heroes x OpinionWay 2026 HR Barometer, a survey of employees in France, 85% of large companies offer shared moments. Yet only 26% of employees in those large companies say these moments give them meaning or energy. The format of these moments therefore deserves as much attention as their number. Source: United Heroes x OpinionWay 2026 HR Barometer.

The mechanics that work

Cumulative activity challenges

Each person builds up points or minutes of activity over several weeks. Teams or sites are ranked, which avoids discouraging people who are less sporty. This suits multi-site organisations, because everyone plays from wherever they are.

Christmas quizzes

A quiz can cover Christmas traditions around the world, the history of the company or good practice in the job. A quiz that people can take at any time within a week is more inclusive than a live one, because nobody has to be free at a fixed hour.

Photo and creative challenges

Teams share a photo on a theme, such as the best break-room corner or the warmest winter outfit. A shared vote picks the favourites. This puts faces and places in front of departments that rarely meet.

Charity challenges

Taking part triggers a donation from the company to a charity, or each site runs a local collection. Announce the scale of the donation before launch. Taking part must stay voluntary.

Discovery games between departments

Mixed teams solve a series of riddles or questions about the company. Each department holds part of the answers. The game forces teams that do not work together to talk to each other.

Instant win and prize draws

An instant win reveals straight away whether you have won a prize. A prize draw picks winners at the end. The first keeps up the suspense every day, the second is simpler to run. As soon as there are prizes, written rules are needed. Have your legal team check them if winners are picked by a random mechanism.

10 challenge and game ideas for December

1. A cumulative activity challenge: each person aims for a daily target in minutes, any activity counting.
2. A team step challenge, ranked by site rather than by person.
3. A Christmas quiz open for a whole week.
4. A company quiz, with questions written by the teams themselves.
5. A winter photo challenge, posted in a private group.
6. A workstation decoration contest, judged by a cross-department vote.
7. A daily riddle solved in a mixed team, with one clue each morning.
8. A gratitude challenge: thank someone from another department every day.
9. A charity collection by site, with a target visible to everyone.
10. A collaborative playlist game, where everyone adds one track.

Getting field teams, multi-site staff and shift workers to play

Many Christmas challenge ideas assume people are at the office: on-site games, escape rooms, parties. Yet part of the workforce works in a workshop, a shop or on the road.

These rules open the game to everyone.

• A game that works on a smartphone. A challenge that requires a login to the head office intranet shuts out part of the workforce. A mobile phone is enough.
• A time chosen by each person. A fixed-time activity does not work for shift workers. Leave a window of a day or a week.
• A ranking by team or site. It compares groups of similar size and rewards everyone's consistency.
• A fair scoring system. A very physical job should not win every time. Count time spent being active rather than distance.
• Local relays. A manager or ambassador at each site announces the game in person, during a team meeting or a briefing.

Including people who do not celebrate Christmas

A Christmas challenge is for the whole company, including people who do not celebrate the day. Three precautions are enough.

First, present the game as an end-of-year ritual. Next, avoid tasks that require believing in Christmas to take full part. Finally, offer at least one mechanic with no festive theme, such as an activity challenge or a company quiz. Taking part stays optional, and nobody should have to explain why they are not playing.

Measuring participation

The number of prizes given says nothing about the people who did not play.

Four indicators are enough to know whether the game reached the whole company.

• Daily participation rate. It shows whether interest holds up or fades after the first week.
• Participation rate by site and by job type. It shows whether the field plays as much as head office.
• Number of people active more than once. It separates the curious from regular participants.
• Qualitative feedback. Two or three short questions at the end tell you what teams liked and what to change.

Set these indicators before launch. You can then adjust next year's edition on facts.

The United Heroes Advent Calendar challenge

United Heroes offers an Advent Calendar challenge over 24 days in December, up to Christmas. Each day, employees aim for a target of 24 points, the equivalent of 24 minutes of activity. All activities count, except daily steps.

The challenge uses an instant win: everyone finds out straight away whether they have won a prize. Prizes are paid for by the company, with a dedicated budget that can cover goodies or benefits. Daily notifications and game mechanics support engagement. We recommend a private group where people share photos and messages. A communication kit is provided.

There are two ways to launch it: a ready-to-launch pack, or a tailored programme built with our community engagement experts. To find out more, see our advent calendar for employees page.

Frequently asked questions

Read more

For other formats to run in December, read our end-of-year activities at work. For a 24-day daily challenge, see our article on the advent calendar at work. To plan your prizes, read our end-of-year gift ideas to reward your employees. The wider topic is covered on our team cohesion page.