A Christmas get-together (kerstborrel) is typically a social gathering, often with drinks and nibbles, where people can relax and chat. A Christmas activity (kerstactiviteit) is a more organised event or task related to Christmas, such as decorating a tree, carol singing, or a festive craft session.

A Christmas drinks reception and a Christmas activity are two different things: a Christmas drinks reception is an informal social gathering focused on drinking and conversation, whereas a Christmas activity offers a structured programme in which colleagues actively participate and work together. The difference lies in participation: at a drinks reception you are present, at an activity you take part. For companies looking to strengthen their Christmas party programme, it is important to know when to choose which format and how to combine them cleverly.

What makes a Christmas activity different from drinks?

A Christmas activity differs from a Christmas drinks reception in that it offers an active, structured programme with a clear beginning and end, where all participants are challenged to take part. A drinks reception is passive and optional: people stand around with a drink talking to those they already know. An activity breaks that pattern and also brings together colleagues who normally have little contact.

At a Christmas drinks party, everyone decides for themselves what the evening looks like. That works fine for small, close-knit teams where the atmosphere is naturally good. But in larger groups you quickly see that people stick to their usual cliques. The quiet colleague disappears into a corner, the extroverted types dominate the room, and by the end of the evening by no means everyone has spoken to everyone else.

A Christmas activity for colleagues solves that problem by providing structure. Whether it’s an interactive quiz show, a bingo show, or another program: everyone participates at the same time, with the same rules. That creates a shared experience that a drinks reception simply cannot offer. It is precisely that shared experience that ensures people are still talking about the evening months later.

What are the advantages of a Christmas activity compared to drinks?

The benefits of a Christmas activity over a Christmas drinks reception are concrete: greater engagement from all participants, stronger team connection, a clearer highlight in the programme and a memorable experience that is remembered for a long time. Drinks quickly evaporate from the memory; an activity gives people something to talk about.

Specifically for businesses, there are even more reasons to choose an original Christmas party for staff with an active programme:

• Inclusivity Not everyone is a born networker. An activity also gives introverted colleagues a natural way to join in without having to push themselves forward.
• Equality At a quiz or bingo, everyone counts equally, regardless of role or seniority. That lowers barriers and strengthens the sense of togetherness.
• Energy and atmosphere: A well-run programme creates evening peaks: moments of tension, plenty of laughter and interaction, and applause that drinks never organically generate.
• Customisation available: A Christmas activity can be adapted to the identity of the company, from personalised questions to a welcome screen in its own corporate design.

For HR managers and event coordinators responsible for the company Christmas party programme, an activity is also practical: it gives the programme a clear structure and prevents the evening from becoming aimless. That makes organisation simpler and the outcome more predictable.

How do you choose a fun Christmas activity?

Before you make a choice between a drinks reception, an activity or a combination of both, it is useful to go through a number of questions. The answers determine which format best suits your group and occasion.

• Do you mainly want to relax and have lots of laughs, or would you rather collaborate on substantive matters?
• Must everyone be able to participate at the same time?
• Is the group mixed in age, language, or function?
• Is a table-based activity better than something active or physical?
• How much time is available: 45 minutes, 1.5 hours or a full programme?
• Should the activity be linked to a company party, dinner, drinks reception or team day?
• Is customisation desired, for example with your own colleagues, themes or corporate identity?

When do you opt for a Christmas drinks reception and when for an activity?

Opt for a Christmas drinks party if you have a small, close-knit team who know each other well and where the aim is to create an informal atmosphere. Opt for a Christmas activity if you have a larger group, if there are new colleagues, if you want to bring international or hybrid teams together, or if you want a Christmas party programme that really adds something to the team dynamic.

A few concrete situations will help with the consideration:

• Team of 10 to 20 people working together daily: A drink will suffice. The barrier is low, the atmosphere is already there.
• Department of 50 to 500 employees: An activity is almost always the better choice. Without a programme, the evening falls apart.
• International teams of employees working from home: An online or hybrid Christmas activity is the only way to truly involve everyone. A drinks get-together effectively excludes remote colleagues.
• Annual staff event: If the drinks reception has been the standard for years, this is the moment to choose something original. Employees appreciate the variety.

The choice does not have to be exclusive either. Many companies combine both formats, where the activity serves as the anchor point and the drinks reception is built around it.

What are popular Christmas activities for businesses?

Popular corporate Christmas activities include interactive quiz shows, bingo nights, cooking workshops, escape rooms and winter outdoor activities. For large groups, interactive quiz and bingo shows are by far the most suitable, as they are scalable, involve everyone at the same time and require no special skills.

A fun Christmas activity for large groups meets a few basic conditions: everyone can take part, it does not require physical exertion that not everyone can manage, and it creates a shared highlight. That is what makes quizzes and bingo so popular in a corporate context.

Quizzzit organises interactive quiz shows on location throughout the Netherlands and Belgium, for groups ranging from smaller teams to large corporate events with hundreds or even thousands of participants. Depending on the concept and the group size, we use our own interactive technology, such as keypads or participation via smartphone. This way, everyone stays engaged, even with larger groups. The experienced quizmasters from Quizzzit providing energy and pace, while fully tailoring the questions to the company, theme, and occasion.

Besides quizzes, there is also a Interactive bingo show on location an excellent Christmas activity. Bingo has a low barrier to entry, works for all ages and roles, and can be wonderfully adapted to a Christmas theme. The combination of suspense, humour and a shared moment of “bingo!” makes it a crowd favourite at staff events.

How do you combine a Christmas drinks party with an activity?

The most effective approach is to plan the Christmas activity as the centrepiece of the evening and organise the drinks around it: an informal reception with drinks before the start, followed by the programme as the highlight, and afterwards an open end where people can have a post-event drink and chat. That way, you benefit from the advantages of both formats.

In practice, a successful corporate Christmas party programme looks like this:

1. Reception (30 to 45 minutes): Guests arrive, get a drink and can catch up informally. No obligations, just turn up.
2. The programme (60 to 90 minutes): The quiz show or bingo show starts. Everyone is sitting or standing together, there is a quizmaster leading the evening, and the energy peaks during the finale.
3. Flexible end (60 minutes or longer): After the programme there is time for a drink where people enthusiastically chat about the evening. The activity has created topics of conversation that naturally bring the drinks reception to life.

This setup also works brilliantly as a Sinterklaas activity for staff or as a corporate Sinterklaas party: replace the Christmas theme with Sinterklaas elements and the structure remains identical. Quizzzit will tailor the programme completely to the chosen theme, including personalised questions, a welcome screen in the company's house style and, optionally, a video message from management.

Do you want to organise a Christmas party or Sinterklaas drinks event where the programme truly adds value? Quizzzit takes care of everything from start to finish: from the initial quote to the final question on the night itself. With more than 18 years of experience and a customer satisfaction score of 4.9 out of 5 based on over 1,750 reviews, you know what to expect. View the offer at quizzzit.co.uk or read more About Quizzzit and how they make your event a success.

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