HR’s Guide to Surviving the Season: Wrapping Up Work and Wrangling Holiday Cheer

It’s that time of year again—the office is buzzing with holiday spirit, and HR is in full “festive mode” (but still trying to keep the peace). While everyone else is dreaming of holiday parties and mistletoe, we’re making sure the holiday joy doesn’t turn into holiday chaos. Here’s how HR survives the Christmas countdown with a smile (and maybe a little eggnog).

1. The Elf on the HR Shelf Holiday spirit is in full swing, and suddenly, HR is the office elf, keeping a watchful eye on everything from overly “creative” decorations to surprise holiday pranks. We’re all for festive fun, but we draw the line at anyone trying to gift-wrap someone else’s desk. We still have flashbacks to the time Carl from IT wrapped everything in Janet’s office—including her chair. Fun, but also... a bit much.

2. The Holiday Playlist Tug-of-War The moment someone starts playing Christmas music, the battle begins. There’s the “Let’s listen to holiday music all day!” team and the “One more ‘Jingle Bells’ and I quit” crowd. HR is here to mediate, suggesting a playlist that includes holiday hits but also sneaks in a few neutral tunes to keep everyone from staging a mutiny. And yes, we’ll allow “Feliz Navidad”—just not on a 10-song loop.

3. The Great Gift Wrapping Mystery Secret Santa has everyone sneaking around, wrapping gifts in conference rooms and using office supplies like scissors and tape (which, by the way, will mysteriously go missing until mid-January). HR’s job? Ensure no one steals the entire office supply closet in their quest to create the perfect holiday package. And maybe provide a friendly reminder that Post-it notes are not wrapping paper.

4. The Never-Ending Christmas Cookie Exchange We love holiday treats as much as the next department, but around mid-December, HR starts to notice the breakroom has turned into a cookie battlefield. Every flat surface is covered in trays of sugar cookies, gingerbread men, and mystery fudge. HR’s mission? Keep the peace during the inevitable “my cookies are better” debates and remind everyone that, yes, we do have other food groups besides sugar.

5. The Ugly Sweater Extravaganza Ugly sweater day is an office tradition, but someone always takes it to the next level. This year, Carol has a sweater with LED lights, and Mike’s sweater plays “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” on repeat. While we appreciate the creativity, HR is secretly just hoping the batteries run out before noon. Remember, folks—ugly sweater day is fun until your sweater becomes a fire hazard.

6. The Holiday Party Over-Planning Syndrome The holiday party is always a big deal, but there’s a thin line between festive and over-the-top. HR’s role is to make sure the planning committee doesn’t go overboard with ideas like renting live reindeer or hiring an ice sculptor for the buffet table. Let’s stick to good food, a fun playlist, and maybe a holiday trivia game—because nothing says “merry” like avoiding a holiday budget crisis.

7. The Office Gift-Giving Olympics There’s always one person who treats office gift-giving like an Olympic sport, going way beyond the $20 limit. Meanwhile, someone else grabs a candle from their closet 10 minutes before the gift exchange. HR’s job? Smooth over the awkwardness with a “Hey, it’s the thought that counts!” and make sure no one feels bad about their last-minute mug gift. Remember: gift cards are your friend.

8. The Pre-Holiday Productivity Slump The closer we get to Christmas, the more it feels like the office is running on holiday spirit and caffeine. HR is here to gently remind everyone that while we’re all excited about our Christmas break, there’s still work to be done. Yes, you can finish your holiday shopping after the meeting, Carl.

At the end of the day, HR’s mission is simple: keep the office festive, fun, and functional during the holiday season. Whether we’re mediating the great playlist debate or making sure no one accidentally lights their sweater on fire, we’re here to spread joy—without letting the holiday cheer derail the workplace entirely.

Happy Holidays from HR, where we make sure the sleigh stays on track all the way to Christmas! 🎅🎄