Work Costume Contest Ideas

Ideas for Work Costume Parties

The excitement that comes with dressing up in a costume and taking on a new identity is something we don’t leave behind in childhood. There’s the fun of choosing a unique idea, accumulating the perfect pieces for your costume, adding your own spin, and having people guess who or what you’ve dressed up as. Make the dress-up event a costume contest, and everyone gets into the spirit! With Halloween approaching, we’re starting to feel that same exciting thrill in the air!

Hosting an office costume contest is a fun way to build up anticipation for your next work event! It allows your team members to put in as much or as little effort as they want while still participating. And, of course, you can’t deny the impact of offering prizes for your contest winners: not only will more people get involved, but you’ll also see a lot more well-done, unique, clever costumes!

Hosting a costume contest at work, whether it’s for Halloween or a different event or holiday, can be just as tricky as it is fun. There will always be a few people that don’t want to get involved, judging a costume contest is very subjective, and you may get a lot of questions about what is and isn’t appropriate for a work event. That’s why we created this guide! Below are tips for planning an office costume party, setting up a contest, and deciding what kinds of costumes are appropriate.

 

How To Host a Work Costume Contest

Planning a costume contest can be a bigger undertaking than you might think, especially if you want to encourage maximum participation from your team. Here are a few tips for planning a work costume contest!

Plan Well in Advance

It’s important to send invites with costume contest details right away so that your team members can begin planning their costumes. People are a lot more likely to participate if you send reminders early and often.

Choose Teams

Instead of having employees compete as individuals, it can be fun to create teams! This helps encourage participation from team members who might be nervous about dressing up on their own. Let everyone know early on so they can coordinate a group costume!

Pick Your Prizes

As we know, exciting prizes can make or break a work costume contest! Choose whether prizes will be awarded to the best individual costume, best group costume, most creative, funniest costume, etc. Advertise great prizes to get people excited, or keep them a surprise and drop hints along the way!

Decide on a Theme

It can be fun to let your team members’ imaginations run wild, but choosing a theme adds another layer of excitement to your event. Choose a spooky theme, movie theme, pun/joke theme, or a theme based on your industry.

Communicate What’s Appropriate

Since it’s a work event, it’s important to communicate your expectations for the dress code. Rather than leaving the opportunity for people to wear inappropriate or offensive costumes, set clear rules for what employees can and can’t wear. This can be as strict or as loose as you’d like it to be, just be sure that you’re adhering to your company’s brand and values. Communicating guidelines in advance also helps cut down on a flood of questions later.

 

How to Decorate for an Office Costume Party

One of the best ways to get everyone on your team into the spirit of things is by decorating your space! When you transform your workspace with fun decor, people are able to put aside work stress and relax more easily. You want to create a festive atmosphere that won’t make your team feel like they’re staying late to work.

If you’re decorating for Halloween, there are thousands of different routes to take. You can lean toward more wholesome, nostalgic Halloween decor that reminds everyone of their childhoods. You can lean toward a darker, more sophisticated but spooky aesthetic. You can go all out with realistic, spine-chilling decor. Whatever vibe suits your team best is the right one! Just make sure your decor is cohesive and sticks to the aesthetic you’re going for to create a holistic experience.

Custom Prize Ideas for Work Costume Contests

Now to the most exciting part of any costume contest: custom prizes! Below are a few exciting branded gift ideas that will encourage the whole team to join in on the fun:

Logo-Printed Courant Natural MAG 2: Essentials

This custom wireless charger is a must-have for a streamlined workspace. The printed Courant MAG 2: Essentials charges two devices at once! It’s also magnetized to hold your phone so you can listen to music, watch videos, or join meetings hands-free.

 

Custom Stanley Cream Quencher H2.O FlowState Tumbler - 30 oz

The custom Stanley Quencher went viral for a reason: it has everything you want out of your everyday drinkware. It has a comfortable carrying handle, fits in most cupholders, and keeps drinks cold for hours, perfect for all-day hydration.

 

Branded Bose Triple Black QuietComfort 45 Wireless Noise Cancelling Over-the-Ear Headphones

Whether your team members work from home, come into the office, or have a hybrid schedule, these custom noise-canceling headphones from Bose are the perfect costume contest prize! Branded noise-canceling headphones can help your employees focus and improve productivity at the office, coffee shops, the gym, or at home.

 

Contact Us

Contact us for more costume contest prize ideas! At Merchology, we’re here to help you find the right products and answer any questions you might have about logo decoration, color options, sizing, shipping, and much more.