It’s that time of year when workplaces start planning festive activities, gift exchanges, and celebrations. But here’s something important to remember: not everyone celebrates the same holidays, and some people don’t celebrate any at all.

Creating an inclusive workplace isn’t just about making sure everyone is invited to the celebration. It’s about recognizing that not everyone celebrates the same things, and belonging shouldn’t depend on participation in a particular tradition.

What if, instead of focusing exclusively on holiday-themed activities, we created opportunities for play that everyone could enjoy, regardless of what they celebrate?

Play can encourage creativity, spark curiosity, strengthen relationships, and offer moments of relief during a busy workday. And it doesn’t require an elaborate event, a big budget, or a particular holiday.

Here are five simple ways to invite a little more play into your workplace this season.

1. Duck the Halls!

Hide miniature rubber or plastic ducks around the workplace for coworkers to discover. Turn it into an ongoing scavenger hunt, offer clues to particularly tricky hiding spots, or introduce a special duck that earns bragging rights for whoever finds it.

There’s something delightfully unexpected about discovering a tiny duck peeking out from behind a bookshelf or sitting on top of the office printer. It’s a small invitation to curiosity and laughter that doesn’t require anyone to stop what they’re doing or participate in a scheduled activity.

2. The Traveling Desk Mascot

Introduce a small stuffed animal, dinosaur, or other quirky character that mysteriously moves around the workplace. Coworkers can create silly scenes, add accessories, or document its adventures.

Maybe the dinosaur is attending a meeting. Perhaps it’s supervising the coffee maker. The possibilities are endless, and the shared storytelling can become a fun way to connect across departments.

3. The Community Doodle Board

Set up a whiteboard or shared drawing space with rotating prompts like “Draw your mood as a potato,” “Invent an animal that should exist,” or “What would your superhero sidekick look like?”

Anyone can contribute whenever inspiration strikes. Artistic talent is absolutely not required! The goal isn’t to create a masterpiece but to encourage imagination, self-expression, and a little shared silliness.

4. The Two-Minute Mystery

Share a weekly riddle, rebus puzzle, visual brainteaser, or mystery photograph in a common area or digital workspace.

Keep the challenges short enough that someone can participate during a quick break. Invite coworkers to collaborate on solving them, and reveal the answer at the end of the week.

Sometimes, approaching a problem simply for the fun of solving it can be a refreshing change from the problems we’re expected to solve all day.

5. The Jar of Unexpected Joy

Fill a jar with tiny creative challenges that coworkers can draw whenever they need a mental reset.

Some ideas include:

• Invent a ridiculous new office tradition.
• Give an everyday office supply a superhero name and power.
• Write a six-word story about your day.
• Come up with the world’s most useless invention.
• Create a new word for something that happens regularly at work.

These little challenges invite people to think differently, use their imaginations, and find humor in ordinary moments.

Bonus: Take a Fika Break!

Borrow a little inspiration from the Swedish tradition of fika. Often described as a coffee break, fika is really about taking time to slow down, enjoy a pause, and connect with others.

Invite coworkers to gather for a casual break with coffee, tea, water, or whatever they enjoy. No agenda, no holiday theme, and no pressure to talk about work. Just an opportunity to share a conversation, get to know someone better, or enjoy a moment of connection.

These informal interactions can help strengthen workplace relationships, build trust, and foster a greater sense of belonging. Sometimes the most valuable connections happen when we’re not focused on getting something done.

A Final Thought About Inclusion and Play

Creating an inclusive workplace doesn’t mean expecting everyone to enjoy the same activities. It means offering opportunities that respect different beliefs, traditions, personalities, abilities, and comfort levels.

That might mean providing digital versions of activities for remote colleagues, making sure scavenger hunts are accessible to people with mobility limitations, or recognizing that some people would rather observe than participate.

And perhaps most importantly, play should always be an invitation, never an obligation.

We can’t eliminate workplace stress with rubber ducks, doodles, or coffee breaks. Systemic workplace challenges require systemic solutions. But that doesn’t mean we should overlook the value of small moments of joy, curiosity, creativity, and human connection.

This season, consider making room for a little more play. Not because everyone celebrates the same things, but because everyone deserves opportunities to feel welcomed, connected, and valued.

What are some ways your workplace creates opportunities for play and connection that don’t revolve around a particular holiday or tradition?