The best julebord ideas keep what people look forward to: the long table, ribbe or pinnekjøtt, akevitt, and candlelight. Add one hosted shared moment to the evening and that is what the room will still be talking about in January. For companies in Oslo, good julebord dates fill from late summer, so early planning is simply how it is done.
Julebord activity formats at a glance
| Activity | Format | Group size | Works at | What people take home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candle making and scent blending | Hands-on craft | 8 to 80 | Office, hired venue, studio | A hand-poured candle in a personal scent |
| Seasonal wreath making | Hands-on craft | 8 to 60 | Office, hired venue | A wreath to hang at home |
| Chocolate masterclass | Tasting and making | 10 to 100 | Office, hired venue, studio | Handmade chocolates to take |
| Wine tasting | Guided tasting | 10 to 150 | Office, hired venue, restaurant | Palate notes and a favourite discovery |
| Ceramic decoration | Craft with a keepsake | 8 to 50 | Studio, hired venue | A decorated ceramic piece |
| Improvisation or music session | Group experience | 10 to 60 | Office, theatre, hired venue | Confidence, laughter and a shared memory |
| Drawing or painting | Creative craft | 8 to 40 | Studio, hired venue | Original artwork to keep or frame |
What keeps a julebord genuinely memorable
Julebord (the company Christmas gathering) is one of the most anticipated events in the Norwegian working calendar. The long table, the careful choosing between ribbe and pinnekjøtt, the akevitt toast, and candles against the winter dark: these are the ground on which a great evening is built. The food is serious, the atmosphere is warm, and colleagues arrive expecting something a little ceremonial. What the best gatherings do is add one well-chosen shared moment that gives the group something to do and feel together before the evening settles into conversation and courses.
Gallup’s research on workplace engagement shows consistently that the quality of connection between colleagues has a meaningful bearing on how people experience their work. The julebord is one of the year’s natural opportunities to deepen that connection. The shared moment can be simple. What matters is that it is real, well hosted and chosen for the specific group in front of you. When it is, the evening carries a different warmth from the first course to the last toast.
Where the activity fits within the evening
The shared moment works best in three natural positions. As an arrival activity, a candle-making or scent-blending station, a wreath-making table, or a chocolate tasting gives colleagues something to do with their hands while the group assembles. This is the most reliable slot: it dissolves the first-drink awkwardness, pulls people into conversation, and means the group arrives at the long table already connected. As a between-courses moment, a short music or improvisation exercise, a guided wine tasting, or a sketch challenge works well for groups that want something livelier mid-evening. As a post-dinner experience, a guided drawing session or ceramic decoration gives the evening a slow, pleasurable close.
For most groups of 20 to 80 colleagues, the arrival slot delivers most consistently. It is visible to everyone, genuinely low-pressure, and sets the tone for the whole night.
An example julebord evening
The following is an example evening for 40 colleagues at a hired venue in central Oslo. Guests arrive at 18:00 to find a candle-making station already set up, a facilitator guiding small groups through choosing a seasonal scent and pouring their own pillar candle. By 19:15, candles are setting and guests move to the long table. Ribbe and pinnekjøtt arrive at 19:30, with akevitt and wines. The table settles into the long, easy conversation a good julebord produces. At 21:00, a 20-minute improvisation exercise runs before the evening opens into dessert and the kind of laughter that needs little prompting. By 22:30, guests leave with a candle in a small bag, a shared memory, and the particular ease that comes from an evening that had a shape.
What makes a julebord activity land well
- Chosen for the group’s energy: a craft for a team that enjoys making things, music or improvisation for a team that enjoys performing
- Timed to the arrival or aperitif slot so everyone participates from the start
- Hosted by an experienced facilitator who brings all materials, sets up before guests arrive, and leaves nothing for the team to manage
- Short enough to feel complete: 30 to 50 minutes is the right range for most formats
- Produces something the group shares or takes home, so the memory has a physical anchor
- Confirmed early, alongside the venue and the date
What are good julebord activities for a company?
The company julebord activities that land most consistently are hands-on, take 30 to 50 minutes, and ask nothing of participants beyond showing up with curiosity. Candle making, seasonal wreath making, a chocolate masterclass, and a guided wine tasting are all reliably popular: festive, tactile, and straightforward to run alongside a pre-dinner drink. Music and improvisation sessions work particularly well for groups that enjoy a more expressive, high-energy evening. The right choice depends on the group’s character and how much the team wants to arrive at the long table having already done something together. The full range of end-of-year team events gives a useful sense of what is available.
When should we book our julebord?
Oslo’s julebord season runs from mid-November to mid-December, with the most sought-after dates in the last two weeks of November and the first week of December. Experienced facilitators confirm their calendars well in advance, and it is common for Oslo companies to secure their arrangements in September or October. Planning from late summer is simply good practice: the best sessions go to those who plan early. For broader context on what teams in Oslo are booking around this time of year, the team activities in Oslo journal page is a useful reference.
Can a julebord activity work for a large group?
Several formats scale comfortably to 100 colleagues and beyond. A guided wine or chocolate tasting runs naturally for large groups, and a candle-making or scent-blending station works at any scale by operating as simultaneous parallel tables, each with a facilitator. For groups above 60, a short central demonstration followed by hands-on stations at each table is often the most practical arrangement, and it has the additional benefit of keeping the energy consistent across the whole room from the first minute.
How do we include colleagues who do not drink?
Sensory and craft formats such as candle making, wreath making, ceramic decoration, and chocolate making are entirely independent of alcohol: everyone participates equally and the experience is equally rich. For a wine or spirits tasting, non-alcoholic alternatives at the table are straightforward to arrange, and an experienced facilitator keeps the focus on aroma, flavour and craft. An inclusive julebord is a very straightforward thing to plan with the right host.
Can the activity happen at our own venue or office?
Most of the craft and sensory formats travel well. A facilitator arrives with all materials, sets up before guests arrive, and closes the session with nothing left for the team to clear or organise. A candle-making station, a scent-blending table, a wreath-making workshop, or a chocolate tasting requires nothing more than adequate table space. Ceramic and glass decoration tend to work best at a studio where specialist equipment is already in place, and those sessions run in the host’s own studio in Oslo. Both routes are straightforward to arrange.
Plan a session
Tell us your group size, preferred date and the kind of evening you have in mind, and we will curate a julebord format that fits the occasion and the room. Or explore our experts and sessions and choose for yourself. Either way, start with julebord and company celebrations in Oslo.
References
- Gallup, State of the Global Workplace: gallup.com