The 2026 Holiday Party Activity That Doubles as the Gift: Lamp-Making in Brooklyn

Every December, the same thing happens at office holiday parties across New York: drinks, small talk, a Secret Santa gift that ends up in a drawer by January. This year, there's a better answer — a holiday party activity where the gift is something your team makes themselves.

Bat Haus is an event venue at 459 Grand Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and our lamp-making workshop has quietly become the most-booked add-on for company holiday parties. Everyone designs and paints a lamp, and everyone leaves with a working light they made — months later, it's still glowing on someone's nightstand, which is more than most holiday party favors can say.

What is a good holiday party activity for work teams in NYC?

A hands-on workshop where everyone makes something they keep is one of the best holiday party activities for work teams in NYC — it gives colleagues something to do together besides drink, works for creative and non-creative people alike, and replaces the gift line item in your budget. Our lamp-making workshop runs about two hours: each person builds and paints their own lamp, with all materials, tools, and a guiding host included. Bases, cords, fittings, hardware, and bulbs are all part of it, so what goes home actually works.

It's low-pressure by design. Nobody needs art skills, the painting is the fun part, and the finished lamps lined up together at the end of the night make the best group photo of the season.

How much does a lamp-making holiday party cost?

Lamp-making at Bat Haus starts at $105 per person for groups up to 50, with materials, tools, host, and our space included. If you'd rather bring the workshop to your office, our mobile version comes to workplaces anywhere in Brooklyn and Manhattan at $125 per person with a 15-person minimum — we bring everything, including setup and cleanup. For comparison, NYC craft workshops typically run $99–$179 per person, so the pricing sits comfortably in the middle with the venue included.

If you're hosting your holiday party at Bat Haus anyway, the workshop can be added to your rental from $85 per person — the most cost-effective way to do it.

Can we host the whole holiday party at Bat Haus?

Yes — and this is where the math gets good. Weekend holiday parties at Bat Haus start at $1,350 flat for a 5-hour rental for up to 50 guests, and weekday corporate holiday parties run $275/hour with a 4-hour minimum. You bring your own food and drinks — no corkage, no catering minimums, no markup — which is how a full company holiday party in Brooklyn comes in at a fraction of what Manhattan venues charge per head. String lights, the private backyard, and setup and cleanup are included.

Add the lamp workshop and you've got the whole evening: party, activity, and gift, in one booking. We wrote a full guide to when to book a holiday party venue in NYC — the short version is that December dates, especially the first two Fridays, go first, and most venues are largely committed by the end of August.

Does lamp-making work for teams that "aren't creative"?

Yes — lamp-making is beginner-proof, which is exactly why it works for mixed teams. The structure is already built; the creative part is the painting, and there's no wrong way to do it. We've hosted 400+ workshops since 2012, and the pattern is consistent: the people who protest loudest at the start are the ones photographing their lamp at the end. It also works beautifully as a team-building activity outside the holidays, and as a birthday party idea in Brooklyn for grown-ups.

FAQs

When should we book a December lamp-making party? By the end of August if you want your pick of dates. December Fridays go first, and most NYC venues are largely committed for December before fall even starts.

How long does the workshop take? About two hours — it fits neatly into a holiday party evening or an afternoon office wind-down.

Can you come to our office instead? Yes. The mobile workshop comes to offices anywhere in Brooklyn and Manhattan at $125 per person (15-person minimum), with all materials, table coverings, setup, and cleanup included.

What's the largest group you can host? Up to 50 people, in our Williamsburg space or at your office.

Do the lamps actually work? Yes — every lamp goes home complete with base, cord, fitting, hardware, and bulb.

Ready to lock a date? Text 917-865-8660 or check your date — tours are free and take 15 minutes.