Holiday party guide

Run the holiday party raffle without the chaos.

You got handed the raffle. Here's how to get everyone entered, remote staff included, pick the prizes and the order to draw them, and put on a draw the room actually watches.

The demo is a made-up company's holiday party, played with the real reveal code.

The SimplyRaffle mascot in a suit, cheering with both fists in the air
Step by step

From staff list to winner in four steps.

1

Before the party: get people in

Import your staff list and everyone gets one emailed link: tap it and they're entered. No app, no password, no account. Rather keep it loose? Skip the list and post one QR code at the door instead.

2

Remote and hybrid staff

People who can't make it enter from the same emailed link and watch the draw on the live results page from wherever they are. Nobody has to be in the office to win, unless you want them to be.

3

Practice first

Test Mode runs a practice raffle with sample prizes and stand-in participants, so you can rehearse the whole draw on the projector the day before. Nothing sends and nothing gets used up.

4

The draw

Press Draw. The winner plays out on the big screen and lands on every phone in the room within a few seconds, so the cheer happens once. Afterwards, everyone gets the results by email.

Holiday looks

Dress the draw for the season.

The Modern reveals come with holiday themes: their own colors and decorations around the edges of the screen, kept clear of the winner's name. Included with paid plans.

Each card opens the sample ceremony in that theme.

Prizes

What to give away, and in what order.

Easy crowd-pleasers

  • Gift cards for coffee, lunch or delivery
  • A cozy winter kit: throw blanket, cocoa, a good mug
  • Wireless earbuds or a portable speaker
  • A nice water bottle or insulated tumbler

Things people talk about

  • An extra paid day off
  • Reserved parking for a month
  • Lunch with the team of their choice
  • Tickets for an escape room or a game

The grand prize

  • A tablet, smartwatch or noise-canceling headphones
  • A weekend getaway or travel voucher
  • A bigger gift card with a clear number on it

Running order that works

  • ▶  Small prizes first, grand prize last. The room stays for the end, and the grand prize gets the longer gold reveal.
  • ▶  Add a photo to every prize. Between prizes, the big screen shows what’s up next with its photo, and a picture gets a louder reaction than a line of text.
  • ▶  Set a prize budget before you shop. Then decide how many prizes it covers, instead of the other way round.
  • ▶  Pace it. Draw a few prizes between speeches or courses instead of all at once, so the room keeps coming back to the screen.
Keeping it fair

Everyone gets a real chance.

Same odds, or a bonus

One entry each is the default. Want a little fun? Add a question like “Wearing a holiday sweater?” and give extra entries for the answer. The bonus counts in the draw itself.

Winner not in the room?

Re-draw that prize on the spot. The person who was replaced stays visible on the list rather than disappearing, so nobody wonders what happened.

Pricing

One flat fee for the party.

A party of up to 100 people is $9. No per-employee fees and no percentage of the prize budget.

Over 500 people? Get a quote by email, usually the same day. Holiday themes come with the Modern reveals on paid plans.

Rather not set it up yourself? Concierge Setup does it for you and rehearses the draw with you on a call.

See full pricing, add-ons and fine print →

Questions

Holiday raffle questions.

No. Each person gets an emailed link, or scans one QR code at the party. No app, no password, no account.
Yes. People who can't be in the room enter from their emailed link and watch the draw on the live results page from wherever they are, and every participant gets the results by email afterwards.
Yes. Import your staff list and send each person their own link, so only people on the list are in the draw. Or open it to the whole room with a QR code at the door.
Re-draw that prize on the spot. The person who was replaced stays visible on the list rather than disappearing, so nobody wonders what happened.
Raffle and sweepstakes rules vary by state, and for-profit businesses face different rules than nonprofits. An employee prize drawing where nobody buys a ticket usually falls outside paid-raffle rules, but that call is yours to make, so check with your state's gaming authority or an attorney if you're unsure. We're the drawing tool, not your lawyer.
Most holiday raffles are set up in one sitting: describe the party, import the staff list, add the prizes. If you'd rather not, Concierge Setup does it for you and rehearses the draw with you on a call.

This year's holiday raffle.
Without the chaos.

Start free with up to 30 people and try the whole thing, practice draw included. We ask for a card to keep out spam signups. It’s never charged unless you upgrade.

Check your local rules first

Raffle and sweepstakes rules vary by state, and for-profit businesses face different rules than nonprofits. An employee prize drawing where nobody buys a ticket usually falls outside paid-raffle rules, but that call is yours to make, so check with your state's gaming authority or an attorney if you're unsure. We're the drawing tool, not your lawyer. More on the rules →

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