The Office Party Planning Guide

Party Planning Checklist

The Office Party

A step-by-step checklist for an Office birthday, work party or Dundies night. Quantities are for 8 guests.

Guests: 8
Length: 2–3 hours
Dessert: cupcakes
Colors: Dunder Mifflin blue, white, gray

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3–4 weeks before

Invitations & guest list

Set the date, time and headcountPlan on 2–3 hours. Evenings and weekend afternoons work best.
Send invitationsSend a text, an e-vite or mailed invitations. Ask guests to RSVP 1 week out.
Optional: dress codeBusiness casual, Dundies-style. Bonus points for a Dwight mustard shirt or a "World's Best Boss" mug.
Pick the spaceSet the table up like a conference room, and save a wall for the cutouts.

3–4 weeks before

Order your party supplies

Tableware for 8The Standard or Deluxe Pack Prime Party covers this. To build your own, get 8 dinner plates, 8 dessert plates, lunch and beverage napkins and a table cover.
CupsThe Office cups (8) Prime Party.
Forks & spoonsGrab 20 of each: navy forks and navy spoons, or white forks and spoons. Prime Party
StreamersTwist royal blue and white together, or use the Dunder Mifflin crepe paper. Prime Party
Latex balloonsThe Dunder Mifflin balloons mixed with white and silver pearlized balloons. The banner, balloon and streamer pack bundles it all. Prime Party
ConfettiScatter silver circle confetti down the table. Prime Party
DécorThe roll banner and Dunder Mifflin crepe paper Prime Party.
Cupcake wrappers (12) and water bottle labels (16)Cupcake wrappers and bottle labels Prime Party. These set how many cupcakes and bottles you buy. See the food section.
GamesBingo and Pin-the-Tail Prime Party.
Optional: cutouts and yard signsMichael, Dwight or Jim & Pam cutouts, plus the Michael Scott yard sign Prime Party.
Optional: chili apronThe Kevin's Famous Chili apron Prime Party for whoever is on chili duty.
Favors (8)The Office favor boxes Prime Party, one per guest.

1–2 weeks before

Plan the food & drinks

Order or bake 12 cupcakesYou have 12 cupcake wrappers, so get cupcakes, not a cake. Write "Happy Birthday" on a few and "Congratulations" on the rest, just like the cold open.
Buy 16 bottles of waterYou have 16 bottle labels, so that's 2 per guest. Standard 16.9 oz bottles are the easiest to wrap.
Plan the main courseKevin's Famous Chili (carry it carefully) with cornbread and toppings.
SnacksPretzels (Pretzel Day!), a veggie tray and a candy bowl.
Plan the drinksMake Schrute Farms Beet Lemonade (the recipe is after the store list), plus water. Plan for 2–3 drinks per guest.
IceAbout 1 lb per person, so one 10 lb bag.

1–2 weeks before

Games & prizes

Buy prizes for every gameWinners pick from the prize basket (see the DIY games below). Plan on 15–20 small prizes. Bingo usually runs 4–5 games, so buy extra.
BingoBingo is always a hit, so plan on 4–5 games. The boxed bingo game comes with markers.
Pin-the-Tail: blindfold + tapeHang the poster at eye level with painter's tape. Blindfold each player, spin them twice, and the closest pin wins.
Photo boothSet up a photo spot with the photo booth props Prime Party.
TriviaPrint this guide and leave the trivia page on the table. It's at the end of this checklist.

1–2 weeks before

Bonus DIY games (free to make)

Number Scramble: make the numbersWrite one big number per guest (1–8) on half sheets of 8.5 × 11 paper and tape them to the floor around the house. Write the same numbers on slips of paper and put them in a bowl.
Number Scramble: how to playAbout every 15 minutes, ring a bell or play The Office theme on a speaker. Everyone scrambles to stand on an open number. Draw a slip from the bowl, and whoever is standing on that number picks a prize. Set the winning slip aside so more guests get a turn.
Lucky Plate: mark one plateBefore you set the table, draw a tiny Dundie trophy on the bottom of one dinner plate.
Lucky Plate: the revealHalfway through the meal, announce that everyone should check under their plate. Whoever finds the tiny Dundie trophy picks a prize.
Prize basketFill a basket with inexpensive prizes for winners to pick from: movie-theater candy boxes, $1–2 scratch tickets, "World's Best Boss" mugs and pretzels. Use it for every game. Buy more than you think you'll need. Leftover candy and scratch tickets make great thank-you prizes for your clean-up crew. 😉

1 week before

Favors

Buy favor fillers for 8Pretzels, mini candy bars, a Dundie made from a candy bar, or a mini scratch-off.
Optional take-homeA leftover cupcake or a bottle of water for the road.

Day before

Prep & set up

Wrap the water bottlesPeel off the store labels, wrap with The Office labels and chill.
Fill the 8 favor boxes
Make the Number Scramble signs and slips; mark the lucky plateTape the numbers down on party day so they don't get kicked around.
Hang the banners and wall décorPut the wall piece behind the food or photo area, and drape the banner over a doorway or the food table.
Inflate balloonsMix blue, white and silver. Air-filled clusters last longer than helium. Hang the streamers and scatter the confetti on the table last.
Set out serving dishesFood goes in bowls and on platters, not on the printed plates, so the artwork stays visible.

$Dunder Mifflin latex balloons$

Party day

Run of show

3 hrs before	Pick up the cupcakes and the food.
2 hrs before	Table cover, 8 place settings, and the centerpiece.
1 hr before	Fill the cooler, set up the games, and tape down the Number Scramble numbers.
Arrival	Music on, drinks in hand, photo booth open.
Every 15 min	Ring the bell for a Number Scramble round.
+30 min	Dinner or appetizers. Lucky Plate reveal halfway through.
+1 hr 15	Bingo and Pin-the-Tail.
+1 hr 45	Cupcakes and candles, "Happy Birthday," then trivia.
Goodbyes	Hand out the favors at the door.

Take this to the store

Your pick-up list

Everything here comes from the grocery or dollar store.

Food
12 cupcakesfor the wrappers
Chili + cornbread
Chili toppingscheese, sour cream, onions
Pretzels + veggie tray
Drinks
16 bottles of waterfor the labels
Beet lemonade ingredientssee the recipe below
Iceabout 10 lb
Games & favors
Prize basket: 15–20 small prizesget extra, since games go lots of rounds
Paper, tape + markerfor Number Scramble
Bell or speaker
Bandana or scarffor the blindfold
Favor fillers for 8
Supplies
Painter's tape + removable hooks
Balloon pump or helium + ribbon
Serving bowls & platters
Birthday candles + lighter
Cooler or tub

Signature drink (non-alcoholic)

Schrute Farms Beet Lemonade

A bright pink lemonade colored with a little beet juice. Dwight approved. Alcohol-free. Makes about 10 cups, enough for 8 guests. Time: 10 min.

Ingredients

1 cup fresh lemon juice (6–8 lemons)
¾ cup sugar
6 cups cold water
½ cup beet juice (store-bought)
Ice
Lemon slices for garnish

Steps

Stir the lemon juice and sugar until the sugar dissolves.
Add the water and beet juice.
Chill, then pour over ice.
Garnish with lemon slices.

Tip: Start with less beet juice and add more until you like the color. It turns the lemonade a deep pink.

Table talk

12 Office Trivia Questions

Leave this page at the table and take turns reading them out loud. They make for fun conversations at the table.

What paper company do the characters work for?
Show answer
Dunder Mifflin
In which city is the branch?
Show answer
Scranton, Pennsylvania
What does Dwight grow on his farm?
Show answer
Beets (Schrute Farms)
Which Michael alter ego warns about "the dementors"?
Show answer
Prison Mike
What is the name of Michael's annual office awards show?
Show answer
The Dundies
What famous dish does Kevin spill on the floor?
Show answer
His famous chili
What does Jim put Dwight's stapler in?
Show answer
Jell-O
What was Andy's a cappella group at Cornell?
Show answer
Here Comes Treble
What is the name of Angela's cat that Dwight freezes?
Show answer
Sprinkles
What does Michael's coffee mug say?
Show answer
"World's Best Boss"
Who plays Michael Scott?
Show answer
Steve Carell
What is Pam's job at the start of the series?
Show answer
Receptionist