Humorous Decorating Ideas for a Christmas Contest at Work

A Christmas decorating contest held by your office can go far beyond traditional white lights and classic green garlands. Instead, consider some cubicle Christmas decorating ideas with a sense of humor. Take the contest one step further by coordinating your work attire with the decorations, such as dressing as a famous Christmas character or wearing an ugly Christmas-themed sweater to tip the contest odds in your favor.

The Griswold family from "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" knew how to light up a neighborhood. Take their advice and put as many lights as you can around the cubicle. Layer the outside and inside of the cubicle with string lights. Add a large, extremely tacky tree decorated with randomly placed colored lights in the corner and set presents under the tree. Post a sign at the entrance to the cube asking visitors to find the bonus check hidden within the cube. Those who find the check can be given a small gag gift.

Take pictures of all of your coworkers before the holidays approach so that they are unaware of what you are doing. Cut out your coworkers' heads from the pictures and place them onto the bodies of elf pictures. Dress your cubicle up with fake snow around its base, randomly placed presents, strings of lights and a large elf sitting in a corner. Hang the pictures of your coworkers as elves around the cube and let people find themselves. Wear an elf costume to work on the day of the contest to further highlight your theme.

Theme your decorations around the classic holiday movie "A Christmas Story." Locate a leg lamp and set it in the center of the cubicle. Cubicle decorating ideas that work well include layering the cube in garland and Christmas lights with large bulbs. Set up a tree in the corner of the cube and string lights around the tree. Hang pictures from the movie -- such as Ralphie looking at the kid with his tongue stuck to the pole, Ralphie sitting with a bar of soap in his mouth and a picture of the Red Ryder BB Gun -- from the Christmas tree. On the day of judging, wear a white cowboy shirt, cowboy hat and black-framed glasses to work.

Decorate the cubicle based on the traditional tacky Christmas sweater. Find the most dated Christmas decorations you can, including a plastic Santa Claus, Rudolph statues and metal hanging Christmas signs, from re-sale stores. Christmas desk decorating items can include glittery stars or small ornaments in every color, and mix and match light strands around the cubicle. Put up a tree and decorate it with giant and tacky ornaments.

Check out the local thrift store to find some ugly Christmas sweaters and keep a stash of them in a box under your desk. As people come into the cubicle, encourage them to put on a ugly sweater and have their picture taken. Print and hang the pictures around the cubicle as memories of your ugly sweater cubicle.