5 Ways to Thank Your Team After a Busy Christmas Season

It’s Christmas! It’s also the end of the year. How do you thank your team?

They’ve volunteered their time this year, they’ve gotten to church early and stayed late, they’ve used their gifts, many have used their own gear! If you’re in a church like mine, you probably have musicians that serve every or nearly every week. On top of that, the Christmas season may have brought extra rehearsals, a Christmas program, and added services. Your team certainly deserves a thanks! But how do you do it? 

Believe it or not this question comes up fairly often, so here are a few ideas for saying “thank you” this Christmas season!  

1. Tell them

This might seem obvious to some, but simply saying “thank you” is often overlooked. Sometimes we think saying thank you isn’t enough, so we never say it at all. We’re looking and looking for another way to express our thanks, but forget that your words can go a long way. Start there! (HERE’s another post I wrote about saying thanks!)

2. Gifts

If you have the budget for it, a gift card, candle, coffee mug, or book is a simple and relatively cheap way to express your appreciation. (Books are usually my go-to for gifts!) Put some thought into what your team would enjoy. If possible, put some thought into what individuals would enjoy! That gets harder has you grow, but it can be a lot of fun. 

Pro-tip:If you like this idea, add a “team appreciation” category to your budget next year. That will make sure you have the funds for this next Christmas! 

3. Food

 I believe food is a universal love language. Take your team to dinner one night, buy lunch after service on Sunday or order pizza at your next rehearsal. It’s a simple gesture, but one that will allow you to show your appreciation easily! 

4. Cancel Rehearsal 

Christmas is probably busy. Even if you don’t have a Christmas program or added services, your team is serving when they could be doing something else. Give them a break! Cancel rehearsal one week. Strip down the band to just a few instruments if need be. Give them some time off. 

5. Throw a Party

Do you host a regular team night? Make the next one a celebration! That’s an easy, built in time for your team to be together. Make the most out of it! If you don’t, you can still throw a party! Don’t let the fact that we’re halfway through December stop you. Throw a party in January that celebrates the year behind and anticipates the year ahead! 

Show your team some appreciation for all of their hard work this year! How you do it isn’t nearly as important as the fact that you’re making a point to do it. Don’t assume they know they’re appreciated. Even if they do know, tell them anyway! 

Have other ideas for how to thank your team? Let us know what they are! We’d be happy to share them!