If my own experiences along with my favorite episodes of the Office are any indication, employees expect a holiday party but dread it in equal measure.

Holiday parties also bring up a million questions: Will I need to find a date? Is my boss going to talk about our new project for hours on end? What if that certain coworker has one too many cocktails and tells someone that instead of meeting with our vendor that time, we spent the hour at Sephora? Suddenly a fun event turns into a stressful affair.

Brilliant Ink recently tackled our own holiday party with our trademark thoughtfulness, style and cheer. Here’s what we did:

We got the whole team together. Our team is bicoastal, but we made the effort and covered the expense to get the entire team together. We took advantage of the opportunity to build relationships and develop stronger partnerships.

We did something. While there isn’t anything wrong with eating and drinking late into the night, it can get a little boring. To kick off our party, we invited Wine & Canvas to help us channel our inner creative genius. Not only was it fun and relaxing to paint, the activity gave us an opportunity to try something new while supporting each other’s efforts.

We showed our appreciation. Following the painting class, we had dinner at a local Oakland restaurant. Upon arrival, the beautifully decorated table displayed a few small gifts for each person. There were several toasts thanking each other for hard work, kindness and commitment. These elements combined to create a feeling of true appreciation and belonging.

However you celebrate the holidays, be sure to honor your teammates—it’s the perfect way to kick off the New Year.