Halloween office parties have already happened or are going to happen this week! So why not use the last few days of October to bring some festive fun into your classroom with a Halloween Business English lesson? It’s the perfect way to explore how holidays are celebrated at work while building practical language skills around workplace etiquette and celebrations.
There’s something about holidays in the workplace that sparks interesting conversation -especially when costumes, candy, and questionable party etiquette come into play. Of course, it is easy to talk about Halloween with children and teenagers. I have also prepared a Halloween-themed B1 speaking and a Halloween-themed B2 speaking for PET and FCE, respectively. This Halloween-themed Business English lesson is perfect for the last week of October, especially if you’ve been too busy (like I was!) to prep anything earlier in the month.
This B1-B2 lesson focuses on festive workplace celebrations with a spotlight on Halloween office parties. It combines authentic reading input, vocabulary practice, and workplace-specific speaking activities your students will love.
Scroll down to grab the presentation, worksheet, and teacher’s notes I used in this lesson!
Warmer: Celebrating at Work
Start by asking students how holidays are celebrated in their country – Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, etc. Do people do anything at work? Move the focus to Halloween: Have they ever celebrated it with colleagues? What did it involve? Would they like to? Then, wrap it up with a quick discussion about the appropriateness of celebrating holidays at work and the things that may go wrong if not handled well.
Reading for Gist: Halloween at Work Can Be a Treat or Tricky
Introduce a short article originally published by ALT HR Partners about the dos and don’ts of Halloween in the workplace (Halloween at Work Can Be a Treat or Tricky). Start by previewing the headings.
- Force participation
- Set guidelines for costumes
- Determine when you will allow Halloween work costumes
- Be disruptive
- Consider Halloween work themes
Ask students in pairs to decide whether each one is a do or a don’t. After that, students read the full article (divided into five short paragraphs) and match the headings to the correct sections. This is a great chance to discuss cultural norms, reflect on workplace etiquette, and build vocabulary around HR-style communication.
Vocabulary in Use: Context Clues and Definitions
Once students have read the article, draw their attention to the underlined words in the text. These might include terms like neurodivergent, inclusive, or mandatory. Individually or in pairs, students match these to their definitions and ask questions about any unfamiliar expressions.
Reading for Detail: True or False
To ensure everyone understands the article, give students eight true or false statements based on the text. Encourage them to find the answers in the article. This reinforces comprehension and helps clarify trickier sections.
Visual Discussion: Dos and Don’ts in Pictures
The class finishes with two speaking activities. In the first one, students are presented with three pictures. Put students into groups of three and ask them to describe them to each other in about one minute. Monitor the activity and provide speaking feedback as needed. Then, as a group, analyze the pictures and identify the dos and don’ts mentioned in the article. The photos include an overly decorated office, a man in the office who is the only one in costume, and a scary costume that covers the face.
Role-Play: Plan a Halloween Office Party
Finish the lesson with a fun, practical role-play that mimics Part 3 of the Cambridge FCE Speaking Exam. Students imagine their boss has asked them to organize a Halloween event. They are given four notes to consider:
- Provide candy for all employees.
- Competition for the most creative decoration of the desk.
- Decorate the whole office – the scarier, the better!
- Mandatory costumes.
In pairs, students decide how to implement (or modify) each suggestion. Should costumes be optional? How much decorating is too much? This is a great opportunity to use polite disagreement and negotiation phrases in context.
This Business English Halloween lesson is perfect for those last-minute October classes. It’s festive, functional, and ideal for working adults. Grab the full lesson pack below, including the presentation, worksheet, and teacher’s notes, and bring some spooky fun to your next Business English session!
Have you ever celebrated Halloween at work? Is it appropriate to celebrate holidays at work? Why (not)?
Looks great! Thanks for sharing. 👏🙌
Thank you for your support, Rachel 🤗