Christmas Retrospective

Festive reflection on team achievements and challenges

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Gifts

What have we learned and received as gifts during this period?

I learned how to effectively implement the new testing framework, which has made our QA process much smoother.
The customer feedback session showed us user priorities we hadn't considered before.
Working with the design team taught me new ways to approach problem-solving that I'll use in future projects.
Joy

What has brought us happiness and joy in our work?

Completing the challenging database migration ahead of schedule made me feel incredibly accomplished.
Our team celebration after hitting our quarterly goals was a real highlight for me.
I really enjoyed the collaborative problem-solving session where we finally cracked that persistent bug.
Grinches

What has caused us troubles or issues during this period?

The unclear requirements for the payment feature caused us to rework it three times.
Our dependency on the infrastructure team created bottlenecks that delayed several deliverables.
The lack of documentation for the legacy system made bug fixes take twice as long as necessary.
Elves

Who or what has helped us succeed in our work?

Sarah's quick responses to our questions about the API saved us countless hours of troubleshooting.
The new automated testing tool has dramatically reduced our regression testing time.
The product owner's clear prioritization helped us focus on the most impactful features first.
Wishes

What do we wish for in our future work together?

I wish we could have more dedicated time for learning and professional development.
I hope we can improve our estimation process to create more realistic sprint commitments.
My wish is for clearer definition of done criteria to reduce ambiguity in our deliverables.

What is the Christmas Agile Retrospective?

The Christmas retrospective gives your end-of-year reflection a festive theme. Underneath, it's a standard retrospective, with five holiday categories in place of the usual columns. Gifts are the things the team learned or received, like new skills or useful feedback. Joy covers the moments that made people happy at work. Grinches are the problems that got in the way, Elves are the people and tools that helped, and Wishes are what the team wants for the next stretch of work. The theme lowers the stakes, so it's easier to talk about setbacks as well as successes. It works well as the last retrospective before the holidays, or when your team needs a lift at the end of a hard stretch, and the Wishes column gives you a natural place to agree on actions for the new year.

Christmas Agile Retrospective format

Gifts

What have we learned and received as gifts during this period?

This topic is about the knowledge, skills or insights the team has gained. Encourage participants to think about unexpected lessons, new skills or useful feedback they received. These 'gifts' are the good things the team carries into the next period.

Joy

What has brought us happiness and joy in our work?

This topic is for the experiences and achievements that energized the team. Focus on moments of satisfaction, collaborations that went well or work people were proud of. Knowing where the joy comes from shows what motivates the team and what to protect.

Grinches

What has caused us troubles or issues during this period?

This topic addresses challenges, obstacles, or frustrations the team encountered. Create a safe space for honest discussion about what didn't work well or created difficulties. Focus on systems and processes rather than individuals, and view these 'Grinch' moments as opportunities for improvement rather than complaints.

Elves

Who or what has helped us succeed in our work?

This topic recognizes the people, tools or processes that helped the team succeed. Encourage participants to thank colleagues who went above and beyond, and to name the resources or practices that made them more productive. It shows which support the team relies on and makes appreciation part of how you work.

Wishes

What do we wish for in our future work together?

This topic focuses on aspirations, improvements, and changes the team wants to see. Encourage forward-thinking ideas about processes, tools, skills, or working relationships. These 'wishes' often form the basis for actionable improvements in the next work period.

When to use this retrospective

  • At the end of the year, to reflect together and close the year on a positive note
  • When team morale needs a lift and a lighter retrospective would help
  • After finishing a milestone or project phase during the holiday season
  • When you want a fresh theme that still covers learning, wins, problems and next steps

Suggested icebreaker questions

  • If your recent work experience was a Christmas movie, which one would it be and why?
  • What's one 'gift' (skill or knowledge) you'd like to receive to help you in your role next year?

Want a warm-up your team plays, not just answers out loud? Browse free icebreakers →

Ideas and tips for your retrospective meeting

  • Add festive touches like holiday icons or a winter virtual background
  • Make sure the festive mood still ends in action items people will follow up
  • Ask people to think about each category before the session so discussion time goes further
  • Start with Gifts and Joy before moving on to the Grinches
  • Close by turning Wishes into actions with owners and dates
  • Add a short festive activity at the start or end to bring the team together before the break

Frequently asked questions

What is a Christmas retrospective?
It's a holiday-themed agile retrospective with five festive categories: Gifts, Joy, Grinches, Elves and Wishes. Your team uses them to reflect on what it learned, what went well, what got in the way, who helped and what it wants next.
When should you run a Christmas retrospective?
Run it as the last retrospective before the holiday break, or after a December milestone. It also works whenever the team needs a lighter format that still covers a full retrospective.
What are the categories in a Christmas retrospective template?
Gifts (what you learned or received), Joy (good moments), Grinches (problems), Elves (people or tools that helped) and Wishes (what you want for future work).
How do you run a Christmas retrospective online?
Open the template in TeamRetro and have everyone add notes privately under each category. Then group similar notes, vote on the Grinches and Wishes that matter most, and turn the top few into actions.
Can a Christmas retrospective work as an end of year retrospective?
Yes. It covers the same ground as an end of year retrospective with a festive theme, so it suits the last team meeting before the break.

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