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The office Christmas Party is one that can split all sorts of opinions. Recent studies have shown that more than 50%* try to avoid the party all together whilst 86% of respondents aged 21 – 36* say that it is the one office party that they look forward to the most all year round.
Having that group bonding, which isn’t forced fun can produce some positive mental outcomes and for people that haven’t been with the business for too long, it gives them a different insight into their colleagues and bosses that they may never have seen before – sometimes the best and worst sides as well…
No office Christmas party is without its hitches so our mini guide today is to help you throw an amazing Christmas party, and if you’re doing this last minute, hopefully some tips to avoid potential disasters.
Find a venue
For us, finding a venue is more important than budget at this point. Knowing what is available, how easy it is to access and what kinds of packages that the venue can piece together at last minute. Some venues choose themes so you would need to let your team know if they had a certain dress code or costume possibly – although if it is costumes, this last minute tip will help… avoid at all costs. It adds stress and for many who will be looking to duck out it’s another reason to not turn up with last minute arrangements. Once you know the venue, and how many people it can take – you should be finding something for all of your staff – then you can go on to budgeting!
Know your budget
For many, those who organised their Christmas party in April (Bravo to you!) knowing your budget is only going to make matters better. The later you leave it, the more expensive things become, so knowing what you have to spend per head is essential. The alternative is having a total budget and working around this for your costs.
Your budget will typically include room for;
- Venue
- Transport (if necessary)
- Food
- Drinks (or a few rounds at least)
- Entertainment
Organise the catering
Naturally, this is something where we have a lot of experience, and corporate catering is no different at Christmas apart from a few choices on the menu where would keep things a little more festive. Christmas Party catering is something which, recent surveys have shown is the number 4 reason for not attending the celebrations. Imagine, the food is so bad, people don’t want to go to the party!
Getting the catering done just right is essential for everyone to get the celebrations started with a real treat. You need to know if;
- You’re having a sit down meal
- A buffet style affair
- Canapés and champagne
- Any specific dietary requirements?
Gone are the days when you could just cater a Christmas party where vegetarian was the only other option. Intolerances and other dietary requirements need to be catered for, especially in the more health conscience time that we are living in.
Organise the entertainment
Whether you are having a themed event or are just going to have a simple sit down meal, entertainment forms such a large part of this. On premises or going to a venue space where you can have a good dance and enjoy a drink or two (but please drink responsibly) entertainment is key.
Most venues will have bands or a DJ playing this time of the year, but if they don’t, you should consider hiring one or the other. Make sure they bring their own kit (most do) and any specific requests when booking. Bands for example like to practice tunes and some DJ’s would need to source the music before they attend the event.
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