With a definite bite of frost in the air it is clear to see that the Christmas season is coming around again. With many thinking out their Christmas plans and activities months in advance, the excitement that comes with the approaching Christmas holidays is palpable. This is made all the more apparent as this is the first Christmas in a while without severe restrictions due to COVID 19.
As this is the first corporate Christmas party that many businesses have held in a while many are putting in extra effort to ensure they plan a night to remember.
Company Christmas parties are great fun to plan and attend, allowing colleagues to chat and enjoy themselves outside the workplace. Christmas is a holiday celebrated all over the world, and the excitement of the day is infectious, with parties organised months in advance for the Christmas season. With venues often being booked well ahead of the event, if you have begun planning late it can be difficult to find a venue that has openings, especially if you have a lot of employees who will be attending. This article will give practical tips for those planning a corporate Christmas party, to help ensure your Christmas party goes without a hitch.
Time and Date
Sending out invitations with the time, date and place of your Christmas event as far ahead of the day as possible is important, as it allows those invited to arrange their schedules so that they will be able to come, as well as arranging for a babysitter and a lift home. In order to select a great time and date, first consider what kind of party to want to organise; will it be a lunch at a restaurant, an evening ball with crudités served rather than a meal or a dinner? There are pros and cons to each of the options, but it can be difficult to hammer down your plans until you have looked at a few venues to consider. Stand up parties give you and your colleagues the ability to mingle and discuss the upcoming holiday and even have a dance, the atmosphere is often far more informal than a sit-down meal. Serving a full meal for all of your colleagues can take up large part of your budget, so a stand-up party can be more cost effective. Of course, this often depends on how many people are invited to the event, and for a smaller company a sit-down meal can be easier to arrange. Holding a lunch can be a great option for those looking to beat the crowds. Often venues are booked in the evenings months in advance, making it difficult to plan something more last-minute. A lunch is often easier to arrange, as there will be better access to public transport during the day in order for guests to get home.Venue
Selecting a venue for your Christmas party can depend on a lot of factors, such as the size of the party you will be hosting, the transport needed to return home and what kind of menu you would be considering for the event. Many venues will have Christmas events and offers planned which can help you to arrange an incredible night, with a function room and meal served that fits your company. When selecting your venue, here is a list of factors that are important for you to consider.- Budget – When organising a corporate Christmas party, it is crucial to have a set budget before you begin planning. Contacting venues which are out of your price range for a quote will take time away from the actual planning of the event. Many venues will be able to give you an idea of the cost of hosting an event soon after you enquire, so try not to set your heart on a venue until after you have looked at a range of options.
- Guests – Venues often have a range of function rooms that are suitable for different party sizes, such as a large ballroom or a small and secluded dinner room. Liaising with venue staff can help you find a function room suitable for your event and the number of guests that you have invited. Staff at the venue will have helped host many events and they will be able to give you great advice if you run into any issues.
- Transport – How close are the local transport systems such as the train or taxis? If there are none available near your venue, then booking a taxi company for the evening can be helpful to guests who are headed home. One Warwick Park is situated a short walk away from the Tunbridge Wells railway station and the taxi ranks, but it is important to check the local timetables before your event to ensure you can get home on time.
- Function Rooms – Most venues will give guests a tour of their facilities so they can see what is on offer before booking a room for the Christmas party. If you have a smaller party, then sometimes arranging a table at a restaurant can work just as well as a private room - and will be a lot easier to manage with a lower budget.
- Entertainment – Bringing card games or quiz questions can be a great way to break the ice. Whether you are arranging a sit-down meal or a stand-up event, party games are always a hit. Often there will be a break between finishing the main course and sampling dessert; board games or cards can occupy your guests until they have digested enough to consider continuing.
