If you are in charge of your corporate Christmas party, it is a good idea to start planning early. This is a great way to drum up hype, engage employees, and help everyone settle into the festive spirit! With that in mind, here are some tips to help you plan an amazing corporate Christmas party that will be memorable for all the right reasons.
Plan Ahead
Start looking for the ideal venue in the fall if you want to avoid disappointment. Just as a bride has to book her venue sometimes a year or more in advance, when it comes to corporate Christmas parties, the prime venues will be booked months ahead. Some companies even have recurring bookings, year after year, with their favourite banquet hall. Remember that this is not like a wedding or other events where your dates may be more flexible; you have only a few short weeks to book for a holiday event.
Type of Party
Next, decide what kind of party you wish to plan. There are many things you must take into consideration such as whether it includes a brunch, lunch, dinner, or simply drinks. In addition, are spouses or families invited, and what type of entertainment will there be? Once you have all these questions answered, you can start planning your party more easily and effectively!
Pick a Theme
You are probably thinking “Christmas” is the theme, but there can be more to it than that! It is often better to have an overall more involved theme, even if it is just a colour scheme. Some ideas for Christmas party themes can include a winter wonderland theme, snowflakes and snowmen, fire and ice, retro Christmas, candy canes or even gingerbread. Each of these themes will allow you to come up with a focus on everything you do from decor and invitation motifs to food and colour schemes. If you do not want to take the theme route, then go for some of the classic colour schemes such as red and green, blue and silver, gold and red, white and red or elegant gold and silver.
Remember: It’s for Adults!
Don’t expect employees to show up in elf hats and admire a cutesy toyland theme – they’re there to have fun as adults rather than as children! This is why it’s important to understand who is coming and create a special event that appeals to them. By all means, implement a festive theme such as one of those we suggested earlier, but be certain to do so in a manner that is tasteful and not overwhelming. If it feels too much like a birthday party or Christmas celebration for little ones, you might want to counter it with features like a cocktail bar, adult-appropriate party games that are suitable for work colleagues, a DJ and music that encourages adults to hit the dancefloor, and otherwise. This is especially important for corporate celebrations – never forget the fun factor, but bear in mind what might be considered pushing it too far.
Pick a Venue
A banquet hall is usually the best bet for larger Christmas parties of over 50 people, but some will accommodate even smaller groups. You want a venue that will allow you to decorate freely, and they should provide an excellent menu with options for lunches or dinners. There should also be the choice between a sit-down meal or a buffet. In addition, you want a venue that is easy to get to, offering ample parking as well as lovely facilities in a picturesque location (the latter not being necessary but rather a nice-to-have).
Communicate!
If you’re going to all this trouble to plan a big, beautiful holiday celebration for a corporate team, regardless of its scale and complexity, be sure to let people know about it! Send out festive newsletter updates, post announcements on internal communications channels like Slack, or otherwise. In addition, you should keep a close eye on the reservations and ensure that anyone who hasn’t confirmed whether they’re attending does so as soon as possible. The only catch here is not to expect an invitee to know for certain whether they can come several months before the party takes place – check in at least a few weeks beforehand and update the guestlist accordingly instead. Your event centre should be able to easily make tweaks based on the guestlist as it changes over time.
Leverage Suggestions of Others
Planning a Christmas party for a corporate guestlist isn’t always easy – sometimes, it’s hard to figure out what to implement in terms of décor, activities, and even the menu! In this case, consider setting up a survey and sending it out so employees at all levels who are attending can complete it anonymously. This information can help you understand what folks are interested in for the holiday party.
Remember, larger venues and popular smaller venues can book up a lot quicker than you might think. Plan early to ensure you have the perfect spot for a lovely Christmas party. If you’d like a hand in making your next celebration a magical and entertaining one that everybody will remember, reach out to us at the St. Elias Centre. We’d love to help you make your dream holiday party a reality!