With the festive season ahead and the looming expense that this brings us, companies and personal circumstances find it difficult with a limited budget and know what to do when it comes to celebrating. Planning and preparation is the key for any successful celebration however simple or complex. So it is always a good start to write a bullet point list of thoughts and overall spending budget intended. People may find all this too much with a significant range of products and services available and prices varying dramatically. A night out to remember at Christmas is an excellent way of saying a big thank you to your staff for all the hard work they have put in over the year and developing a high level of team spirit. Christmas is a time for reflection and reconciliation as well as a great opportunity to let your hair down and party hard. The temperatures may plummet, but the heat can really get turned on at the office Christmas party. Delivering a fun evening to a wide circle of colleagues can be a challenging task, but here are our tips to make sure Yule [sorry!] have a cool Christmas celebration. Friendly faces to meet and greet Starting the evening on the right note is crucial to setting a positive tone to your evening. Nominating a few of the friendly people in your company to loiter in the reception area is a great way to make people feel at ease on arrival. Lead by example and compliment everyone’s outfit as soon as they arrive. Prevention is better than cure The best prevention of stress on the night is good planning in advance of the party. Make sure all your guests know where the party is and what the difference is between an arrival time and a seating time. Make sure your guests know what is being provided on the night in terms of drinks, transport and accommodation so that you don’t end up with cash-strapped guests expecting a free bar and a ride home at the end of the night. Distributing some local taxi numbers or nearby hotel reservation lines is subtle ways of letting guests know they need to make their own arrangements. Make the invitations useful on the night With all the hard work you put into sending out invitations with all the party information your guests should know, you want to make sure your guests bring them on the night. Invitations can double-up as tickets, bar vouchers or a prize draw after dinner. Keep the food coming If you’re worried about certain individuals partying a little too hard, too soon, consider reducing a flow of reception drinks and limit this to one reception drink with a few canapés alongside. Sit your guests down to a three course meal so that everyone dines together instead of being able to sneak away to the bar all evening. Fingers on buzzers If you want to hear the sound of chatter louder than cutlery on plates, inject a little competitive spirit into the evening with a fun quiz for tables to compete in. Throw in a few curve-ball questions to ensure everyone has the chance to get involved if you’re worried about domineering know-it-alls. Do you know what the collective noun for a group of caterpillars is? [an army, who knew!] Keep the peace Identify who are the best peace-keeping forces in your workplace and kindly ask them to be wary of any prior friction that could flare up at the party towards the end of the night. Draw up your table plans strategically to buffer any fractious parties. Shared Christmas parties For companies of any size, joining a shared Christmas party can be a great option. If you are a smaller company, this allows you to book seats at a full scale Christmas party, allowing you to benefit from the fun atmosphere and entertainment of a big event - and even meet new people. Shared Christmas parties are often themed - think Rio Carnival, Winter Wonderland, Moulin Rouge (to name but a few) - which adds a different angle to the evening. They will also include the catering, usually a sit down 3 or 4 course meal, entertainment, a DJ to provide the essential music, and full event management. Exclusive Christmas parties For companies looking to hold a private Christmas party, there are many venues and party packages available. If you would like to create a bespoke Christmas party we are here to help you with the entire process, from the initial concept through to the management of the event itself, allowing you to sit back and relax on the evening. We can work with you on venue selection, party themes, entertainment, catering, music, hotel accommodation and much more. There are, of course, hundreds more venues available throughout the UK, so if you can’t find what you are looking for we will help you locate it. Call us today to start planning your exclusive company Christmas party. Themed Christmas Parties You’ve landed the challenge of organising the company Christmas party. Perhaps it’s your first year; perhaps you’re hoping it’s your last. You want to make a lasting impression – for all the right reasons – have you thought about themeing? Themeing your Christmas party is a great way to add a touch of sparkle to the night, and puts you in the best position to guide the evening’s proceedings (away from the bar). Our team at ‘How Can We Help You?’ can create an exclusive themed Christmas party from the eye-catching Snow Ball to a vibrant Vegas Xmas extravaganza, taking care of all the entertainment, décor, production and installation for you. An action-packed evening is a great way to offer your guests more than just the bar for entertainment. Create a lasting impression and fond memories of a magical Winter Wonderland that will be the talk of the office for years to come. Christmas parties at offices, homes and in marquees Smaller gatherings in the office or home can be more personal by not having to be restricted to a venue’s availability and constraints; especially the ones who like to party till early hours of the morning! This can enhance your personal tastes and style, with options to create and tailor the occasion to your requirements.
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