How to plan the perfect Christmas party for your team.
Anyone who has ever organized an office Christmas party knows that it can quickly become overwhelming. Therefore, it’s essential to start planning your event ahead of time to be able to master all the tasks. We wrote down 10 steps on how to plan the perfect party for you.
#1 - Set a budget for the party.
Before you jump into planning your event, it’s important to determine your budget first. Find out how much you can spend on the venue, food, drinks, decoration, gifts, and activities. It can also be helpful to keep some of the budget as a reserve for emergencies in case you need to cover some unaccounted costs.
#2 - Ask your staff for help.
Depending on the size of your team, it might be wise to ask for help to ensure good planning. As the old saying goes “two heads are better than one”. Usually, there's always at least one team member who enjoys organizing events. This will take some weight off your shoulders. Together you can share the responsibilities and motivate the rest of your team.
#3 - Set a date.
To ensure that as many employees as possible attend your Christmas party, create a poll with several potential dates. While doing so, be aware of school holidays and the typical vacation days. As soon as you receive feedback from your employees, choose a date and stick to it.
#4 - Book the right venue.
Once you have a date in mind, you can start searching for the perfect location. If hosting the party at your office is not an option or you simply don’t want to, choose a venue that fits your vibe. For instance, you can choose a restaurant, bar, club, studio, or outdoor area. Think about the atmosphere you want to create and keep your budget in mind. Also, consider visiting the venue in advance.
Depending on the location and if you serve alcohol at the party, provide transportation. Everyone should be able to get home safely. You could, therefore, offer shared ride services or rent a bus. Furthermore, find out if there are enough parking lots close to the venue.
#5 - Provide food and snacks.
When you have a venue, you can start thinking about food and drinks. Will you only offer finger food or perhaps also a full course meal? If you choose a full course dinner, reach out to your venue. Because many venues offer in-house catering but booking an external caterer is always an option. In both cases, ask your team members to specify their dietary requirements and fully inform the caterer about them, especially regarding specific allergies. When the caterer doesn’t provide drinks, you can buy them separately and vote with your team on which ones to get.
#6 - Plan activities.
Now the fun part. A party is nothing without entertainment. Besides the regular activities such as dancing, how about some karaoke or a Christmas quiz? Get creative and plan activities that will make people laugh. Aside from that, music shouldn’t be missing. Whether you put on a nice playlist or book a DJ, keep the music simple in the beginning and turn it up when you think it’s time for everyone to hit the dance floor. Getting everyone involved is perfect for strengthening your team’s dynamics.
#7 - Send invitations.
Now that the where and when is clear, it’s time to get everyone up to date. Send invitations as soon as possible to ensure that people save the date. Mark it on everyone’s calendar with a reminder and create something fun that will get people excited for the event. You can include the program in the invitation and the dress code if you have one.
#8 - Get personal with gifts.
A great Christmas party requires the right gifts, but instead of ugly Christmas sweaters or cheap giveaways, how about some high-quality corporate merchandise that your team will love? You could even take it a step further and create individual gifts for each one of your colleagues. While some might prefer a gift card or a voucher, some would love a paid day off. Figuring that out and providing your team with what they want would show them how much you care about them as individuals.
#9 - Set up the mood with decoration.
With the right decoration, you can transform every venue into Santa’s workshop. If you have a theme, try to match your decoration to it and be aware that the setting can impact the party’s tone. It would also be a great idea to put up the decorations together as a team. Apart from that, setting up a photo booth is extremely popular at parties nowadays. With the right props, they spice up every event and give you plenty of amazing pictures of your team. You’ll have a collection of pictures where you and your team naturally bonded and will always remind you of this awesome night.
#10 - Thank your team.
Last but not least, take some time to say thank you to everyone. Reward your team for their hard work and effort to make your business successful. Let them know how much you appreciate them because Christmas is all about gratitude and happiness.
If you follow these steps, you’ll be able to plan an unforgettable office Christmas party. In most cases, employees look forward to this event because it allows them to hang out with coworkers away from work and have a great time. Aside from that, you’ll be surprised what good things can result from it, for example, a stronger team spirit or more motivation at work.
In all the planning, don’t forget to enjoy the event yourself and have fun. If you need external support, reach out to us. We’d love to help. 😊