Office Christmas parties have been off the agenda for the last couple of years but, fingers crossed, they are likely to return in force as we approach the end of 2022.  At Clevedon Hall we’ve organised more than our fair share of parties, private and corporate, summer and winter.  In this post we share some tips that will help you with the planning and organising – you may be feeling a bit rusty in this department thanks to the pesky pandemic!

One organiser or a committee?

Even if you book a venue like Clevedon Hall, where there’s an experienced team to provide support, there’s still a lot of organising you’ll have to do yourselves.  This may prove too much for one person to handle so a small committee could be a better option.  The only problem with this is that responsibilities will be split and you can land yourselves in  “I thought you were sorting that?!” situations.  In many instances it’s best to have just one capable and reliable person, or possibly two, taking care of everything – that way you don’t have a “too many cooks…” situation.

Why are we doing this?

Is it just because the staff expect it and we don’t want to disappoint them?  Do we just want to have a bit of fun or do we have a more serious objective like boosting morale and increasing loyalty?  Maybe the work from home arrangements mean that we need a bonding session so that new team members can get to know those who are longer serving?  This is especially important in terms if you have to justify the expense and need to demonstrate a return on investment.  It will also help you with the next decision…

Set a budget

Do not pass GO until you have decided how much money you have to spend (hopefully it’s more than £200!).  There’s no point in researching venues, exploring themes and mulling over mouth-watering menus that you really can’t afford. 

Venue, venue, venue

In many ways this is the most important decision of all as it not only sets the tone for the whole event but will dictate the catering options and have a big bearing on costs.  You need to sort your priorities – do you want to spend most of the budget on a wow venue, or splurge more on catering and drinks, or hire some knockout entertainment? 

Make sure you start your search EARLY, otherwise you may find that you have a very limited choice of venues and dates.  Also check how early the venue can stay open – some have to shut quite early to satisfy noise restrictions.

Overnight accommodation

If your team is spread far and wide you may need to think about providing overnight accommodation for them.  At Clevedon Hall we have twenty-five sumptuous bedroom to choose from, so that’s nice and easy! 

Covid compliant

Nobody knows how things are likely to pan out regarding the pandemic this winter.  Lockdowns are unlikely now most of us are vaccinated but there are likely to be strict restrictions covering any form of group event or gathering.  Make certain that any venue you are considering has a Covid-Secure meetings & events safety strategy and that staff are fully trained to operate it.  At Clevedon Hall you can be confident that this is the case.

Dining decisions

You need to consider this at a very early stage as it will  probably influence your choice of venue.  Do you want a formal sit down dinner, or a more informal buffet?  Maybe just have a selection of canapes and nibbles followed by sweet treats.  And (dependent on your theme, perhaps) are you going for a traditional Christmas approach to the food or going for pizzas, curry, Chinese, Mexican?  Furthermore, do you ask everyone their views or just take an “executive decision”?  If it’s to be a sit-down meal you’ll need to get menu choices and dietary requirements ahead of time – give them a deadline and bring the list with you on the night (as half the people will forget what they ordered!).

Age aware

If everyone in your team is a similar age then many decisions are made easier – they’ll probably have similar ideas on what makes for a good party.  However, if you have a wide range of ages you’ll have to strike a balance between the generations when it comes to things like choice of venue, theme, menu and timings.

What’s the theme?

A theme is not essential, but it does create more of a sense of occasion.  The default theme, obviously, is Christmas.  But you might want to add a twist.  If you have a very racially diverse team you might want to incorporate decorations, drinks and dishes that tap into Christmas traditions around the world.  Or you could include a terrible Christmas sweater competition….  Then discuss with the venue what they provide in the way of Christmas decorations, Christmas tree, Christmas crackers, Christmas table settings. 

Drink and be merry

A Christmas party and drinks go together like Santa and Rudolf.  But you need to decide if you are going to provide an open bar (all the drinks are on the company) or free drinks up to a certain times, or put a certain amount of money behind the bar and get people to pay for their own drinks once the tab has reached the limit you set.  Issuing all guests with drinks vouchers is a very popular and sensible option – it makes budgeting easier and also encourages people to drink a little more responsibly.  Some venues make this whole aspect of the night a lot simpler by providing a drinks package – be sure to ask.

Entertainment

You almost certainly need to reserve some of the budget for some entertainment.  The obvious option is for a DJ or band but you could surprise people with a comedian, a magician, a circus performer or a celebrity lookalike.  You really need some form of act to get the party really going, create a great atmosphere and break the ice between people normally only interact in a professional setting (or just on zoom!).

Make everyone feel special

Don’t miss the opportunity for a short speech or presentation.  Reflect on the year just gone, thank everyone for their efforts and motivate them for the months to come.

We’re here to help

Organising a really great Christmas party takes quite a bit of time and effort – and you’ve probably got a few other things to do, like running your business, managing your team or doing your job!   At Clevedon Hall our dedicated and experienced event managers can take much of that weight off your shoulders and provide lots of great inspiration too.  Contact us today and together we’ll make sure everyone has a great time…while you get the credit!