Tis the season for all things festive, including the much overdue office Christmas party. With restaurants and venues opening their doors again for Christmas celebrations, here are some event planning tips for organising your office do.
Choose a date and set your budget
As with any events get the date in the diary early. At Magenta, I pop our Christmas party date in at the start of the new year. It then allows me to crack on with the preparations two months in advance without having to worry about finding a suitable date. And as with any event the sky can be the limit, so set yourself a budget and stick with it.
Create a unique experience
The holiday season can be a social one, with plenty of parties and events to attend. Bear this in mind when organising your office do and create a unique experience for your team. Here’s a great place to find some alternative ideas for an unforgettable Christmas do.
Is food the focus? Will there be games? Secret Santa’s are always a great way to connect with colleagues and creating challenges like you can only shop in charity shops can give it an interesting twist! And don’t forget this is an event to celebrate your team, so surveying them to see what they liked and didn’t like in previous years helps to take the guess work out.
Your venue is also key. Do you require your own venue, or will you be celebrating in a pub or restaurant? Just remember to start looking early for your location, especially if it’s a large gathering of people. It may seem hard to get into the festive swing but booking your venue 4-6 months before means you avoid the stressful mad scramble in the build-up to the holidays.
Virtual festivities
If you’re still working remotely that doesn’t mean you can’t host a festive fair virtually. Having a meal delivered that you can share together (don’t forget to check dietary requirements), organising online entertainment or maybe you get creative and do a wreath making course. There are many great ways to bond through the virtual holidays.
The countdown has already commenced for Christmas so just remember to pace yourself – the festivities can often be an indulgent time. Most importantly, remember this is not a chance to chat work, it’s a chance to unwind and catch up with colleagues in a social capacity.
And don’t forget to snap some photos of the evening. At Magenta we love our wellbeing wall which includes highlights from all our various days and nights out together. It’s a lovely office reminder of the fun times shared and there’s always a few pics that get quite a giggle.
