Christmas Party Planning Tips From the Experts!

Don't know where to start with planning your work Christmas Party?

Here's advice from our Christmas Party Planning Specialists

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Tips from the experts: How to plan the perfect Christmas Party

Christmas party planning can be stressful and feel like a daunting task, especially on top of the other responsibilities you probably already have. Here at Office Christmas, we are the experts in party planning and we want to help you feel more at ease in planning the Christmas party so that it is simple and seamless. Here are some essential Christmas party planning tips from our Christmas Party Specialists.

You're Never Too Early to Start Your Christmas Party Planning 📅

After planning so many parties, we’ve learned that starting early is key! By booking early you’re going to have first pick of the prime dates, and you may even be able to take advantage of a few-early bird deals too. We know how difficult it can be to pin down a date, but the earlier you do this you’ll have less scheduling conflicts to avoid. You can either decide on behalf of everyone as the chief Christmas party planner, ask your boss for their preference, or send out a poll to everyone to find the most popular date(s).

December fills up fast, so getting your party on the calendar early means a better chance of having everyone there. If you’re Christmas party planning on behalf of hundreds of people, we strongly advise starting the planning process in summer (or earlier). For smaller groups looking to join a shared party night, September is perfect - though you can never be too early.

Set a Budget 💰

“Determine how many people you want to invite and set a clear budget.” - Lorna, Party Planner Superstar

Everyone’s budget is different, so it can feel tricky to plan the perfect party without cutting corners. The good news is, you can find a balance between cost and quality to make sure your venue and party package still WOWs your guests without breaking the bank.

If your company has already set a budget, great—one less thing to worry about! But if you need to establish one, consider sending out a poll or form to your colleagues with a few budget ranges. This way, you can easily gauge what most people are comfortable spending.

Choosing Your Perfect Christmas Party Venue 👍

Finding the perfect Christmas party venue can be really tough, but a good place to start is identifying what type of party suits your groups.Did you and your colleagues want a themed party? Are you all set on having a sit down meal with a disco after, or are you looking for an informal atmosphere with roaming street food, and interactive entertainment? It sounds simple, but knowing what you’re looking for will make the Christmas party planning process so much easier.

Lorna, our Party Planner Superstar, tips: "have an idea of the vibe that suits your group - if your colleagues aren't very dressy, don't go for a very dressy event!"

Georgia, our Party Planner Extraordinaire adds to this and says, “find out what kind of atmosphere your colleagues want. Would they prefer a relaxed fun night with a buffet and fun activities, or a formal seated dinner with a live band?” You might also want to consider:

⭐Do your colleagues want to dress up for a glamorous ball or keep it casual for a relaxed night out?

⭐Are activities like curling or bowling more their style, or would live music and dancing hit the mark?

⭐How about live entertainment—acrobatics, magicians, or something else exciting?

If you’re not keen on spending countless hours searching for parties, then you’re in the right place. Here at Office Christmas, our Party Specialists are on hand to send you proposals for the best Christmas parties that match your criteria. We’ll provide a range of venue options, and you can share them with your team for feedback.

Book and Secure the Venue As Soon As Possible 📳

Time to lock in your party! Josh, our Sales and Marketing Savant tips "secure the tickets first and finalise the drinks and extras at a later date." The longer you wait, the greater the chance your preferred date could sell out. For most Christmas parties, you’re able to hold tickets for a limited time whilst you firm up your numbers, but to secure your tickets you’ll need to pay a small deposit. It’s also important to familiarise yourself with the booking timeline—especially when it comes to settling up the balance.

Adam, our Marketing and Engagement Pro also advises, “don't hold out for the stragglers to secure your tickets! Ticket availability changes daily, so if you delay waiting for the undecided, you run the risk of the party selling out! As long as there is availability, the stragglers can be added-on later.” The sooner you secure your party, the sooner you can start counting down to the celebration!

Track Menu Choices and Pre-Order Drinks For a Seamless Evening📝

Send out the food and drinks menu for your colleagues to drool over! Most venues will need meal choices in advance, especially if it's a seated dinner.

We've found it super helpful to create a simple form for everyone to fill in their food options. It can easily become overwhelming and chaotic when you're colleagues are verbally shouting what they want or sending multiple emails, so a collaborative spreadsheet is a great way to stay organised, stress free.

If you've booked through Office Christmas, you'll have access to our easy menu choice and dietary system, where you can invite all your party's guests to input their own information, or you can do this for them. Plus, it’s a handy reference for the night itself or for adding meal choices to place cards — it couldn’t be easier! You’ll save time and money pre-ordering drink packages too, you may want to ask your colleagues if this is an option they would like to choose. Ask our party planners for more expert advice on pre-ordering drink packages or dietary requirements.

Finally...

... the most important tip is to simply enjoy the process!

These are just a few of our top tips to help you with your Christmas party planning; all the hard work you’re putting in will absolutely shine through on the night, and your colleagues will be in high spirits, having the time of their lives. Remember, it’s all about celebrating and making memories, so don’t stress too much about the details.

And if you ever need a hand or have any questions, we’re here to help—just reach out, and we’ll make sure everything goes off without a hitch.

🙂 Happy planning! 🙂

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