Even if you love planning events, putting together a staff holiday party with a sizable guest list can quickly become overwhelming. Luckily, with a little creativity and a lot of smart planning, you’ll be able to pull off something amazing. Here’s a few ideas to get your Christmas party planning started.
Determining the Budget
Staff Christmas parties can range from simple to luxurious, and the main factor that will determine your limits is your budget. Before you begin dreaming of fancy venues and extravagant hors d’oeuvres, take a serious look at what things cost. An expensive venue might be nice, but it won’t mean much if you have to sacrifice good food or drinks to make it happen. Try to consider the aspects of the party that your particular guests will appreciate most.
Figuring out a Theme
While there’s nothing wrong with throwing a basic holiday party, choosing a creative theme can make the event more fun. However, it’s important to take your guests into consideration. For example, if your staff includes a diverse group of people of different faiths, it may be a better idea to go with a general holiday celebration versus a party with Christian themes. Below are three fun ideas for non-denominational holiday parties.
Masquerade Ball
A masquerade ball offers a different take on the holiday season. Encourage your guests to dress up and bring their own masks.
Winter Wonderland
This theme is suitable for smaller budgets. All you need is white decorations with a bit of gold or silver accents. You can ask your staff to wear white or allow for casual clothing.
The Holidays Around the World
This is a great theme idea if your staff includes people from various cultures. You can offer food, drink and music from different countries.
Choosing Your Venue
If you’re desperate to save money, you can always hold the party at the office. However, this will not work for every type of business and is generally considered tacky by party-planning experts.
Instead, look for a nice venue that:
- Isn’t too far away. If you do choose a location that is a bit farther out, it’s important to make sure you hire a transport service or get a deal with a local hotel to ensure your staff stays safe after drinking alcohol.
- Offers the appropriate facilities and services, such as after-party clean up.
- Can be decorated in a way that will fit with your theme.
Deciding on Food and Drink
Your theme will naturally come into play when deciding on food and drink, but you should also consider the needs of your staff. For example, if some are vegetarian, you may want to avoid having a steakhouse cater. It’s also a good idea to consider whether anyone is gluten sensitive or has other food allergies. Picking a caterer that offers a wide variety of choices is best.
When sitting down to do the initial planning, be sure to get some input from your staff. They’ll love having a say, and taking their opinions into consideration from day one will help ensure everyone has a great time when the big day arrives.