Did you know that the best strategies for planning a Christmas party are to choose the right theme, set a budget for food and decorations, and send out invitations well in advance?
Once fall hits, most people know that it is time to start planning for the holiday season. But it can be challenging to know how to organize a great holiday office party if this is something that you have never done before.
To make things easier for you, we have put together a guide. Keep reading if you are interested in finding out more.
Set the Date
The first thing you will need to do if you are planning a party for the holidays is to set the date.
Many people end up traveling around the holidays. Therefore, you will need to choose a date at least a month ahead of time if this is possible.
And it is never a good idea to organize corporate holiday events right before Christmas or New Year. It is a better idea to hold holiday parties at the beginning of December or in the middle of January.
Lastly, decide if your party will happen during working hours, at the end of the workday, or over the weekend. There are pros and cons for each of these possibilities.
Choose a Type of Holiday Party
There are many different ways to organize exciting and memorable holiday parties. If you choose to hold a party during work hours, it will be more likely that the event will have a high attendance.
It will also cost less, and you won’t need to figure out transportation options.
On the downside, it is possible that you will need to supply your own food. It also might require more planning to figure out entertainment options.
You also might be interested in renting out a bar or restaurant dining room after work. You won’t need to do very much planning to hold this type of event since it will probably be possible to purchase food on-site.
If you are looking for an affordable catering option, consider hiring East Bay Deli.
But it is common for these kinds of events to have lower attendance. Your co-workers might have scheduling conflicts that will make it difficult for them to show up.
Holiday Party Ideas: Choose a Theme
It might not be necessary for you to organize lots of events for your holiday party. Some holiday parties only involve sharing a meal and drinks.
But the most memorable office holiday parties involve participating in group activities such as going ice skating, building gingerbread houses, or exchanging gifts.
If you don’t mind putting in a lot of effort to coordinate the necessary details, it might be a good idea to organize several group activities.
Figure Out Your Budget
If you have a lot of money to spend, you should hire a professional party planner to help you to organize your event. But most people don’t have a budget to do this.
Those who have tighter budgets should consider asking for donations from other employees at your workplace. You can also ask your boss if she or he is willing to set aside a few dollars to pay for the necessary expenses.
You will need to have money to pay for the venue, transportation, food, alcohol, and entertainment.
Send Out Invitations
The most traditional way to send out invitations is by mailing them. But this is less common than it used to be because most co-workers now communicate through email or text messages.
Nonetheless, it can be fun to design invitations, print them out, and share them with your colleagues.
By sending out invitations, it will become more likely that most of the people at your workplace will attend your holiday party. This is because they will know about the event far in advance.
You will also be making things easier on yourself if your invitations include a request for people to RSVP.
Create a Transportation Plan
It is important to create a transportation plan, especially if you will be serving alcohol at your holiday office party.
The easiest way to organize transportation is by renting out a bus that will take people home after the event has ended. It is also possible to organize taxis and rideshare services.
Offer Entertainment
If you provide entertainment, you won’t need to worry about organizing activities at your holiday office party. This might involve booking a musical artist, an MC, or a stand-up comedian.
If you choose not to organize entertainment, you might need to figure out what types of activities your colleagues are interested in participating in.
Celebrate Your Co-Workers’ Successes
The best office holiday parties are employee appreciation events. This is why it is a good idea to do something to help your co-workers to know that they are valued.
You can do this by giving gifts and making speeches. You also might want to take a few moments to celebrate your company’s successes. Make sure that everybody at your gathering feels included and seen.
It is not necessary to buy expensive or elaborate gifts. All that you need to do is purchase gift baskets, apparel, or stationery.
Plan Your Holiday Office Party Today
If you have been trying to figure out how to hold a holiday office party, remember that there are various strategies for holding memorable events.
If you’d like to find out more about organizing business events, don’t forget to check out the Business section of our blog.
