We know it’s early but hey, holiday parties don’t plan themselves and the earlier you get things in order-the sooner you can enjoy YOUR Holidays. Holiday parties are a great opportunity to build office chemistry. Here are some tips if you’re on the planning committee.
What’s Your Budget? Booking Bruce Springsteen would be a hit but make sure you’ve got the OK from Accounting before calling up The Boss. Knowing your budget will allow you to make the best decisions throughout the planning process.
How Many Guests Are You Expecting to Attend? This may seem obvious but every year there’s a few planners that skip this step. Not knowing the correct number of attendees can lead to unhappy patrons of a Holiday Party which in turn, leads to an unhappy boss.
Lunch or Dinner? The Holiday-season gets crazy for all of us. Don’t under-estimate the convenience of the Lunch-time Holiday Party. Know that there are a lot of options for either of those should you have questions.
The Food. Ok let’s have an honest conversation: A lot of things can go right at a Holiday Party but if the food itself isn’t good those other things will be quickly forgotten. The food could be the single most important detail of planning your Holiday Party! Once the menu has been decided remember to have a discussion with the venue and/or caterer about presentation options.
The Look. When it comes to interior design, we all want to be Joanna Gaines. Adding a good look to your holiday party makes a world of difference. There are many details that most of us over-look when planning on a larger-scale: What do you want the centerpiece to look like? Will you bring them or do you want the venue to provide them? As much as we’d like to handle this one on our own we suggest talking to your contact at the venue to make sure you get this one right.
Entertainment. Look we all like Ed from HR but most of us don’t want to hear him Karaoke Journey songs all night (sorry Ed.) When it comes to entertainment for your work holiday party it’s always a good idea to talk to your event planner.
Start and End Time. If you’re asking people to sacrifice their personal time during the holiday season be sure to show respect by being clear on the time.
This and That. There are plenty of other things to consider when planning your work holiday party. Make sure you set aside time for the boss to speak. Will the bar be cash or complimentary? Will a few games be a hit? Open or assigned seating? And so on. The venue you choose helps companies like yours plan parties and love to help along the way, use them as a resource!
If you are looking for new ideas for planning your holiday party - corporate, not-for-profit or even a private party, just give our sales office a call and our expert planners will guide you through every step. 260-482-3800.