The holidays are here and you suddenly found yourself in charge of planning the special holiday event. For people who haven’t planned their own event before, being assigned this task can be daunting.

However, don’t worry! It is quite easy to plan a Christmas party or any office event if you know where to start.

Here are the things you need to know so you can plan the perfect Christmas Party and other office events:

1. The Major Things You Need for the Event

Before you launch an event, you have to list down everything you need and plan accordingly. You need to know the theme, location, attendees, menu, agenda and others before making the event a reality. You even need to plan what sort of decor you are going for and check out the options available to you. For example, if you are looking to add funky signs to your event, make sure to look at those by Neon Mama and similar websites in plenty of time!

Take time to ask your boss or your team leader about these details to get an idea on how to make the event work.

2. Brainstorm the Perfect Time to Hold the Event

Time is gold when it comes to business and if you are holding a holiday party for the employees, it must be in a time that won’t affect performance.

You must also consider how those who cannot participate in the event – like those who are handling customer service – enjoy the event as well. Ideally, Friday nights are perfect for these events.

Another consideration is for those who have families (elderly and babies) to take care of. If they made up the majority of your company, consider moving the event in the afternoon instead of late evenings.

3. Consider Off-Season

If your company cannot spare time during the season, you can schedule the event during off-season or the months there are no major events.

During off-season, venues, catering and other things you need for the party would be cheaper. Sadly, holding your annual party during off-season can be hard for many to remember.

However, off-season means you can use the budget for better food or better venue or even bigger prizes for the lucky draw. It also means increased attendance since less people will be away due to the pending holidays.

4. Build a Support Team to Help You Make the Event

Parties are very complicated to do and you have a lot of things to fulfill to get it to work. However, doing it on your own can be stressful, so it is best you build a team to help you out.

Create a small team who you can delegate some of the tasks and speak to your fellow employees. You can also contact the company’s events planner to help you out with your team and making the event a success.

5. Select or Develop a Cheap but Cost-Effective Menu

You do not have to pick the most expensive menu to make a party a success. It is not a guarantee that the expensive menu is delicious, and your budget may not fit it well.

Consider serving plated meals instead of buffets if you have a budget to work on and match it with your party’s theme. Of course, you have to make sure the décor matches the theme to help build the dining ambiance.

6. Establish the Alcohol Rules

When there is an office party, there should be alcohol included. However, if you do not establish a limit or rules on how alcohol will be distributed, chances are high that a fellow employee can put their career at risk because they are drunk.

Try replacing the hard alcohol menu with cocktails or wine since they are cheaper and reduce possibilities of drunk outbursts.

Look back on your office parties’ history. Identify those that always known to get drunk and suss them out to the venue caterer to limit their alcohol diplomatically.

7. Remind Partygoers about Party Etiquette

Even if it is an office party, employees must still remember that there is etiquette to be followed when in a party. Email your co-workers before the event and indicate the party rules.

Establishing this early would help the employees enjoy the party better and prevent chaos from occurring during the party.

8. Introduce an Exchange Gift Portion

Since you are planning a Christmas Party, it is important that you allot an exchange gift section in the party’s agenda. You can establish a budget cap for every gift, or ask each department to hold their own exchange gift ceremony if your company is huge.

You can also sort out an optional company-wide exchange gift so everyone can meet each other even if they are in other departments.

Or better yet, if your company’s having a huge budget, try to include a lucky draw at the end of the party. It is one way to make sure everyone doesn’t leave early from the party and another way to ensure that people don’t get drunk since they will need to make their way to the stage to collect their prize.

Attractive prizes are holiday packages, electronic items and food & service vouchers.

9. Can You Do Fundraising?

Fundraising activities are often very common in companies these days as an addition to office parties. However, its addition to the party should not be mandatory because not all employees may be open to it or the party’s agenda would not fit these activities. If this is the case, separate fundraising events, such as restaurant fundraisers could be organized.

If you will be considering a fund-raising activity, ask everyone to bring in non-cash gifts that would benefit the charity you will support. This way, you can ensure everyone can bring something that matches their budget.

Pick a charity that aligns with the company’s mission. Whether it is supporting the local orphanage or donating to the aid of any worldwide natural disaster, you need to make sure it is something close to your colleagues’ heart. Gather a vote will get their voices heard.

10. Select the right vendors to supply the event

For employees, it is important to remember that not all employers can foot the entire bill for office parties. Parties can be very expensive, and it is crucial that every penny counts when doing one. If employees can foot in part of the bill or bring in the food and props, it could help make your party even more special and help you save up for other important things!

Conclusion

Office events, especially Christmas Parties, are something every employee looks forward to after a stressful project or activity. It helps them relax and forget for a bit the deadlines they have and also bond with their coworkers in this festive season.

With this guide, you will surely be able to make your office event memorable. You may even discover a new career you can do in your spare time.

For office party related articles, here are some to share:

10 Type of Characters You will Bump into in an Office Party (Part 1)

10 Type of Characters You will Bump into in an Office Party (Part 2)

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