Did you know that by the time October rolls around, you’re less than 90 days from Christmas?! Some businesses have payment terms longer than that. Christmas Parties are usually at least a week before that, so by October it’s well and truly time to start planning your Christmas Party!

You want to thank your staff and celebrate the year you’ve had together while letting a little bit loose before the silly season kicks off. You want everyone to have great memories together to look back on, so they’re excited to come back in the new year and smash goals.

The past few years have been a nightmare for a lot of businesses (how many hours of glitchy Zoom meetings have you endured working from home?!) so it’s time to really reward your staff with something memorable. It’s time to ditch the standard format of hiring a bar area, putting on a small tab and milling around making small talk until your guests head out for their Christmas break.

We absolutely love helping our clients create epic Christmas Parties that leave their staff going “Wow! That was a great party!” We love the look on peoples’ faces when they arrive expecting a minimalistic party in the same old format they’ve been to every year before and are instead blown away.

Here are 5 Ways To: Take Your Work Christmas Party To The Next Level!

1. Book An Unexpected Venue

The pub people walk to sometimes for after work drinks, or your work lunch area, are not going to blow anyone away or make them feel special. We’re not saying go wild and take everyone to Vegas – just think slightly outside the box. A new bar in town, a local boat charter or even a bowling club can be really impressive AND affordable venues.

Navigating this can be overwhelming. If you’re confused or can’t make the vision fit the budget, we can help. We know the tips and tricks to make every event as affordable as possible. Whether it’s negotiating rates with the venue, perfecting the amount of catering so you don’t waste money and food/drinks, or the most cost effective way to get everyone there safely.

2. Capture The Moment

Photobooths are really effective way to help your staff remember how much fun they had, both in terms of recall and cost.

They’ve evolved a lot from the old rectangular boxes you’d cram yourself in to at the mall and close the curtain – from a camera and photo printer on a tripod to incredible 360-degree video platforms where the camera spins around your guests and takes a super fun video. Add some of your business’ branding, a fun backdrop and the ‘Christmas 2021’ and you’ve got nostalgic keepsakes for your guests.

We regularly work with a huge list of amazing vendors who can help create these keepsakes while we make sure it all runs smoothly on the night. Get in touch to let us guide you to the one that will work for your event and your budget.

3. Give Them What They Like

There is absolutely no reason your Christmas Party needs to just involve food, drinks, music and mingling. Think about your staff and what appeals to them. Will a lot of your staff be wearing leather dress shoes? Hire in a shoe-shine station for a luxe unexpected twist. Why not hire a masseuse to give your staff 3-minute shoulder massages?

Are you distributing new uniforms or branded company wear like travel mugs at the event? Why not hire in an engraver and let your staff feel extra special as their new gear is personalised just for them while they enjoy the party?

By now you’re probably realising a theme here – the unexpected. These are just a few great ways to add the unexpected to your work Christmas Party that you might not have thought of. We keep across all the new and exciting things our industry has to offer and can help find the right one for you!

4. Show Them You Know Them

Staff awards can be a lot of fun and you don’t have to stick to the titles everyone knows, get creative!

Did someone in your team do something particularly memorable that everyone (including them) still refers to months later? Put it on an award! Be absolutely sure it’s something they don’t feel embarrassed, judged or bullied about but have fun with it.

Is someone known for their compassion and charity work outside of the workplace? Show them you know them with an award that reflects that, like ‘Passionately Human’. Is someone always chatting their way around the office? Maybe they’re your ‘Social Butterfly’ award recipient!

5. Hire An Event Planner!

With over 15 combined years in the industry, we have far more than 5 ways to take your work Christmas Party to the next level! We already know the best venues and suppliers to bring it all to life and with us on site managing every detail, you can get back to the real goal of your event: celebrating the year you’ve had with your staff.

Don’t think you can afford a planner on a tight budget? Working with these great suppliers over and over means we have access to exclusive industry rates. Usually the savings we secure for you offset your investment in our services.

That means you get a next level work Christmas Party your staff will remember for years, you don’t have to deal with the stress and time it takes to plan it yourself AND you get to enjoy yourself on the night knowing everything is being taken care of by professionals. It’s a win-win-win!