Christmas parties need organising, but don’t fret too much
THE task of organising a Christmas party can be a daunting proposition with the competing needs of keeping everyone happy while organising a fun and memorable night that won’t break the bank.
Putting together a party can be a lengthy and time consuming process, but it doesn’t have to be. If you remember a few handy hints it is possible to make organising the office party a relatively painless process.
The most important factor is time. When it comes to party organisation time is of the essence and it’s best to start planning early as not only will that leave more choices, but should anything go awry there’s plenty of time to come up with alternative plans.
The first thing to do is pick a date and you should do this as soon as possible. Finding a date that suits everyone can be difficult especially if you work with a large number of people. Remember one important rule in this regard: do your best as you can’t please everyone.
Try to a date that doesn’t conflict with work commitments and stick to it. The key to getting a full turn out is to give plenty of notice, ideally a few weeks, but don’t inform people unless you have confirmed the venue.
The next step is to decide whether you want to take over a venue for a private party or attend a shared party. For easy organisation find a venue that will provide entertainment. Choose a venue that is central for everyone and close to transport links so the journey home for people is as easy and safe as possible. If it’s not, provide transport back to the office as a central point. Arrange taxis beforehand as it sometimes feels like the whole world is looking for a taxi at the same time! Also, don’t pay too large a deposit for a party. 40% should be the maximum and never book without visiting the venue first.
You reap what you sow when it comes to Christmas Parties and you don’t need to go overboard in organising a great night out. In fact, some of the best Christmas events are those that happen by chance so just arrange the essentials like a bite to eat and let the rest of the evening evolve naturally.