Christmas parties: be sure to park those travel worries...

THE Christmas party is often an event where people who don’t normally socialise will make an extra effort and get into the swing of things. The only problem with a Christmas party is deciding on the best plan of action and venue, as there is some much to choose from.

While the scale and opulence of Christmas parties has evolved over the years, the process has remained pretty much the same in that parties are usually divided between those who prefer a meal, and those who simply prefer to have a drink (or both!). But whatever the final decision is, there is no reason for you to look beyond the local setting.

So much energy, expertise and money has been invested in the hospitality sector over the past decade that it has produced a plethora of top choice hotels, restaurants and bars. There is simply no better time to avail of these services than at Christmas. This is a great time to sample the best that restaurant menus have to offer and enjoy the best atmospheres in bars and clubs. All of which are on your own door step.

This is far from just another clichéd pitch at ‘supporting local’. Christmas is a special time when people who are living and working away from home get to enjoy a visit in comfort. This is why enjoying local establishments is not only important at this time of year, but it’s also more personal and friendly. Local businesses are a staple of community life and arranging your Christmas party is as good a time as any to consider this. TRAVEL is an essential part of any night out and in the lead up to Christmas it’s particularly crazy. It’s often said that getting home after a night out, without hassle, is what makes it a memorable one. The one thing you want to avoid is standing at a cold taxi rank at 2am waiting for a lift home. All too often travel plans are omitted when a Christmas party is being organised. But there is no time like the present to make amends, and with weeks to go until the Christmas party season begins in earnest, it’s time to prepare.

Start by finding out what kind of numbers you have. Not everyone will be drinking and these people can drive others home at the end of the night. But there’s always the late stragglers to consider and it’s no harm to make sure everyone has a safe way of getting home. Once you’ve established a ballpark figure, source local taxi and cab services. You will have no trouble finding the right service.

Travel arrangements will be less of a worry if your party is on a week night. But if it’s at the weekend (as most usually are) you are going to have to sort some travel. It’s not always the responsibility of the organisers to arrange travel. But depending on where the venue is and the logistics involved for people trying to get home, it’s no harm to pre-plan it. I’m sure a local taxi service would only be too happy to take a booking as having a pre-booked job is often easier for them to manage.

Having travel plans pre-arranged is not only convenient, it’s also safe. No one needs the hassle of waiting for hours to get home after a party. Do it right and sort those travel plans. Beat the rush and book those taxies before others do.