With the festive season creeping up fast, there aren’t many better ways to thank the hard workers in your company than by hosting a festively fun work Christmas party.
Not only are parties a fantastic way to show appreciation for coworkers, but it also presents the opportunity to get to know each other better in a social setting outside of the daily grind as well as to play team building games that will help groups bond over delicious food and drinks.
Here’s how to get things right and plan for an unforgettable party your coworkers or employees will be cherishing for years to come.
Setting a budget
As with all things that involve planning, you’ll need to be realistic and set a budget to help you understand how much you can spend. Does your workplace have a fund for parties? Are you willing to cover some of the costs involved in throwing a party? What does everyone think about chipping in some for a more glamorous party?
Having a budget will help you set realistic expectations on how extravagant the party will be. All you’ll have to do now is stick to it.
Divide the funds to find out which expenses will be worth spending more on. For example, if your employees are an active group who loves exploring, you could focus more of your budget on location instead of decoration.
Get some help from coworkers
Depending on how big your workplace is, you may not know what everyone likes or dislikes. Recruiting a social coworker to help with the party planning will go a long way in creating a holiday party that everyone will enjoy.
Forming a Christmas planning team will also help you spread responsibilities, imposing less stress on a single person to run the whole show. Asking for help also shows appreciation and trust in your coworker's involvement, which can be a great thing for social development and team bonding.
Deciding on a location
Every office party doesn’t have to be held in your office. Having your party away from the workplace gives your coworkers the chance to let their hair down more and socialise better.
And if budget permits, and because it’s Christmas, why not make it that much more special and host it at the Redearth Boutique Hotel in Mount Isa?
With professional waitstaff who excel in customer service followed by exceptional Christmas delights curated by skilful chefs and Christmas drinks crafted by experienced bartenders, a Christmas party at the Redearth Boutique Hotel is a party not to be forgotten.
Whether you’re looking for a cheery Christmas catch-up over some cocktails or a decadent dinner boasting all the Christmas decor, the Redearth team are prepared to tailor the space and requirements to suit you.
Have a look at the scrumptious Christmas set menus available here or download the Functions package here for all the info you need to plan the best Christmas party in Mount Isa.
Setting a theme
Having a theme doesn’t just make party planning easier, it also allows everyone to get more amped up for the event and dress according to style. Themes add more personality to a regular office party, as it allows coworkers to touch into their more creative sides.
Some Christmas themes that have been popular over the years include ugly sweater parties and holiday character dress ups to name a few. Other more professional ideas may revolve around colour schemes such as Snow White, Green and Red, and so on.
Set a dress code option
There aren’t many more intimidating things than being unsure whether you’re overdressing or underdressing to a work event.
Having a clear and specific dress code will help avoid any concerns of dress code and give your coworkers time to prepare. If your Christmas party involves many games and activities, having coworkers dress comfortably may be more practical. If the theme is being cosy, festive pajamas might be the way to go.
Sending out invitations
If you’ve got your location, theme and dress code sorted, it’s time to send out the invitations. It can be as simple as sending out an email to everyone, or having a more personalised printed invitation for workplaces that don’t use email much.
The invitation should include basic details such as when and where the Christmas party is taking place, recommended dress code, activities attendees can expect such as best dressed prizes, and so on.
Having a print out of the Christmas party pasted on the office notice board will also help make sure everyone is reminded of the event.
Covering drinks and snacks
No party is complete without a full range of drinks and snacks to keep everyone’s tummies happy. Having a catered event makes things so much easier, but if you’re stuck with no budget, food can be as simply as sugar cookies, candy canes, chips and dip, and other finger foods next to a wide range of drinks both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.
If your Christmas party is going to take place at lunchtime or dinner time, you may want to consider offering a proper meal. Hosting your Christmas event in a place like Redearth Boutique Hotel does make life so much easier knowing everything from food and drinks to decoration and entertainment are taken care of by professional planners, chefs and waitstaff.
Worse case scenario, you could order a bunch of pizzas and place them on some Christmas dinnerware for an on-site office Christmas party.
Set up a photo booth
Work parties are all about creating memories. So what better way is there to help facilitate that than to set up a photo booth where coworkers can snap fun Christmas pictures?
Depending on your budget and how many people are coming to the party, you may wish to hire a professional to set up the photo booth for you. That way, you can have someone take the pictures for your coworkers while they glam up at the photo booth. Having a camera that prints out small Polaroids for keeps sake will also be a treat for everyone.
The photo booth should have some holiday props such as Santa and elf hats, reindeer headbands, giant candy canes, Santa beards, cute bows and scarves, to name a few things.
Having a photo booth will also present the opportunity to market your brand and company on social media showing your customers the fun side behind the scenes. People enjoy seeing friendly faces behind your business, and celebrating festive events tend to display the best.
Play festive music
Good vibes are all about amazing music, and having a lively playlist will get everyone on their feet and in a festive spirit. If budget permits, consider getting a live band to entertain everyone. Otherwise, it’s time to find some snazzy tunes that will get the party started. Do note that you will probably need the help of some of your coworkers to come up with a playlist everyone will enjoy.
Plan some festive games
Work parties tend to involve a whole lot of games and activities to help build teamwork and bonding. Work some holiday games into your Christmas party, which could be as simple as cookie decorating contests where the most adorable cookie decorator wins a prize. Other games may include a human gift wrapping race, Christmas trivia, holiday charades, and more.
