So, you’ve been tasked with throwing the work Christmas par-tay. No pressure then! Not only do you have to provide something for everyone, but the festive ideas need to be new and to make matters worse, you’ve got to do it within budget! Hush, it’ll be fine, we are here to help…
Getting organised
First things first, get organised well in advance and have the basics done in good time. Firm up your budget, choose your venue and send out the e-invite well in advance so people can book babysitters, hair appointments etc. Christmas is a crazy time and people are busy!
Make sure your chosen venue is suitable for your numbers and size of your group. Do they provide everything or will you need to hire in furniture, delph, extra fridges or other items for the event? If so, check out our website (link here) for a full range of everything you might need for your Christmas party. Also, check staffing levels and what exactly is provided in your party package.
Then, delegate! Just because you’re hosting doesn’t mean you need to shoulder the entire burden. Your colleagues will be happy to help – once you are specific about what you need done and by when.
Five top tips
If you follow these five tips, your party will already be on its way to success:
• Avoid the usual sit-down-and-eat office party. Get people moving about
• Don’t party in the same building you work in. Splash out on an off-site location
• Seat people according to their teams/department? A big no. Better for people to sit with friends they know or have some bond with
• Ban all office politics or gossip. That’s why you need to party outside the office. You need that separation. You also need to make sure everyone knows this!
• Right, on to the fun part – those little extras, games and quirks to keep people talking about your big party for years to come. We’ve come up with a list of ideas that might work and can be tailored to suit your group.
Breakfast party for the office
Who says the party can’t start before noon? Treat your peeps to some healthy breakfast options on the big day to get the party started right. You can often negotiate with local healthy breakfast vendors (like juice bars or coffee shops) for group discounts – they benefit from the exposure to potential new customers, while your team gets to nosh on delicious healthy breakfast fare.
Do it as a surprise to reward your employees and fuel a productive day, or use it to kick off celebrations later in the day.
Flashback to your favourite decade
Corporate party ideas don’t have to be boring. Combining the fun of costume parties with the irresistible appeal of nostalgia, decade theme parties are as close to a sure thing as it gets. To throw one, just pick a decade. Guests should come dressed in fashions from the era – but with a Christmas twist!
DIY Photobooth
Photobooths are always a hit at parties – but they can be expensive. Don’t have the budget to rent a top of the line booth for your next event? No problem. You can make one in just a few easy steps.
Step 1: Create a Backdrop: The options here are endless but decorate to the theme of your party. The only limit is your creativity. Short on time? Order an affordable custom backdrop.
Step 2: Get some props: Pick up some props at a local party store to inspire hilarious poses. Novelty hats, fake beards, signs and wigs are all good bets.
Step 3: Take photos! Have your guests use their mobiles and upload their pics to social media. (Don’t forget a hashtag!)
Slow-Mo video station
Everything is funnier in slow motion. So why not elevate your photo booth game with a slow-mo video capture? Most phones now come with slow-mo capabilities. If yours doesn’t, there are plenty of apps that will help you achieve the desired effect. Like the regular photo booth, props are key – you want your guests to interact in hilarious ways. Once you capture everything, edit the footage together for a hilarious slow-mo mega cut.
Office awards banquet
Start with the award categories. In addition to naming an employee of the year, create awards for company superlatives for your best dressed, friendliest, most inspirational, most creative, and most outgoing employees. Add in a few risqué ones – but only if they won’t cause offence! Once you have the categories, make custom certificates or trophies and present them at the Christmas party.
Create a custom Snapchat filter
Tap into Snapchat’s rabid popularity by creating your own custom filters for your office event. The process is simple: just come up with a design, designate the time and place the filter will be active, submit to Snapchat (allow one business day for approval), and voila – your party now has its very own custom Snapchat experience. If design isn’t your thing, check out SnapGeofilters, an app that helps you easily create stunning geofilters, no design experience necessary.
Christmas carol Pictionary
While your guests are arriving, put out a jar or vase with scraps of paper and pens and have everyone write as many Christmas Carols as they can think of and put them in the jar. Separate your guests into two teams, have a whiteboard and let the fun begin
White elephant exchange
First, tell your guests to each bring a gift and assign an amount. Nothing is worse than bringing a €20 gift and you get stuck with something from the euro shop! Write a number for each guest i.e. 1-12 or however many people you have in attendance. Each guest will draw a number at random for the ‘order’ of gift choosing!
No1 is first and can pick from any of the gifts in the pile. Being first is not too exciting…but when No2 goes, the fun gets notched up. No2 can either pick a different gift from the pile or they can steal the gift that No1 picked! And so it goes through everyone’s turn. Put a cap on the amount of ‘steals’ that can be made of an individual gift for the game to three…so if you are the third steal, those puppies are going home with you!
Finally…
The best part is that all these tips work the same for a private Christmas party for friends and family at home! So, whether you’re planning an intimate and tasteful soiree for a dozen of you; or a mad-cap themed Christmas extravaganza, we are here to help. Feel free to call us free phone on 1800 759 759 or email us at info@neh.ie.