Christmas comes around quickly, and office parties are a staple of the festive season. If you are tasked with organizing this event, preparing thoroughly is the best way to ensure it goes off without a hitch.
With that in mind, here are some tips to ensure that your company Christmas party is a hit rather than a flop.
Add some activities to the agenda
There is nothing wrong with keeping things simple, but at the same time if your event is just about eating and drinking, then this is a recipe for boredom at best, or over-indulgence and embarrassment at worst.
This is where spicing up your company holiday party with suitably themed activities comes into play. Whether you host a Christmas quiz, include a costume competition or integrate an awards ceremony to celebrate the year that is coming to a close, making sure that there is something to do aside from guzzle eggnog is a good idea.
Ask colleagues what date works for them
There is nothing worse than setting a date for a festive get-together, only to find out that most of the invitees cannot actually attend it.
To get around this conundrum, send out a survey to see which of the available dates will click for the largest proportion of your colleagues. Also consider how those who may be travelling from other locations will be factored into the equation.
Prioritize your spending appropriately
You will likely have a fixed budget for an office Christmas party, and one of the most frequent mistakes made by organizers is to allocate the available cash to the wrong areas.
For example, while it might seem like a good idea to splash out on fancy-looking decorations, this will be a bit of a waste if you are left with a pittance to put towards entertainment, food and beverages.
It is all about achieving a balance and creating a breakdown of your spending before you actually make any commitments, so that you do not get carried away.
Consider inviting people virtually
The world has changed a lot in the past year or so, and remote working is now normal for millions of people, so this is something to consider when planning a company Christmas party as well.
If a lot of employees are still telecommuting rather than coming into the office, it makes sense to add a virtual element to a festive celebration if possible.
Don’t try and do everything yourself
Finally, if you are feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of organizing a party for staff this Christmas, remember that you do not have to do this on your own.
Getting others onboard to help out is handy from a load-sharing perspective, and can even be integrated as part of the experience itself.
For example, you could get team members together to collectively decorate the office if the party is being held on-site. In short, do not let the burden be yours alone, as working with others will make you feel more Christmassy!
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