How to Plan the Perfect Company Holiday Party: A Step-by-Step Guide
How to Plan the Perfect Company Holiday Party: A Step-by-Step Guide
BoomPop Team · 9/3/2024
With summer winding down, you may be heading into work with a new mindset, thinking about your team’s end-of-year holiday party. Whether you are a first-time planner or a seasoned event veteran, we want you to be prepared with the right tools and information to make your holiday party an event your colleagues won’t soon forget.
How does one go about planning a successful holiday gathering? Let’s dive in and discuss.
Begin Researching Venue and Vendors
Start your venue and vendor research as early as possible. Explore available locations and vendors in the market. Many first-time planners wait until October or November to plan December events, leading to stress due to unresponsive vendors or fully booked venues. As the year ends, competition for top locations increases. Begin your research now to check availability and secure options. This can be done alongside finalizing your budget.
Set a Budget
Before diving into the details and signing contracts, establish a final budget for the event. Determine how much you’re willing to spend on venue rental, catering, entertainment, decorations, and travel (for remote workers). You’ll want to ensure you are allocating the budget to the right places and things.
The majority of your budget may go to the venue, so you’ll want to begin researching venue options first.
Choose a Date and Time
If you are a remote-first company and colleagues will be traveling, choosing a date as soon as possible will help your team secure plane tickets ahead of time. This will also help with cost savings, as the sooner you choose the date and the sooner people begin planning, the lower the rates will be.
Pro Tip: Don’t forget to check the company calendar to ensure it doesn’t overlap with other major functions.
Pick a Venue
The venue sets the tone for your holiday party, so choose a location that aligns with the atmosphere you want to create (see theme below). Options range from hosting the event at the office, renting a room at a restaurant or larger venue space, or even opting for a more unique setting like a museum or rooftop terrace. You can get creative to save money as well. Ensure the venue can comfortably accommodate your guest count.
Your relationship with the venue will be ongoing, so ask as many questions up front as you can to ensure this is the right place for your team. Questions such as: What AV equipment and hookups are available? What are the furniture rental rules? Are there any outside food stipulations? And which other vendors/caterers do they enjoy working with?
Select a Theme
When you theme an event, it becomes a filter for all other choices within the event. It helps narrow down the venue, guides your food and drink choices, and informs guests on what to wear. Selecting a theme can be the most fun part of planning and helps you make quicker decisions when choosing between vendors to bring the event together.
Reminder: Make sure the theme resonates with your company culture and is inclusive for everyone attending the event.
Send Invitations
Once the major details are finalized, it’s time to send out invitations. You’ll want your guests to be informed as soon as possible, as December is a busy month with travel and family obligations.
Digital invites are quick and convenient, allowing you to track RSVPs easily. Be sure to include all relevant information, such as the date, time, venue, theme, and dress code.
Plan the Menu
Food and drink choices can be made after deciding on a theme. Decide whether the meal should be a sit-down dinner, buffet, or potluck. Don’t forget to gather colleagues’ dietary restrictions during the RSVP phase.
Remember to include non-alcoholic beverages, and consider offering a signature holiday cocktail. A themed holiday drink that matches your party sounds fun!
Organize Entertainment
You’ll want the atmosphere to feel lively, so start thinking about what you’d like for music or entertainment. Whether that’s a DJ, live band, or a simple speaker setup and shared playlist, it all depends on your budget.
Understanding your team culture is essential at this stage, as choosing the types of games and walk-around entertainment will be easier when you understand the personality of your guests.
Plan for Decorations
Decorations help create a festive atmosphere that aligns with your chosen theme. Having a theme from the beginning will help you source all the elements needed to create the desired aesthetic throughout your event.
You can also involve employees in decorating the event space, which can be a fun team-building activity.
Arrange for Transportation
Whether your team is remote or not, thinking through the travel to and from the venue will help your colleagues feel that every aspect of their experience was considered. This may involve providing Uber/Lyft codes or arranging buses/limos to and from the office or a hotel where the guests are staying.
Plan for Recognition and Awards
The holiday party is the perfect time to recognize employees’ hard work and achievements throughout the year. Consider having a segment as part of your entertainment to give announcements, hand out awards, and express gratitude for all the team’s hard work. This will add a personal touch to the event.
Gifting
Who doesn’t love a gift to take home after a party? Whether you decide to ship a gift to your colleagues or hand it to them at the holiday party, an end-of-year gift will be the cherry on top of all the holiday festivities. There are many ways to approach gifting, so check out our most recent post on the subject.
We’re Here to Help
Planning an event shouldn’t be stressful. Our team of experts can handle everything from venue sourcing to activity coordination, allowing you to focus on fostering connections with your team and enjoying your end-of-year event.
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