Corporate Christmas Party Ideas: How to Organise an Unforgettable Event

Winter is the season to be jolly, and what better way to spread some holiday cheer than by throwing a corporate Christmas party that will leave everyone feeling warm, fuzzy, and brimming with festive joy? Picture this: your coworkers gathered around, clinking glasses, and celebrating the year's triumphs like champions.

Now, don't be fooled into thinking that throwing an epic Christmas bash is as simple as hanging some mistletoe and turning on the twinkly lights. Oh no! It's a meticulous blend of planning, creativity, and attention to detail. We're talking about crafting an atmosphere that doesn't just scream "festive," but belts out "team spirit" in a harmony of holiday cheer. It's the time to give props to your fantastic colleagues and send the year off on a high note.

In the pages ahead, we'll take you on a sleigh ride through the art of planning an unforgettable Christmas party, step by step, so you can create a shindig that'll be etched in the memories of your guests for years to come. Let's sleigh this holiday season!

1. Financial Planning for the Event

First things first, you need to decide what’s the budget for all this jazz. Whether you calculate the budget on your own or ask the CEO, this is the very first thing you should get done.

The reasoning behind this is, the end of year usually brings tight budgets and extra expenditures which might not have been forecasted, so make sure you triple check the budget before everything else. You then need to allocate a budget for location (if necessary), food, drinks, entertainment and corporate Christmas gifts. Keep in mind, unexpected costs may come up. 

2. Guest List and Invitations

One thing's for sure, you can’t have a party without guests. Brainstorm your VIP list early and quickly if you want all guests to come. Is it an employees-only shindig, or are your business partners getting a golden ticket too? Think over the scale of your festive corporate party. If the budget is small, maybe frugality's your game, and consider keeping it in-house to trim those expenses. But if you're thinking of grandeur, invite plus-ones, like spouses and kiddos. The bigger the guest list, the better the party. Remember, by year-end, calendars resemble Tetris puzzles, so be an early bird. Send those invites out at least 1-2 months in advance and wait for the merry RSVPs.

3. Finding a Venue

Finding a venue is optional, that is, if your office isn’t big enough. If you’ve only invited employees, then the office is the right place. However if you’ve invited business partners and clients as well, then you have to start searching for a venue asap. Some of the most popular options are restaurants, inns, Christmas markets, rented spaces or hotel conference rooms.

Decorations should be a given because a great atmosphere is what makes a great party. So make sure you install some lights, candles, Christmas-themed decorations and most importantly a Christmas tree.

4. Choosing the Right Moment

There is no right moment or right date and most likely there will be some cancellations, so don’t panic because this is completely normal. Our tip? Schedule the entire event for the beginning or middle of December, that’s when most people are still free.

Also keep in mind, if you want an event that extends late into the night that you should set a weekend day so that people can rest and recharge their batteries the next day, otherwise everyone will be leaving early.

5. Creating a Memorable Christmas Dinner

The food on the table is another key element of a successful corporate party and it all depends on the venue you chose. Either way, you could let everyone choose from an a la carte menu if you’re at the restaurant, organise a fancy buffet where all guests can choose what to put on their own plates or hire a catering company and let them organise everything. 

Regardless of what you choose, make sure the service and the food itself is high quality. The dishes on the table as well as the drinks can make or break a party.

6. Crafting a Theme for Your Holiday Gathering

The main goal of a party is having fun and bonding with colleagues. Usually towards the end of the year, the workload is less and the efficiency is low as everyone’s daydreaming about the winter holidays.

So why not have a party with a theme? Put a smile on their faces with a ‘Gatsby-style party’ or a ‘Santa at the Tropics’ get-together. What’s more, you can invent numerous themed games that will make everyone laugh. Choose a motto and let the fun begin!

7. Decking the Halls: Christmas Decor Ideas

The winter-themed decorations are the most fun part and possibly the most affordable. It’s true that decorations set the mood of the party and of all guests, but in fact it’s quite simple and enjoyable to decorate a space.

You can either DIY many of these by simply checking Instagram accounts or Youtube videos or pop to your local supermarket and fill your trolley with a myriad of sparkly trinkets.

It may not seem like it, but it’s all in the details; and the details don’t have to cost a fortune.

8. Hosting a Virtual Christmas Celebration

If there’s anything we’ve learned the past few years, it is that remote events can be just as fun. More and more company events are taking place online; whether it’s quizzes, casual Fridays or corporate parties such as this one. If your team works worldwide, this is the perfect opportunity to bring them all together and spread joy.

You can organise the classic Secret Santa by sending gifts in advance and unwrapping them together, you could play a plethora of games together, you can even organise a fun cooking session with everyone attending remotely. The possibilities are countless and surprisingly fun!

9. Entertainment and Program Highlights

Food, drinks and venue are not the only things that you should plan ahead. The entertainment or the program of the event also have to be there. What will entertain these people while there?

A couple of options could be:

A Secret Santa Game

This is a classic that needs to be prepared around the time you send the guest invites. Collect everyone’s names and have everyone draw a name. Each person will then buy a small gift for the person they drew. This can be done in person or online, as there’s lots of online Secret Santa games.

Quizzes and Games

Set up one or 2 areas where people can play fun games and enjoy themselves. It can be a fun trivia quiz or a mild drinking game, but either way this will lighten up the mood and make everyone active and involved.

A Final Speech

As per tradition, a speech must be given. Usually, the CEO or someone from the management team will say a few words about the past year and the team’s results to boost their morale and send everyone off on a good note. In fact, this is a must for all corporate events.

10. Unique Gift Ideas for the Occasion

Have you ever heard of a Christmas without presents? Of course not! So corporate Christmas gifts are a must. You can go green and choose from our eco friendly section or one of our luxury corporate gifts. We also have affordable options and many many Christmas-themed promotional products that will make everyone feel warm and fuzzy. 

11. Other things to consider

There’s a few other things you need to consider. Do you have to have a virtual party as a last resort? Can guests meet in a restaurant or another classic location? How many attendees will you have? Is everyone able to take part in physical activities? Does anyone have special dietary needs that you need to take into account? Do you need accommodation for guests coming from afar? 

That about sums it up, if you have the answers to all these questions, then you’re up for an unforgettable corporate Christmas party. Get to work now!