Planning Your Holiday Office Party with Promotional Products
It’s that time again; time to plan your company’s holiday office party! It can be either a highlight or low-light of your employee’s year. Good planning is key to making the holiday party a fabulous time for everyone involved! Here are a few things to consider when planning your holiday event.
Location, location, location…
Start with planning WHERE you will have your party. If you can avoid it, don’t party at the office…take the gathering elsewhere. After being at the office all week, going back for a party is the last thing your staff wants to do. You can stick with traditional places like restaurants, clubs, or convention centers OR think outside of the box and have a gathering at a less traditional location like an arcade or art museum.
Day or night…
The time of day you have your party will depend some on the number of guests. If you have a smaller group or budget, you might be able to get away with a luncheon but most companies choose an evening party. Plus, by choosing a night time party, you can even give your employees a chance to enjoy a night out with a guest. Nighttime parties can be a fun time for everyone to let their hair down and not think for a minute about work. Nothing like seeing your coworkers in a whole new light!
Set the tone with theme…
The theme of the party will guide the invitations, decorations, the entertainment, and possibly even the food. Choosing a theme like “Fiesta” would be a blast & could include a Mexican meal, decorations and even a mariachi band! Many companies host “Casino Night” and provide casino style games for guests to play and even win prizes. Another fun theme would be a “Decade Party.” Whether it’s a 50s, 70s or 80s party a decade party calls for fun attire and music. Do your research and choose a theme that will be a fun event for everyone!
It’s all about the food…
The type of food you decide to serve will depend on several factors. Theme, budget, and number of guests are all things that should be considered when choosing theme. Smaller companies might try sit down meals. Just be sure not to let it turn into a stuffy office meeting! For larger crowds, buffet service is ideal because food can be served quickly and whenever guests are ready to eat. The food can be a variety of types or can be in one style such as barbecue or Mexican food depending on the theme.
What to do…
The food is an important part of the event, but the highlight will no doubt be the entertainment. Dancing is always a fun way to loosen up guests at the holiday office party. A DJ or band providing music for dancing or even just for listening adds a great touch to the night. Depending on the location you choose, entertainment might be part of the package such as an arcade. And of course, don’t let the guests leave empty handed. Door prizes are a must to get your employees excited about the party. The bigger the prize, the more guests will attend. They can be tied in to casino games, given in a raffle. Either way, everyone loves to win a prize.
Finally, don’t forget the party favor. Let each guest leave with a little something to remind them of the fun they had. A branded holiday item like a beautiful ornament with your company logo is a good idea to send everyone home with. Logo items let your staff enjoy a little token of thanks and gives them a way to show their pride in your company all year long!
