It’s beginning to look a lot like… Christmas party organisation time!
It’s beginning to look a lot like… Christmas party organisation time!
If this is a task that’s currently on your to-do list, you’re in the right place. We’ve put together a guide to how to plan a company Christmas party that lists everything you need to consider for a sparkling event, from finding the ideal venue to choosing the right festive décor.
While it’s easy to relegate planning a festive party right to the end of your year’s to-do list, getting ahead with organisation will reap many benefits.
Starting early means you’re much more likely to get the venue you want, as well as the date that best suits your company. An early confirmation of these key elements means you’ll then have more choice when it comes to the next step of hiring suppliers for décor and entertainment.
We’d recommend starting your research in the summer and getting all the suppliers booked by September. If you can do it earlier than this, then even better!
Of course, you don’t need to send out invitations to everyone in the company in August, but having all the details locked down in late summer or early autumn will mean much less stress in December, and more time and energy to get into the festive spirit.
Choosing the venue is the most important part of planning a corporate Christmas party. Factors to consider when making your choice include the number of guests, your budget, the distance people will have to travel, and the suitability of the venue for any activities or entertainment you want to include.
Our luxury Sussex barn venue has everything you need for an amazing company Christmas party. The Century Barn and adjoining Woodland Barn can host up to 155 people, and include a state-of-the-art catering kitchen, a fully stocked bar, and a professional PA and sound system.
Our smaller Oak Lodge is also a great option for a smaller corporate Christmas party. This stylish multi-functional space includes a bar and can host up to 70 seated guests or 100 standing.
Now we get to one of the most important elements of any company Christmas party – the food and drink!
Selecting the right food for any party involves a few decisions around logistics. For example, if you want to serve food that needs a plate and cutlery to eat it, are there spaces where people can actually sit down to enjoy it? No one likes having to awkwardly balance a plate, a glass and a fork while making small talk with the team from accounts.
Another thing to consider is where in your venue you serve the food, so there aren’t massive queues that block the dancefloor or the bar. Also think about at what point during the night the food will come out – you don’t want people waiting too long.
Whatever type of food you offer, always make sure you’ve got enough, both so people aren’t feeling hungry during the party and also to soak up any alcohol that’s being enjoyed.
On the subject of drinks, it’s also a good idea to have a range of non-alcoholic beverages, both for those who don’t drink alcohol and those driving. Having options such as non-alcoholic beers and spirits, festive non-alcoholic punch and mocktails are sure to be well received and are more interesting than juice or fizzy drinks.
Our catering partner here at Alfriston Gardens is the sensational Black Pepper Hospitality. They’re on hand to answer any questions you have about creating the perfect refreshments for your company Christmas party, and with over 30 years’ experience you can be sure that your menu will be mouth-watering. Whether you opt for canapés and cocktails, a sit-down meal or informal street food such as mac ‘n’ cheese or fish & chip cones, guests are sure to be raving about it!
Once the main elements are in place, you can start thinking about what entertainment you’d like to include. This could be a simple dance floor with music from a pre-prepared playlist, or you could take things up a notch with a DJ or live musicians.
Other entertainment options to think about are a quiz (perhaps themed around your company and the events of the year?), or a close-up magician to wow your guests.
You could also consider entertainment that creates mementoes of the night for guests to take away, such as a photobooth or a live artist creating sketches of the guests.
Now it’s time to start thinking about how you’ll decorate your party. It may well be that your venue will already be decorated for Christmas, so have a chat with them beforehand to ask what the space will look like. You can then add anything you want to make it unique to your party, such as candles and lanterns for ambient lighting, or flowers and foliage.
Our barns are always decorated with a 14-foot Christmas tree and a beautiful fairy light canopy, but we also encourage our festive party bookings to bring their own finishing touches to make the space truly theirs.
Something that really makes a corporate Christmas party extra special is being able to stay overnight. Whether it’s onsite or in a nearby hotel, having a place to stay after the party really turns this event into even more of a treat.
Overnight accommodation also means no one has to worry about leaving early to get the last train or pay for an expensive taxi at the end of the night. There’s no concern around drink driving either – all your employees can simply relax and enjoy the party with a drink or two if they want to.
Alfriston Gardens is a unique venue in that we have luxury on-site accommodation for up to 58 guests across our lodges and shepherd’s huts. These will give your employees a comfortable night’s sleep after all the festivities, followed by a slap-up brekkie the next day to help with those hangovers!
It’s important to know whether people enjoyed the party and what elements they felt worked or didn’t. In January, ask for feedback from employees to get their opinions, so you can plan an even more amazing party for the following Christmas!
We would love to show you around Alfriston Gardens and discuss how we can help you in planning a memorable corporate Christmas party.
Our dedicated events team is on-hand to help you with the planning, such as helping to design the layout for your party and the timetable for the event. We can also connect you with the perfect local suppliers to make your event exceptional, such as live entertainment or fun finishing touches like photobooths.
Please get in touch or book a tour and see all the amazing facilities at our beautiful Sussex barn venue.
