6 Steps to Plan the Ultimate Office Christmas Party

Everyone looks forward to the festive season and for businesses, there’s one thing staff are looking forward to – the Christmas party! That’s why we’ve put together a list of steps you should follow to ensure you host the very best Christmas party.

Start planning early

Have you ever tried to plan a Christmas party with only a few weeks to spare? It takes a surprising amount of time to plan and leaves you saying that you’ll prepare it well in advance the following year, but you never do. Well, this year is the year!

Venues tend to get booked up early so it’s a good idea to start planning around July or August. During this time you can figure out your budget, ideate the venue and think about the activities you want to complete.

Manage your budget effectively 

It’s important to effectively manage your budget so that you can make the most of the money you have available to create the very best Christmas party. When looking at your budget you should:

• Figure out how much money you have to work with. 
• Create a spreadsheet or make a note of the things you need to pay for, such as the venue, food and drink and entertainment.
• Leave yourself some money for unexpected costs.

When you plan your Christmas party early you’ll have the opportunity to shop around for the best priced party packages or venues. This will allow you to make the most of your budget.

Pick a venue 

Choosing a venue that suits what everyone wants can be difficult and a little overwhelming. But with a little planning and getting staff involved in the decision making you may find it simpler to find a venue. During your research, you should:

• Make a list of potential locations and their costs.
• Get in touch with the company to see if they can accommodate your party size and to confirm whether it sits within your budget.
• Visit locations if necessary.

When choosing a venue you’ll want to consider how close it is to the office and how long it’ll take for employees to get to and from the location. At the end of the day, you don’t want to book somewhere that’ll take the majority of attendees too long to get to. This could cause a lot of people to decline your invitation.

Plan activities 

Depending on the type of Christmas party you’re holding, it can be fun to complete some activities. This could be as simple as a Secret Santa or best Christmas outfit award. For those looking for more extravagant activities, you could go bowling, book an escape room or go go-karting.

Consider catering and food options

Once you’ve chosen your venue you can start to think about catering options. If you’re hosting your party at a restaurant or bar this may not be something you need to think about. However, they may offer you the choice of their normal menu or set Christmas menu.

If you’re holding your party at a venue that doesn’t offer food options, you might want to look for a caterer. When doing your research you should:

• Consider what type of food options you want, for example, a multiple-course menu, a buffet or finger food.
• Choose your drinks option – does your budget allow you to have an open bar, do you want to pre-order drinks or even arrange a drinks voucher?
• Decide whether you’re having an internal or external caterer. 
• Inform staff with dietary requirements or allergies of any problematic menu items.

Invite staff

It sounds obvious but it’s important to remember to invite your staff. This can be done through online or mailed invites or by adding it to their calendars. After all, you want to ensure everyone attends after you’ve put so much hard work into planning the party.

Hosting a Christmas party at Millennium Point

Here at Millennium Point, we have extensive experience in hosting and planning events and parties. We offer two party packages that could be perfect for your business:

Shared party night 

Our shared party package is £44.95 per person plus VAT and is perfect for smaller businesses looking for that big party experience, without spending a fortune. The package includes a three-course meal and our Platform dancefloor where you can dance the night away to our DJ playing festive hits. The menu includes:

Starters

• Chicken liver parfait, plum chutney (GFor)
• Wild mushroom crumble, tarragon & cheddar (V VGor)

Main Course

• Traditional roast turkey, pigs in blankets, roast potatoes, seasonal veg & red wine jus (GFor)
• 24 Hour blade of beef bourguignon, whole grain mustard mash (GF)
• Carrot Wellington With Spiced Marmalade (VG)

All mains served with seasonal greens

Dessert

• Christmas pudding, brandy sauce (GFor, VGor)
• Chocolate ganache tart & raspberry sorbet (VG,GF)

Exclusive Party Night 

This package is £49.95 per person plus VAT. You’ll have the choice of a two or three course meal and will have the opportunity to dance on the dancefloor and have access to a private fully licensed bar. The menu includes:

Starters

• Chicken liver parfait, plum chutney (GFor)
• Carrot & coriander soup, onion bhaji (VG, GF)
• Camembert, Fig & Onion Tart (V)
• Smoked salmon & crayfish terrine, capers & pea shoots
• Wild mushroom crumble, tarragon & cheddar (V VGor)

Main Course

• Traditional roast turkey, pigs in blankets, roast potatoes, seasonal veg & red wine jus (GFor)
• 24 Hour blade of beef bourguignon, whole grain mustard mash (GF)
• Baked cod loin, crushed new potatoes, sauce vierge (GF)
• Pan seared chicken breast, pommes anna, sauce forestiere (GF)
• Slow roast pork belly, chorizo & butterbean cassoulet (GF)
• Carrot Wellington With Spiced Marmalade (VG)

All mains served with seasonal greens

Dessert

• Christmas pudding, brandy sauce (GFor, VGor)
• Baked New York cheesecake, cherry compote (V)
• Sticky toffee pudding, amaretto custard (V)
• Treacle tart & clotted cream (V)
• Chocolate ganache tart & raspberry sorbet (VG,GF)

Take a look at our Christmas party packages page to discover more about what we have to offer.