CHRISTMAS EVENTS
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An end-of-year event doesn’t necessarily have to be
Christmas related, it’s more of a celebration than a religious
event. There are a million-and-one theme options and ideas
out there and narrowing something down can be tricky.
Create a short-list and take an office-wide vote to help
narrow down your choices.
Once a theme has been set, it can be used to help
you make decisions on anything from table settings and
entertainment, to a menu or even a venue.
Lunch, dinner or drinks?
Each option has its own benefits and drawbacks.
Choosing what type of event you want will hinge on
what suits your team the most. A long lunch is a great option
for employees that have after-work commitments or young
families. Letting them celebrate without missing family time
or footy practice is important to making sure they have a
positive experience. However, this option won’t work if you
need to leave poor Jenny or Jeff behind to man the phones.
If the office can’t afford to switch off during the day, an
after-work event is a better choice. A sit-down dinner is
a longer time commitment, and it helps if your office is a
social bunch. If a glass of wine or a beer is needed to loosen
the screws, then a stand-up cocktail event might be best.
Listen to your staff and get to know them, this is the
easiest way to decide what type of event will best suit your
employees.
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Sourcing a venue
As we discussed earlier, Christmas is the busiest
period of the year in the hospitality game and good
venues will be booked well in advance. This means you need
to start narrowing down your options as early as possible.
When you have a short-list, organise site inspections at
each venue. Hunt down their events team to discuss your
event, and how you can best use the space. They will also
be able to answer questions and give advice on theming,
catering, activities and entertainment. Take plenty of photos
to bring back to the office to help you decide.
After you have chosen the venue, double check the quote
to make sure it covers everything you require. You can
always try to negotiate a discount, but being a high-demand
period, getting something knocked off the top in November
or December is rare.
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What’s on the menu?
Deciding on the right catering option for your
Christmas event is more than just making sure
you have everyone’s dietary requirements catered for. Food
is an essential part of any event experience, and a really
spectacular menu will dominate the water-cooler chat for
weeks.
There’s a significant practical element to catering. Once
you have chosen the type of event and the venue, food
should be the next item on the list.
Canapés for cocktails, a buffet for lunch, and an ala carte
menu for a sit down dinner are just the beginning of your
options. Food trucks, carts, dessert walls—the list is endless.
Choose a caterer and a food service option that suits your
event’s theme and type—don’t be afraid to get creative. It’s
all about making memories.
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36 Chief of Staff | Issue 3 2019
A word on drinks policy
Christmas events are a great opportunity to celebrate and let the staff
blow off steam. But it’s still a work event, and attendees are under the
organisation’s duty of care. It’s always best to err on the side of caution
when allocating drinks at the event. Here are a few simple measures to
prevent a fun event from turning a little too messy:
w Allocate each guest a limited number of drink tokens
w Limit the bar tab to wine and beer
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Make sure dinner is served early or canapés
are available throughout the event
If everyone is kept busy by activities,
entertainment, food and good company
then heavy drinking will be the last thing
on their minds.
Hiring entertainment & music
Entertainment is key to any successful event. It
can help break the ice, fill in those awkward gaps
in conversation and take your event up a notch. Once again,
your event type and theme will determine which acts will
work best.
For a seated celebration, stage shows and live bands are
an excellent choice. Your guests can sit back and enjoy the
show after a year of hard work. Roving entertainers, such as
jugglers, magicians or performance artists are more suitable
for standing cocktail-style events.
Finding the right music option can also make or break an
event. Choose music that matches the mood of your event
and liaise with the venue to set up the PA system. If possible,
having the music playing throughout the event space is a
great way to create an immersive experience.
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Organise transport
You may or may not need to organise transport for
your Christmas event, depending on the location. If
it’s a long lunch at a venue in walking distance of the office,
then organising a shuttle bus might be considered overkill.
However, arranging transport for guests is a good idea if
there are drinks involved or the event is scheduled to finish
late at night. You don’t want people walking home through
town after dark, or having to sort out their own cabs after a
big evening of celebrating.
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Send invites, quick!
As soon as you have confirmed and booked the date,
time, venue and transport, send out invitations.
Christmas is a busy time for everyone, and by getting the
invites out as soon as possible you can secure your event in
the calendar.
Having an invitation stuck to an employee’s fridge or on
their cubicle wall also serves as a constant reminder that
they have a great event to look forward to, and will help keep
them motivated and working hard. Include entertainment or
planned activities on the invitation to build excitement. S
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