A Guide to Planning your Corporate Christmas Party

There’s no better way to kick off the festive season than to host a corporate Christmas party, to let your hair down, say “thank you” for the year of everyone’s hard work, and celebrate your successes. But this year’s corporate Christmas party doesn’t have to be just sausage rolls, warm beer and awkward speeches.

Organising the company party can feel like a weight on your shoulders: not only is there pressure to make it fun for the attendees, but it has to impress your boss and/or clients. Let’s face it – there’s enough stress to deal with at this time of year, so we’ve put together these tips to help you plan your corporate Christmas party with ease. Whether you’re looking for large or small group Christmas party ideas, our tips will help you put together a memorable festive soiree for everyone.

Choose your venue

Once you’ve got an idea of budget, the first step in planning your Christmas party is to choose a suitable venue. Whether you have a small group and want an intimate event, or you have a large group of 100 or more people, there are a few considerations you should take into account.

If you’re hiring out a function space, think about whether it’s in a convenient location; whether they provide styling, props and entertainment or if you have the option to bring your own; whether there’s a private function room; what the capacity is for stand-up vs sit-down events, and if they provide serving staff.

If you’re going for something more informal, plenty of people choose to hold their Christmas party at their own office, decorate it themselves and bring in entertainment and catering from off-site.

Get the catering right

Which brings us to the food, which can make or break an event. No matter if your corporate event is for two employees, two dozen, or two hundred, one of the most important things to get right when planning your company’s annual end of year party is the menu.

It can be tempting to make your budget go further by asking everyone to bring in a dish to share, however we recommend getting into the spirit of Christmas by putting on a spread (it also removes the unknowns of what type of food people might turn up with – knowing the food will be good is much less stressful for you, and everyone else!)

We have a huge selection of Christmas platter catering options for office parties. Hot and cold finger food platters are the perfect way to feed the masses at an informal office party. Options like our bao bun platters, mini hot dogs, rice paper rolls and duck pancakes, or pasties, skewers, sliders or party pies are perfect for fuelling the festivities and substantial enough to make sure you’ve looking after your staff as they enjoy a glass of bubbles (or three). Grazing platters are also great for filling in the gaps – food stations styled with different heights, props, textures and food choices can add the wow factor to your event.

For something more formal, the traditional festive options like roasts with all the trimmings, lighter nibbles, and classic desserts make for a fantastic end-of-year feast. Alternatively, you could go for the very Aussie tradition of the Christmas barbecue: think prawns, sausages, skewers and other grilled meats.

Don’t forget the drinks

Hiring the right caterers in Sydney will take care of the food side of the equation, but remember that the drinks are almost as important as the food at a corporate Christmas party. If you’re renting out a spot for the event, make sure to ask the venue about their bar setup. If you’re handling the party on your own, make sure there’s plenty of beer, bubbles and wine on hand. You could even design a unique signature cocktail for the event.

So we’ve got the food and drinks sorted, what about the rest of the celebrations?

Choose your theme

The end of the year is a time to let your hair down, celebrate and have some fun with your colleagues. Add some extra flair to your Christmas do by picking a specific theme.

Here are a few general Christmas party theme ideas:

• Cocktail party
• Gala ball
• Hawaiian beach party
• Music festival eg Coachella
• Oscars

If you’re looking for an opportunity to encourage some creativity in your co-workers, make it a costume party. Dressing up (or down) is a fantastic way to end your year. After all, the end-of-year party is about more than just Christmas – it’s an opportunity for you and your team to unwind after a year of hard work. Guests can go as all-out (or not) as they like! Some costume party ideas could be:

• Masquerade
• Ugly Christmas sweater
• Favourite emoji
• 70s, 80s or 90s
• A letter of the alphabet

Crucially, don’t forget to think about the music and/or entertainment at your corporate Christmas party! Every party needs a good playlist, whether you’re playing it yourself on Spotify or leaving it to the pros. It doesn't matter if you’re renting out a venue for a huge party or gathering in the office, the soundtrack will keep the party upbeat and atmosphere high. Your playlist should include a few Christmas classics (although make sure a few dancefloor numbers are in there too).

Entertainment, whether professional or something more informal you’ve organised for your guests, can make an average party into an extraordinary one. Some great corporate Christmas party entertainment ideas include:

• For a seated event, live bands and stage shows, with dancers, comedians or circus performers work well, while roving entertainers are better for a standing event like a cocktail party.
• Photo booth: You can hire a classic retro or modern style photo booth, or theme it with props to match your party.
• Set up a Christmas gift lucky dip, or allocate everyone a Secret Santa recipient in the RSVP process.
• Bring out everyone’s competitive spirit with a festive quiz, which you can create yourself or find one ready-made online. Questions can be based around Christmas movies, songs, traditions from around the world, and more.
• Or set up an office scavenger hunt for a great team-building event.
• Don’t forget to get some fun prizes to hand out!

Ordering catering for your office Christmas party takes the pressure off so you can concentrate on the fun! Make this Christmas a cracker and Get in touch now to discuss how we can help.