Christmas Parties should be Fun not a Chore

Whether you love it or hate it, the summer has flown and THAT time of year is approaching fast, and I don’t mean the annual salary review. It’s only a matter of weeks away now until the Christmas Party becomes the talking point around the office! It can be great fun for those who come along to enjoy themselves. but quite a stressful time for the poor soul who has the responsibility for organising it. Colleagues will be expecting you to provide the perfect event; as will your boss, but you have to fit it in with your usual heavy workload.

At all the Chartridge Conference Company venues, we’ve had years of experience organising very successful Christmas Parties, so we’ve put together a few tips to help keep the run up the Christmas stress free.


Set a date set as soon as possible
If you want a date that suits everybody, only ask your colleagues if there are less than 20 people in your office. More than that and you’ll never get an agreement. It’s much simpler to just set a date and inform everyone, but make sure you give everybody plenty of notice - the further in advance the better, so they can keep the date clear. Remember the best venues get booked early, so if you want a Friday night party in the middle two weeks of December you really need to start by booking now.

It’s also a good idea not to inform people until you have confirmed the venue and can give them a definite the date. They won’t appreciate it if you have to change either later.

Choose a good venue
It’s much better to have your Christmas Party at a venue rather than in the office. Not only does it get everybody away from the work environment, but staff feel much more valued if they are taken out to a special venue. It also means you don’t have to worry about organising it all, and even better, you can forget about clearing up the mess the next day.

Large companies may want to take over a venue for a private party, but for smaller companies joining others and being part of a larger party really adds to the atmosphere. Well organised venues like Chartridge, Hitchin Priory, Lydiard House and The Beeches include entertainment. A band or a disco, means people can dance the night away when the sumptuous meal is over, and a surprise visit by Santa really adds to the Christmas Spirit.

Choose a venue that is convenient for everyone and don’t forget to arrange transport so the journey home for people is as easy and safe as possible. If you plan to use taxis, book them early because they are very busy at that time of year. Of course you can always choose a venue with accommodation so people can enjoy the evening, have a good nights sleep and a great breakfast the next morning.

Food & drink:

Make sure there is food available, not just drink! Most problems at Christmas parties are due to excess alcohol, and don’t forget that your company may be held responsible for the actions of staff at parties. Most venues have a set Christmas menu selection offering a range of dishes. It is a special occasion, and you want people to remember it, so choose a venue that has a good reputation. All Chartridge venues are renowned for their superb menus, so booking Chartridge, Hitchin Priory, Lydiard House or The Beeches means everybody will enjoy their meal.

Decide on a drinks policy beforehand. Will the company pay for a welcome drink or the first few drinks only, the whole lot or nothing at all? Make sure staff know well in advance what drinks will or won’t be provided.

Make it Fun:
It’s a social evening, so try to get people involved by creating extra interest as you approach the Christmas party date. Secret Santas are a good way to make it fun, but you can also set a theme, ask people to come in fancy dress or even run a competition on the night for the best dressed or most festive looking person. Don’t forget to capture the evening on camera, and put the photos on the notice board, company intranet or produce an e-newsletter.

Remember that even though you’re partying, it’s still an office event, so if you want to keep your reputation and your job safe over the yuletide season, there are a couple of Golden Rules all party goers should remember.

Drinking
Know your limit. Some people can be slightly uncomfortable mixing leisure time with work colleagues. Drink can help break the ice and lose some of those inhibitions, but overdo it and not only will you have a splitting hangover but you just might end up doing or saying something you’ll regret in front of your colleagues. It’s much safer to drink less, or mix soft drinks with the alcoholic ones. Remember most mobiles have a camera, and do you really want a record of your inebriated shenanigans being e-mailed around the office?

Avoid gossip and shop talk
It’s always tempting to whinge about management, slag off staff and complain about work. The office is probably the last thing your colleagues want to talk about at the Christmas party, but you run the risk of saying the wrong thing to the wrong person. If you’ve had a few then you’re probably saying it loudly enough to be heard by the person in question so keep away from desk talk. The Christmas party is the perfect opportunity to get to know your colleagues on a more personal level and meet others you don’t normally meet in the office. And don’t just talk, make sure you listen too. Keep away from religion and politics because you’re bound to upset someone, and that may include your boss.

The easiest way to make sure everybody has a great time and you don’t spend the next few weeks pulling your hair out is to book a Chartridge venue for your Office Christmas Party. The atmosphere is special, the food superb, entertainment is laid on and it’s all organised for you. There’s loads of free parking, plenty of bedrooms if people want to stay over, and our staff will make sure that everything runs smoothly. All you have to do is book the date and tell all your colleagues – we’ll do the rest. That way you can just relax, and revel in the glory of having organised a night to remember – until next year!



Images courtesy of: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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