7 reasons to plan your Christmas party, today!
To some, September seems a little early to start planning the office Christmas party. To others, September constitutes a last chance saloon to secure their ideal venue, ensure the menu is suitably festive and procure their entertainment because they seemingly know something you don't know...! But don't panic...
In reality, September (even early October) is the ideal time. Close enough to generate some tangible excitement without wishing summer a premature evacuation (let's face it, it's come and gone!). There's still plenty of availability too - from spectacular blank canvas spaces to build your own experience around to an increasingly impressive array of 'off the shelf' join-a-parties. Shared parties are not generally cheap these days but, even so, I'd advise going for a high-end one. Settle for something unimaginative, uninspiring or boring and you'll pay for it big time. Remember, social media means that all your people will see what everyone else's people are experiencing and, to quite a significant extent, it's your company's job to sell itself to your team on a day to day basis.
The Christmas party enables you to show your company's fun and creative side whilst affording your team the chance to bond and have fun at the company's expense. In a good way!That's a powerful thing, if you get the balance right. What's the point of having such a great year and making all that money if a tiny fraction of profit isn't reinvested in the very people who made it happen. Of course, if there's any kind of training element to your party (perhaps a little session in the afternoon beforehand) then it just may be tax deductible and classed as a business expense anyway (but that's by no means official advice!). This is particularly poignant for team-building events.
So, having thrust that introduction under your boss's nose (unless you are the boss, in which case hopefully you haven't just pressed delete!), here are our seven reasons you should get (Christmas) cracking and start preparing your corporate Christmas party, today. And besides, it'll be lots of fun if you know where to look (check out our Christmas packages section here):
1. You'll end up doing one anyway. String it out all you like. Have no intention of doing anything at all if you're mean enough but, believe me, it'll come back to haunt you and you'll end up doing a last minute, nauseatingly expensive dinner on an unpopular night in an unpopular restaurant if you don't get on with it! And it might not even be appreciated because it'll be an obvious afterthought on an unpopular night in an unpopular restaurant. See where this is going!? So chill out and get stuck in! If you want something done, ask a busy person! (So you are the perfect person after all!)
2. Anticipation will enhance the experience. And improve morale. If you organise something really fantastic, everyone will be up for it and the mood will be upbeat in the weeks leading up to it. This isn't because one night will change the world but because it's something everyone can look forward to together. It's a communal thing and the more fun the event sounds, the more organically excitement will build. This is especially true if you plan something completely different. Have a browse of our Christmas section and you'll find loads of ideas from prison breaks to making cakes!
3. You'll get a better deal. With Christmas parties firmly back on the corporate agenda, the longer you leave it, the less choice you'll have and the more expensive it'll be. There's absolutely loads of choice in London at the moment and that will remain the case for a little longer. But don't leave it any longer than you need to because (and see point 1.) you'll do something anyway so it might as well be your first choice...
4. There's so much choice these days, you'll need time to make the right one for your organisation. As per my previous point, there's such a variety of options that you need to carefully choose something that's interesting, engaging but, above all, appropriate. It's no good organising any old event if it's not going to excite, inspire and delight your target audience. That would simply be a waste of money. It's important not to confuse a cheap event with a good value event. In life, you get what you pay for and, however hard you look, you'll never find an exception to that rule.
5. It's time to celebrate your team's achievements and give something back! If your team have all done a great job, reward them! If they haven't all done a great job, still reward them. And then fire anyone who hasn't pulled their weight or they'll drag the team down with them again next year..! But first, throw a great Christmas party to enthuse those who deserve to be enthused and show everyone you mean business. It's a scientific fact that businesses that work hard and play a little bit harder don't do quite as well as those who do it the other way round! So, get the balance right and throw a sensational Christmas bash this year! You've been boring for too long...Seriously.
6. Social media buzz. Even Gameification. As soon as you've booked your (sensational) Christmas party, you can spread the word internally and start maximising the impact of your event. You could even drip feed 'clues' as to what and where the event is going to be, in order to keep your delegates guessing. Either way, you can bet that your guests will start to chat about the pending shenanigans between each other (these days, that means online) and that's a great opportunity. Better still, if you can give your delegates some tasks to complete prior to the event which involve some kind of social network interaction, (a fun company quiz, perhaps) then that extends the legacy of your event before it's even happened. Then you can give out prizes at he event itself. Skills!
7. It's the right thing to do. It just is people and you know it!
So, what are you waiting for, Christmas!? Check out our fantabulously festive selection of sensational Christmas packages from London's most vivacious venues and splendid event suppliers, right here, right now...!