How to organise your office Christmas party

May 1, 2010

Have you drawn the short straw at work? In other words, have the words “you’re in charge of organising this year’s Christmas party” just come out of your boss’s mouth?

The first thing you need to do is book the venue. Most of the popular Christmas party venues are booked up weeks, if not months, in advance – this is especially true of venues located in London’s West End. Agree a budget with your boss and see what sort of deals you can find. Mid-week Christmas parties are invariably cheaper than those held on a Friday or Saturday night.

Next, you need to make arrangements for the food and drink. A lot of venues will offer packages that include a sit-down meal and a certain amount of wine/champagne, which can relieve some of the pressure of having to organise each element separately. Either way, it’s your job to make sure there’s plenty of food and drink to go round. Count on approximately one bottle of alcohol per head (well, it is Christmas!) and at least 10 canapes if you’re doing a buffet.

Finally, there’s the music and entertainment to consider. You might want to go for a specific theme – and maybe even encourage attendees to wear fancy dress accessories. Any type of theme is possible, from James Bond nights to Abba parties.