How to Plan the Perfect Holiday Party

Holiday season is almost here! One of the best parts about the festive season is the holiday parties. An amazing opportunity to celebrate with colleagues, friends, and loved ones. It's a time to revel in vibrant music, delicious food, holiday atmosphere, and another year in the books!

If it is your task to plan the holiday party, look no further -- if you are planning the party by yourself, it can be stressful and tiring to organise. Below find the ultimate guide to plan the perfect holiday party – read on to find out more.

First, decide the type of party.

The first step to beginning any party plan is deciding the party’s type. A corporate holiday celebration, a company-wide event, department get together, or a private event – you can select any type of holiday party to celebrate, but have in mind whether it will be dinner, canapés and drinks, or just drinks. A well-planned and organised idea can help to manage and stay within your budget. Have a good idea in mind the number of pax you would need to budget for.

Date and venue.

Now for step two – be sure to start your holiday party plan early. Choosing a restaurant as the venue for a party will make your life a lot easier, since they will take care of the food details and more for you. If you are after special decorations - make sure to enquire if they can accommodate. Most will have their own holiday decor up around December. Friday and Saturday are usually the ideal days for guests, however if the venue is already booked, choosing a Thursday or mid-week is another great option, and pro tip: you might be able to negotiate on price easier. December a bit too busy? Go for January as a great option to build morale for the new year!

Moreover, in choosing a restaurant - not only is it less stress, you can accommodate for guests easily, depending on the location they may have private rooms, or enquire on a restaurant book out if you have a large party.

Decide on a budget and menu.

You will need to choose whether to have an all out dinner fanfare, or a more casual canapés and drinks, or just a drinks evening. Much will depend on your budget, so make sure you get the green light from superiors or staff heads. Choose a menu that can accommodate for both vegetarian and non-vegetarian. If it is a small intimate party, you might find out any dietary requirements beforehand and let the restaurant know to cater for this.

Send out invitations.

Send invitations to selected guests with plenty of time to confirm and make sure to include an RSVP date so you can easily firm up the numbers. If you have time and want to make it special, you can hand craft and send out personal invitations. Or simply a phone call, a whatsapp group chat, or inter-office email.

If you have a specific dress code, make sure to include it here. Fancy, casual, or to make it fun you can make a theme like an ugly Christmas sweater party. The options are endless.

Entertainment!

If you have extra budget or want a party to end all parties, music can be the life of the party. You can choose your favourite DJ or hire a live band for the party. Alternatively, your selected restaurant can provide a variety of holiday playlists for the event for you to choose from. Maybe you can enquire if you could do your own karaoke. Decide on what would be appropriate for your group.

Also, you can include fun games and activities for guests to increase party enjoyment. If you host a corporate party, then don’t forget to treat your employees. A small gift can bestow limitless happiness. You can choose gift cards or hand out a number of door prizes for all your workers; they will definitely appreciate it.

Photographer.

A professional photographer can capture every exclusive moment of your party. Be sure to hire someone with good reviews! Or ask the restaurant if they have a photographer that you could hire.

There you go, your ultimate guide for how to plan the perfect holiday party. We hope your holiday planning is a great success!

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