How to Plan a Christmas Party People Actually Want to Attend
We’ve all been to that Christmas party.
A lukewarm buffet. A couple of bottles of wine on a table. Some slightly questionable Christmas music. And someone checking their watch at 9pm wondering whether it’s acceptable to leave yet.
But a great Christmas party? That’s a completely different story.
Whether you’re organising an office Christmas party, getting friends and family together or planning something bigger for clients and colleagues, a little thought can turn the obligatory festive get-together into an event people genuinely look forward to.
Here are a few things we’ve learnt from creating and running events.
Start planning earlier than you think.
Christmas has a habit of sneaking up on us. One minute you’re enjoying the summer and the next someone asks, “What are we doing for the Christmas party this year?”
The best dates, suppliers and venues can get booked surprisingly early, particularly for those popular Fridays and Saturdays in December. So if you know you’re going to organise something, get the ball rolling sooner rather than later.
You don’t need to have every detail decided. Start with the basics:
How many people are you inviting?
Where would you like to hold it?
What sort of budget are you working with?
Do you want a sit-down meal, relaxed food, cocktails, entertainment or a mixture?
What would make the event feel right for your guests?
Once you have those answers, everything else becomes much easier.
Think about your guests, not just the organiser.
The best events are designed around the people attending them.
If you’re organising a company Christmas party, for example, your team might prefer a relaxed evening with great food, cocktails and music rather than a formal three-course dinner. Equally, what works brilliantly for 20 people might not work for 100. Think about the atmosphere you want to create and how you want people to feel. Relaxed? Spoilt? Entertained? Able to mingle?
That should shape everything from the food and drink to the layout and entertainment.
You don’t necessarily need to hire a venue. One option that businesses often overlook is bringing the party to you. An office, workplace or private space can be completely transformed for an evening. Bring in a professional mobile bar, great food, music and a few finishing touches and suddenly the place everyone associates with Monday morning meetings feels very different.
It can also give you much more freedom to create an event that feels personal rather than choosing from a standard Christmas party package.
Don't underestimate the bar. The bar is often one of the natural gathering points at a party, so make it part of the experience. A professionally run mobile cocktail bar can completely change the feel of an event. Rather than simply putting bottles on a table, guests can order beautifully made drinks, chat at the bar and watch their cocktails being created.
You could even put together a bespoke festive cocktail menu for the evening, alongside beers, wines, spirits and good alcohol-free choices. Because nobody should be stuck with orange juice just because they’re driving.
Give people something good to eat
Food is one of the things people remember about an event, particularly if it isn’t very good! But Christmas party food doesn't automatically have to mean turkey and all the trimmings. Depending on your event, you could opt for a relaxed gourmet BBQ, sharing food, canapés or even bring in a private chef for something more special. The important thing is that the food suits the occasion and the people attending it. And make sure dietary requirements aren't an afterthought. Good event planning means everyone feels properly catered for.
Create opportunities for people to mingle
This is particularly important for company Christmas parties. Not everyone wants to spend the whole evening sitting next to the same people they work with every day. Think about creating different reasons to move around and chat. A bar area, food stations, music or an activity can all help people naturally mix without having to endure any painfully forced “team building”. A cocktail masterclass, for example, can be a brilliant way to get smaller groups laughing, talking and doing something together.
Don't cram too much in
You don't need entertainment every fifteen minutes. Sometimes the best parties are relatively simple: great drinks, really good food, music and an atmosphere where people actually want to stay and chat. Choose a few things and do them well. Quality will nearly always make an event feel more special than trying to squeeze too much into the evening.
It's the little details people notice
The difference between a good party and a great one is often in the details. How are guests greeted? Is there somewhere sensible to put coats? Does the bar look fantastic? Is there a welcome drink? Does the music suit the crowd? Is everything ready before the first guest walks through the door? Individually, these things might seem small. Together, they create an event that feels effortless and properly thought through.
And finally... remember you're supposed to enjoy it too
If you're organising the party, you shouldn't spend the entire evening worrying about whether there is enough ice, clearing glasses or checking what's happening with the food.
That's where getting the right people involved makes a huge difference.
At The Cock & Tail Events Co, we can help you create a Christmas party that feels a little bit special, whether that's bringing one of our professional mobile cocktail bars into your office, creating fantastic food, running a cocktail masterclass or helping you pull the whole event together. You provide the guests. We'll help make sure they actually want to stay.
Planning your Christmas party? Get in touch with The Cock & Tail Events Co and let's start creating something your guests will genuinely look forward to.
The Cock & Tail Events Co. specialises in venue cocktail parties across Nottingham and the Midlands, bringing professional mobile bars, crafted cocktails and friendly service directly to your door... either at a venue or at your home.