7 Expert Tips On Planning the Ultimate Corporate Holiday Party

No matter what holiday you celebrate, it’s inarguable that the winter season is a time for giving. One in four Americans volunteer for organizations to help the less fortunate on a regular basis, but this number gets even higher during the holiday season. In November and December, not only to people of all religions give time and gifts to friends and family, but millions more volunteer their time and donate money to the needy.

If one of the things you want to give your employees this season is an amazing party, you’re doing something amazing. After all, it’s important to loosen up and have a good time after a hard year’s work.

You might be wondering how exactly to plan the perfect corporate holiday party. We won’t lie and say it’s an easy task, but it is a really fun and rewarding one. Read on to learn some of the best tips and tricks to make sure your corporate party is a success!

1. Pick the Right Time

The first thing to think about is the right time and place for your holiday party. You might be tempted to throw a party on the holiday itself, but this is a bad idea for a couple of reasons. First, you don’t want to look like you’re giving preference to any specific holiday. More importantly, though, no one will come to a corporate party when they’re spending holiday time with family.

Pick a time around the holiday season, ideally during work hours. This will ensure that everyone can come. It makes sense if you can’t throw a party at work, though- when this is the case, try having it directly after the workday ends. This way, people won’t feel obligated to come in on a weekend.

2. Don’t Have a Religious Theme

You don’t want to look like you’re favoring any employees or any religion. Because of how diverse the American workplace is, it’s important not to cater to one demographic. Put the nativity scene away and consider a different theme.

Want to try a pop culture theme like a superhero holiday party or a simple cozy winter theme party? Go for it! Be creative and think of fun, non-religious themes that your employees will love.

3. Create Awesome Invites

Now that you’ve decided on the basics, it’s time to get the word about your party to those you work with. This means that you’re going to need invitations or holiday e-vites that set the mood for your party and fall into whatever theme you’ve chosen.

You might be wondering how to find invitations that meet these criteria. Your very specific Star Wars in the winter theme might be awesome, but you aren’t going to find appropriate invitations at Hallmark. Luckily, it’s easier than ever to create custom invitations!

These e-vites will have all the information about your party and a great aesthetic. Easy to use web design software will allow you to see exactly what you’re creating and admire your work, so why wait? Get creative!

4. Hire an Amazing Caterer…

One of the absolute most important things at any party is the food. It’s what everyone looks forward to at pretty much any event- after all, who doesn’t like chowing down on mini hors d’oeuvres or hitting the taco bar?

You probably don’t just want to send out for a pizza. While pizza’s great, it isn’t holiday party caliber food.

For your main course, you’re going to want to hire a great caterer. It doesn’t need to be anything fancy- don’t spend hundreds of dollars on bringing in steaks. Keep it tasty but also reasonable. A taco bar is an awesome idea, as is a build-your-own burger station. This gives people choices and are incredibly tasty options.

5. …Or Try to DIY!

There are also great DIY recipes out there for appetizers (in any situation) and main courses (if you can’t afford a pro caterer). Let your employees pick cheap and easy recipes for a potluck if you don’t feel like splurging on pre-prepared food. Sometimes, the perfect caterers were in your office all along!

Also note that you need to be aware of all dietary restrictions around the workplace. Make sure that you have vegetarian options and that you know and work around food allergies that your employees may have. You want everyone to have a good time- remember that!

6. Decorate and Decorate Some More

While you might think that decorations are a dumb investment, they actually are crucial to any good party because they set the mood. Think about the theme that you’ve chosen or the color scheme that goes best with the holiday season. Get some decorations to go with the aesthetic of your party.

You can’t go wrong with generic winter decorations. Hanging paper snowflakes and garland is both cheap and mood-inducing. Having candles makes your space nice and cozy, and since they’re popular in pretty much all holiday traditions shouldn’t offend anyone.

Have some of your most creative employees head off to a craft store with a corporate card or the promise of reimbursement. Make sure to set a budget, too- you don’t want things to get too pricey! Still, letting employees pick out the decorations that matter to them will set an awesome scene for a great party.

7. Don’t Go Too Wild

It’s important to have a good time at your corporate holiday party and let loose a little bit. You want your employees and coworkers to feel comfortable and happy when they’re with you, regardless of whether you’re their boss during work hours. It’s even more important, though, that you remember your relationship to them and don’t go too crazy.

While a cocktail or two is fine, don’t drink past your limit. Make sure that you don’t get sloppy and do something you regret… or don’t remember. You don’t want to leave your employees with an image that they can’t unsee, and you definitely don’t want them to lose respect for you.

Plan a Great Corporate Holiday Party

While planning the perfect holiday party for your employees can be a challenge, it’s also a really rewarding one. Plus, if you make sure that you have great invitations, a great theme, and good food, you’ll make your job a whole lot easier.

Now that you know how to create the best holiday party possible to give your employees and coworkers a great time, it’s time to get started on the invitations. Click here to check out some templates for creating eye-catching e-vites to business events like your corporate holiday party. 

Happy holidays!