Office Christmas Party Ideas and Tips
09/10/2021
Read on for a quick guide to some new and exciting office Christmas party ideas and tips for planning your Christmas party so you can avoid all the stress and the most common pitfalls. Our perfrormers are available for hire in London, Brighton and The South East
When to start planning
A lot of the best venues are booked by mid-September. The early bird always catches the worm so if you can, start as early as possible so you get your pick of dates. Remember, a lot of large organisations have belated office Christmas party celebrations in January. This could be due to the nature of their business and their December workload, but it is also a huge saving with discounts all the way. It’s also a way to brighten up the dullest month of the year and most people will be able to make your sparkling celebration.
Office Christmas Party Venues
If your office Christmas party has a theme don’t book a venue until you decide what that theme might be. You can then make your event ‘site specific’ and look extremely clever. Think outside the box for somewhere unusual that could work. If you set your heart on fire performers and your venue’s insurance won’t allow it, you will be in trouble. If you want a vintage affair and you have a post-modernist cube of a room, you will struggle. So, it’s best to think about your theme and find a venue to match it, rather than the other way around.
Take photos, videos and measurements on your site visits so you can plan decorations and what will go where. Be strict with your plus 1 and RSVP rules so you know you can fit everyone in without embarrassment.
Catering
Where in-house catering is available it is normally the more affordable option. However, if you have a gang of gourmets to cater for you may want to bring in specific high-end caterers. Food doesn’t have to be a traditional sit-down affair. A Hipster option is street food. You can book various suppliers to set up colourful stalls or vintage food trucks in outdoor areas. Ask for a menu tasting either way so you know all your foodie friends will be happy.
Fun optional extras include make your own ice cream machines and pop-up candy stores. Don’t forget dietary requirements and allergies. If someone is highly allergic to something take it off the menu entirely. Just in case there is any accidental cross-contamination in the kitchen.
Entertainment for hire in London, Brighton and The South East
Are your company parties the same every year? It’s time for you to shine by getting creative. Rather than random pop-up acts that arrive without introduction or reason, we believe you should make your event a theatrical and fully planned experience.
Live Music and Performers
Live music is wonderful, and we have many fully themed bands from all eras. We even have mash-up bands that combine songs from different decades seamlessly together alongside exciting party performers. Acrobats, aerialists or fire dancers to name just a few. If your budget doesn’t allow for a full band however, you can book a DJ with backing tracks. Your DJ can accompany a singer, themed dancers and performers to achieve the same impact.
Immersive entertainment
We can create uniquely written, bespoke dinner shows of any size that are immersive and happen all around and in between your guests. Theatrical entertainment can involve your guests moving from area to area and through different themed ‘worlds.’
Dinner shows
We have a selection of ready-made dinner shows followed by dancing that includes ‘Christmas in New York’, ‘Cocktails at the North Pole’ and ‘The Electric Cabaret Christmas TV Show.’ Full details can be found on our ‘shows’ page.
Unique entertainment solutions
Rather than an awards ceremony for your office Christmas party, we can host a hilarious game show for you. Rather than a standard event photographer we can arrange a beautifully dressed photographic set and dressing up box area together with a professional stylist for guests.
Challenge us with your ideas and we will create something just for you that will never be seen anywhere else! Above all, we provide full artist and event management on the night so you can sit back and actually enjoy the party yourself.
Booking with a company that can cover sickness is very important so that there are no last-minute panics. At Electric Cabaret Company we have a vast roster of performers in London, Brighton the South East and beyond. We always guarantee to cover sickness with an artist of a similar standard.
Office Christmas Party Décor
Are you stuck with a terrible venue, and you hate it? Have you been given the staff canteen and told to create something amazing for your office Christmas party? Well, don’t panic! Draping, props and simple up-lighters for instance, can turn a plain, awful or cheap venue into something magical, elaborate and atmospheric.
Leave it to the professionals because if you’re not a decorating expert it will certainly show. All their materials will be flame retardant with certification too. Their fixings won’t damage walls and ceilings. Where fixings aren’t allowed, they can create fake, free-standing walls of decoration.
Projections are a cheap alternative for a blank, boring space that can be very effective. You can hire projectors from many sources. Your company may even already own one that you can run from a laptop. Remember to dim the lights after dinner if you want people to dance. Bright lights never inspire confidence on the dancefloor.
You can find more info about our full-service event management on the About Us page. We hope this guide has given you some help and inspiration. Get in touch to hear about all the other exciting ideas we can bring to your festive celebration!