How to Organise a FABULOUS Christmas Party!
If you’ve been given the task of organising your next Christmas party, you’re could be thinking;
a. “How do I top last year's event!"
b. "How do I keep everyone happy?"
c. "How do I make it fun!"
There's no doubt it's a big responsibility and management will be looking for THE event. So here are a few Cheeky tips to get you going:
1. START NOW!! The best entertainers, venues, caterers and interesting ideas always get booked out early, so give yourself a fighting chance by getting the BEST by starting now.
2. KNOW YOUR NUMBERS. One of the key items that will drive the style of event will be the number of people. 5 -100pp, with a modest budget, you can probably handle on your own. Anything above that and you’re probably better off working with an external Event Manager. You can still work closely with them, but they are the professionals and do this day in, day out. Just plan for their costs in your budget. Also make sure your event can accommodate changes in your numbers so you don't get caught out if they go up or down. Cheeky can help or we can recommend some fantastic event managers.
3. AGREE STYLE and BUDGET. There’s no point being told you want something very glam, when your budget is say $50pp. Ensure you have senior management/committee agreement on these two key things.
4. FRINGE BENEFITS TAX. This is VERY worth investigating. For some events your company will be paying for the Christmas party again on June 30. This will depend on the budget, no of people and what sort of event you do. If you’re a privately owned company this can mean the difference between having to pay FBT and having a limited budget, or not having to and having double the amount!!! So have a chat to your finance team/accountant and see what you can do to extend your budget.
5. VENUES. Outdoor or indoor? Near the office? With so many options for venues you really need to work out your preferences before you start looking. If you choose outdoor, do you have a wet weather back up? If you choose a venue in the city, will it be easy for everyone to get home? So once you have your list of the key things you want, start your search online or there are venue finding services available. e.g.http://www.eventconnect.com.au
6. THEMES / MUSIC / ENTERTAINMENT. Your budget will drive this, as will the style of event, but anywhere you can include some or all of the staff will be a big hit…but do remember not everyone wants to be onstage! Themeing can be a good ice breaker and the right party music for the group will help get people mingling. And there are plenty of low cost themeing ideas or Cheeky can recommend professionals.
7. DRINKING Most HR and OHS departments cringe at every company or department event as excessive drinking and injury claims can be fraught with issues…and the Christmas Party is often cited as the most fraught of the year! Some companies have even cancelled or downgraded future Christmas parties, in lieu of legal issues, so ensure you get clear directions from your HR and OHS on this and balance that up with what’s needed to keep your group happy. It will no doubt be a compromise! Or consider parties that might include an interactive activity at the start so that drinking is minimized during what is normally the maximum drinking time. The key is to get everyone talking AND drinking a bit less than normal without being aware..shhhh!
8. SOFT DRINKS AND MOCKTAILS. Have jugs of soft drinks, water and/or non-alcoholic drinks readily available, especially near the dance floor!
8. TEAM COOKING. Consider a Team Activity such as Cheeky's Christmas Cooking Parties. Everyone gets to mingle, be part of the action and you get the added bonus of team building without people even being aware of it.
Click here for our Christmas Party Ideas and SPECIAL OFFER! Hurry offer end 30 September!