Planning Christmas Party Entertainment
CHRISTMAS EVENT PLANNING
Yes we're going to talk about it, and yes, it's closer than you think!
Christmas is indeed coming, and it's time to get the ball rolling for the yearly shindig. We're experts in organising Christmas party entertainment and so are passing on our years of experience to you, dear reader.
Often this task can be a highlight, or, quite frankly, a task that gets pushed further and further down the 'to do' list in the hopes that it doesn't exist!
Wherever you're at, Event Flair is here to help, and we have some tips to either get you started, give you some great Christmas party ideas, or help take what you've already planned to the next level.
TIP ONE - BE WELL ORGANISED
There is nothing that will make guests complain more than a poorly organized event. Read that again!
If you need a hand – we have a 5 part event planner (free) that covers first things to do when you're planning an event, finding a venue, questions to ask when you're on a venue site visit, what to put on your invitation, and lastly, how to pick entertainment for your event. Feel free to contact Event Flair here and we’ll send it on through!
TIP TWO – DROP HINTS LEADING UP TO THE CHRISTMAS EVENT
There’s been a few companies we’ve worked with who have done this, and it's always been really successful! Our Event Flair team were the lucky ones welcoming on the door that got to see some very excited guests arriving at their mystery event.
So how do you do this? We’d recommend dropping hints weekly via email, or on your staff noticeboard (if you have one). This could be simple things like a clue on the location, what to wear, surprises that might happen on the night – anything you can think of! Add it to your calendar in advance so you don’t forget, and you could even make the list of hints in advance too, so each hint will take you seconds to send once you hit the busy season.
TIP THREE - SET THE SCENE
A scene is set from the minute guests walk in the door. Ideally - you want your guests to feel really, really welcome, to feel in the mood and to feel excited for the night ahead. These are a few ways that you can do this:
Having someone on the door – but not you the host.
From our experience, having the host on the door to welcome people can be a recipe for disaster. Why? The welcoming role is too important to pop away from and hope that you’ll be able to come back. Best to leave it to someone else, and free yourself up to put out fires where you are needed (hopefully not literally!).
Someone ‘dressed to the nines’ in theme, warmly welcoming guests, taking tickets, handing guests a drink, showing them where to go – all of these equal a great welcome, and something you should definitely prioritise.
Set the vibe
One of the easiest ways to set a vibe is with live musicians. There’s so many style to choose from - jazz, swing, acoustic, classical….. (we offer all of these – you can read more about our event services). Another idea if you were wanting something a little bit different, is to have some roving performers in body paint designs! Definite wow factor and a great photo opportunity too.
TIP FOUR - HAVE SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO
This could be anything - a dance performance, circus act, singer, magician…..the world is your oyster! Having a main event breaks up an evening, making your event seem less long and more interesting. This also gives a point of difference to your event, creating a memory that will leave your guests talking for weeks afterwards.
TIP FIVE – GIVE STRUCTURE TO YOUR FORMALITIES
Formalities = a speech and/or awards. It’s really important to remember the following things for formalities:
Don’t leave them too late
Let your guests know the formal part of the evening is over
Keep them as short as possible
Be well organised, and plan what you want to say in advance
If the formalities are left too late and an official end to the party isn’t stated, it creates confusion as to when the Christmas party actually ends. This could result in a lot of guests leaving very early (not great if you have a minimum spend to make, or a lot of food just about to be served), or sometimes can end in guests being upset to find out that catered food and drinks have stopped without notice. Giving an official end to the party is respectful to those who may have young children at home to get to, as it gives them a chance to politely slip away.
If you are going to say anything, make sure it is prepared – no one wants to listen to unplanned rambling!! Write down what you need to say in advance, and give a time limit to those who perhaps aren’t so planned!
SO IN SUMMARY:
Be well organised
Drop hints leading up to your events
Set the scene
Have something to look forward to
Give structure to your formalities and plan them in advance
If you have a Christmas party coming up, we would love to help with Christmas party ideas, and of course provide some live performers from our amazing Event Flair team. Feel free to get in touch with what you’re planning, no matter what stage you’re at – we’d love to hear from you.