With the big day only about three months away, it is time for businesses to turn their attention to celebrating the year with staff members.
The Christmas party can take many forms. Whether it be at someone’s house offering an informal barbecue, a more organised event like croquet or lawn bowls complete with refreshments, or a full-on drinks, meal and dance-the-night away scenario.
Whatever you’re planning to do this Christmas, now is the time to put preparations in place.
Leaving it until a couple of weeks before December could result in disappointment at not being able to hold the event you want, leaving staff also feeling less loved.
There are many options in the south to ensure the work Christmas party goes to plan.
We have put together a few so you can see some easy options — taking away some of the stress at a busy time of year.
AN end-of-year function wouldn’t be the same without one crucial activity — Secret Santa.
A time-honoured tradition of gift-giving, a Secret Santa exchange provides an element of excitement, as colleagues, or friends and family put their present-buying skills to the test to find the perfect parcel.
For those who haven’t played before, consider adding it to your end-of-year activities to inject some fun and friendship into the day.
The rules are simple. Write down the name of each player on a piece of paper, and draw names randomly to assign a Secret Santa to each player. The name you draw from the hat is the person you’re buying a Secret Santa gift for. Drawing your own name is not allowed. Put it back and draw again.
Generally it helps to set a dollar limit, so everyone is on the same page and no-one ends up looking disappointedly at their dollar store offering, while others are exclaiming excitedly over their department store delight.
Secret Santa is about the fun of giving and receiving, it shouldn’t be an unwanted extra cost at an expensive time of the year — your dollar limit might be $10, $15 or $20.
A good Secret Santa gift is something that’s appropriate for the recipient, or perhaps pokes fun at something that’s happened during the year.
Then it’s time to think about what you might buy for the person you’ve pulled out of the hat. Are they an animal lover? Have they confessed to having a passion for tea towels?
Have they admired — and used — the rather nice hand cream on your desk?
Here is a list of helpful hints to consider when planning your Christmas function:
■Start a list of venues in the region and contact them immediately to find out if the date you are looking at is free.
■Make sure you are aware of all the facilities the venue has to offer and ensure it is suitable for your requirements.
■Before booking it is important to make sure the venue can supply the basics needed: tables, cutlery, tablecloths, napkins etc.
■Consider what public events are happening at the same time as yours. Will they clash or are they complementary to your event?
■Do a thorough check both online, on social media and in newspapers for all the suitable function centres in your area.
■Ring around the catering options and be clear in what you want — do you want tapas, a three-course meal or just tea and coffee?
■What type of entertainment will your event require? Do you need a fantastic local band? Do you want a DJ or do you want to use your own music? Make sure the chosen venue has the capacity for your chosen entertainment.
■Making sure there is a sound system capable of playing music is vital.
■Do you require an outside space? If so, make sure the venue has one before booking. Inquire as to whether you are able to hire a marquee as well, in case of bad weather on the day.
■Take into account whether you want to document the evening. Do you want a professional photographer or do you want to hire a fun photo booth with props? It is important to book these things early as they fill up very quickly.
■Decorations are important to an event. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to hire or create your own.
Check with the venue staff first to see what they have on site. Many places will have candles and lighting options but if you want extra fairy lights or colourful lighting, you may be required to supply it yourself.
The options to hire extra lighting, plants, backdrops, seat covers and centre pieces are out there — look online and phone around. It never hurts to ask and see what is out there to make your event a success.
If you want to have a theme, make sure you plan accordingly.
Look for decorations relating to the theme. If you are going to have a costume party, be clear on the theme: Christmas movies and Christmas characters always make great themes. Make sure the decorations and setting reflects your chosen theme.
■Invitations to events are key. Give people enough time and notice to ensure everyone can attend your function. Decide whether you’ll provide personal invitations or do them online.
■The most crucial factor when planning a Christmas event is ensuring you have enough time. Don’t put any stress on yourself — the time to start planning is now!
Enlist the help of friends, family, colleagues or a professional to help. It’ll help broaden the horizon for ideas and the more hands on deck helping the better.
Did they dent the company car or accrue a slew of speeding tickets during the year?
Creative types might even be able to save their money and make something appropriate for the person.
START thinking about your Christmas celebration now.
Christmas cheer is just around the corner and with spring here, now is the time to think about how to celebrate at the end of the year.
Amazing venues are available for indoor and outdoor entertainment, but to avoid disappointment, book in your party now if you require a venue.
Some places do a themed dinner, some offer entertainment, sometimes it is a simple case of booking in an activity before going out to dinner.
Take a moment to think about how you will create a Christmas party to remember. Some ideas:
Wine tasting
Whether it is a trip to the vineyard, winery or wine club, there are plenty of opportunities to sip and smile with friends. You could even make it a wine and cheese evening.
For a fun addition to a wine tasting adventure, choose a themed style based on a classic movie and make it a dress-up extravaganza.
Try a bit of future-style sass with Blade Runner, flapper elegance with The Great Gatsby or 1960s sci-fi silliness.
Picnic paradise
Combine the beauty of the stunning countryside with a classic family picnic at one of the many wonderful locations across the region.
Get out of the office and enjoy nature with a wicker hamper full of cold cuts, artisan cheeses, drinks and local fruit.
Have some fun in the sun by playing good old-fashioned games like an egg and spoon race, wheelbarrow race, gumboot throwing, and piggyback racing.
Santa’s workshop
Combine a great function with thinking of others by running a creative workshop, making gifts, stocking fillers, tasty treats and Christmas decorations.
Contact a local charity and fill Christmas hampers with gifts along with essential canned non-perishable food items that can help families who are struggling during the Christmas season.
Photo fun
A photo booth can be a very enjoyable experience at a Christmas party.
Have lots of fun, festive props to make it a hilarious time for everyone.
See how creative you can be with poses and dress-up items, and make sure you smile!
Remember the ride home
Make sure no matter what you plan for the festive season, have a responsible plan for everyone to get home safely.
Decide on a designated driver, have a van or taxi organised so everyone can get home, or make it a night to remember by staying overnight at a hotel.
Looking out for your friends and family is part of being a good host, and a great festive season is all about ensuring everybody has a safe, fun time.
