However, hosting a holiday party can be overwhelming if you're starting from scratch. Here are a few tips and inspirational blips to get your creative wheels turning.
When picking a venue, you need a space you can fully customize (we know one!). That way, if your headcount or theme changes at the last minute, it's an easy transition. You're not stuck at a haunted mansion with 80 sugar plum fairy decorations. This part should be easy peasy....
- The Center is a blank canvas, ready for any theme you can throw at it. Also, we accept floor plans up to the week of the event, and as long as you and your vendors can work out a set-up for your holiday shindig, we can make it happen.
Now that you have your venue, let's talk theme...
You have hundreds of motifs from which to choose. Everything from Winter Wonderland to Nightmare before Christmas is on the table. The first thing to do is read your audience. Are they generally a more comical crowd? Do they appreciate simple decadence? This is easier to do if you have a small office crowd. Still, don't despair if 300+ people RSVP to your company celebration. There are some themes you can successfully use, regardless of the crowd.
1) The Classic
Winter Wonderland
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| 2012 Winter Party at The Center |
Sure, it's been done before, but with good reason! The Winter Wonderland theme steers clear of three important DON'Ts in holiday party planning.
- Don't heavily reference any spiritual group unless your organization is affiliated with a specific religion. It is a great idea to highlight what is important to your employees during the holiday season, but an overriding religious theme might make certain people feel unappreciated. Winter Wonderland leaves room for spirituality without separating folks from their peers.
- Don't choose a pop culture theme that only appeals to a marginal group in your office. For example: "Justin Beiber Loves Christmas" may impress a few folks, but there are bound to be people who pass on the good times because they can't relate to the theme. Winter Wonderland is broad enough that both Justin Beiber and Bing Crosby can make an appearance.
- Don't limit your musical selection. There are hundreds of holiday songs, and chances are, even with Winter Wonderland, you'll end up repeating a few classics over the course of the night. Just be sure that your theme doesn't require a very specific type of music or people will feel compelled to get away from the five-song loop.
2) The Contemporary
Xmas Marks The Spot
If your office party looks like it's going to be very popular, you may need to divide everyone into groups for this one! Split your party into teams and organize a scavenger hunt within your office the week before your holiday party.
Whether you want your teams to hit the Internet or hit the streets in search of their answers, this is a fun way to build new relationships at the end of the year or reinforce old ones.
At the end of the hunt, have the last (very obvious) clue lead everyone to The Center for a well-deserved end of the year party with a treasure hunt motif!
3) The Literary
Narnia
This classic novel, while boasting ties to both religion and popular culture, is an excitingly different look at the holiday season through a magical lens your co-workers will surely enjoy, regardless of their affiliations. Also, because of the descriptive nature of the story, a lot of the guess work is taken away! Serve Turkish Delight, have a sled or wardrobe themed photo booth, opt for snowy white furniture and forest decor, and cover your tables with royal red linens.
4) The Get-away
Ski Vacation
Picture this: White furniture draped with flannel blankets, flame lights scattered around the space, ski and lodge decor on the tables, and the bartenders serving spiked hot cocoa and apple cider to your happy employees as they enjoy their imaginary trip to Aspen. If your crowd has a funny bone, this is the perfect motif for cute company puns. We'll leave those up to you! As far as music goes, you can play everything from Christmas music to country music with this theme, and without any broken legs from the real slopes, you can all dance the night away.
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