Corporate Christmas Party Planning

The Office Christmas Party has quite the reputation - it’s, on one end, either an absolute snoozefest for everyone (except the extremely drunk accountant) OR to the other extreme, it’s the one annual event everyone’s waiting for!

The highlight of any event eventually boils down to three elements: Food & Beverage, Venue and Entertainment. Food & Beverage; a wise option would be to opt for catering. When it comes to venue, budget is the primary factor that one needs to look into. On the more economical end of the spectrum would be an in-office bash. All it would take is a few streamers and decorations, perhaps a fun photo-booth and we can call it a day! For a more extravagant affair, renting a banquet hall or a unique venue (museums and zoos are quite the rage now) might work out well for you. However, for a mid-budget Christmas Party, of late, harbour cruises in Sydney are quite popular.

The advantage with a Christmas Party cruise is that you wouldn’t need to worry at all, once you secure your booking, you only need to show up. A Sydney Showboats Christmas Party cruise will spoil your guests with a traditional Christmas feast, incredible roving views of the harbour and an hour-long spectacular cabaret show. So, it’s as good as hitting three birds with one stone!

Now, coming to the most important part of the Christmas Party. Don’t fight me on this - imagine now that all your guests are gathered at your premium venue, enjoying delicious food and drink. And staring idly at the walls as a pin-drop silence surrounds them? Doesn’t sound too good now, does it? Entertainment is just as important as any other aspect of party planning - this is especially the case for corporate parties since all the guests know each other only in formal-controlled settings. It’s going to take a lot of liquid courage (Christmas-sy mulled wine, anyone?) to get them to loosen up! Let’s explore some of the best (tried and tested) entertainment options ideal for corporate Christmas parties.

1. Venue-based Entertainment - These are definitely the easiest of the lot. Your entertainment options are integrated into the venue and theme of the party! Here are two of our favourite options:

• Paintball - Corporate paintball parties are certainly not unheard of, but celebrating Christmas playing paintball with your colleagues is quite the experience. Also, build morale and encourage working together as a team, all while having a great time!
• Showboat Christmas Party cruise in Sydney - Booking or chartering an authentic paddlewheeler for your corporate party is sure to get heads turning. The highlight of Christmas Party cruises in Sydney are plenty - the ease of booking online, all-inclusive packages with dinner and a cabaret show!

The cabaret show is the showstopper; this hour-long masterpiece in colourful costumes and captivating choreography is sure to get your guests’ feet tapping and hands clapping!

2. Santa Claus and his elves

What’s a Christmas Party without a jolly Santa and his elves? There’s two ways you could go about this. Persuade someone in the office to be a sport and don the hat and beard! If you fail to convince someone, there’s always the option of hiring a Santa Claus to grace the occasion - extra points (and funds) for song & dance performances by the costumed Claus!

3. Magician

Bring magic to your event - quite literally. Hiring a magician seems like something out of a kid’s birthday party but it needn’t be. An illusionist or even a hypnotist with ample experience of performing in front of a crowd may keep your guests on the edge of their seats!

4. Stand-up Comedian

There’s nothing better than free-flowing alcohol and laughs to get everyone to loosen up and get the party started! And this is where a stand-up comedian comes in. You could get someone with an observational sense of humor or a performer who focuses his jokes primarily on the corporate life - relatable & winning!

5. Tarot Reader

Hiring a Party Psychic is a fun way to invite the mystical power of magic into your party. Their mind-boggling insight is sure to have your guests wowed. Also, keep your concerns at bay since most psychics are inclined towards giving positive readings so no one’s going home thinking too hard and long about their reading! It’s all in good fun.

6. DJ and Dancing

This is probably the easiest to organise for your party. A great sound system, party lights and a local DJ hired for the evening! Watch your coworkers bust out their best dance moves!

The annual party planning shenanigans are not just an uncalled expenditure of money - a well-executed Christmas Party boosts morale among the employees, enhances interpersonal relationships between teams and is a fun way to blow off some steam at the end of the year. So, get planning. It’s never too early to start!

Merlin Jakes traverses the world during her free time, taking her to various exotic places, ticking off her travel bucket list one by one.