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One of the favorite events of the holiday season is the company holiday party. These types of parties run the spectrum when it comes to theme, location, time of day, etc. It’s important to plan and execute a holiday party that is a celebration of the year and a fabulous time for each of your employees and their guests. Planning ahead to make sure no detail is overlooked is the best way to start the process of planning the ultimate holiday office party.

First, you must decide where to have the party. It is a great idea to have the party outside of the office if you can. When sitting among cubicles and computers all day, this is the last place most employees want to celebrate. Many types of sites can be rented for holiday office parties including country clubs, restaurants, convention centers or even a more unique venue like an art gallery or arcade. If your budget will not allow for a rental fee, many restaurants have party rooms that can accommodate a large group and cost will most likely be for food and drink only.

Next, decide when the party should happen. Some companies choose to do a luncheon type of party to limit the guest list to just the employees. This is a good way to host a special party on a smaller budget keeping the celebration more intimate among just the employees. If you choose to have an evening party, it is nice for employees to be allowed to bring a guest. This gives your employees the chance to have a special night out.

The theme is an important part of the party planning as well and starts with the invitations. Just as important as the company holiday card is the invitation to the company holiday party. Invitations should be fun and set the tone for the party. Whether the theme is a casino night, a decade party, or a dance party employees should sense the excitement the moment they see the invite. Be sure to give all necessary details as well as any special instructions for the party such as theme attire or bringing a gift or donation of some sort for a charity collection. A quality promotional products company will come in handy with creating an invitation.

What about food for the party? The type of food you choose to serve will depend on the number of guests who will attend. A smaller company might be able to host a more intimate sit down dinner and larger groups might want to consider serving food in a buffet style. If you are going the sit down dinner route, be sure to avoid letting it become high pressure like an office meeting. Try to find ways to make it fun by providing activities for guests to lighten the mood.

The food should be a lead in to the big event of the night, the entertainment. Having a DJ or live band and dancing can be a fun addition to a holiday party. You may even have musical people right there in your company who would love to perform! Be sure that your activities match the theme of your party and provide fun for guests with a variety of interests.

Finally, don’t let your guests leave empty handed. Be sure to have a party favor for guests to take as they leave the event. There are many branded holiday items that make great gifts for your employees and can go with the theme of your party. A custom logo ornament or other personalized holiday item makes a great favor for all of your guests. Hiring a promotional products company to help in selecting these items is a great place to start.