Tips for a Great Office Christmas Party

You and your colleagues have worked hard all year, so what better way to celebrate the end of the year and imminent Christmas festivities than an office Christmas party.

It's a great way to let your hair down, get to know your colleagues a bit better, and have lots of great fun.

If you are organizing things this year but have never done it before, you may be feeling a little daunted. Read on for some inspiration and tips on how to make your office Christmas party a roaring success.

Secret Santa gift exchange

Secret Santa is a popular Christmas tradition in many workplaces.

The idea is that the names of all employees taking part are placed into a hat, everyone picks a name and then buys a Christmas gift to a maximum value.

This reduces the chances of one person spending a fortune but getting a mediocre gift in return.

If you or your colleagues are struggling for inspiration, themed gift baskets are a great idea.

If, for example, the person you are buying for is partial to a Moscow Mule cocktail once in a while, you could put together a gift basket containing vodka, a copper mug, and print out a little bit of history of the Moscow Mule mug.

If they enjoy a bit of pampering, fill a basket with face masks, shower gels, and some scented bath bombs.

It makes the gift a little bit more personal and shows that you made some effort.

On the day of the Christmas party, everyone gets together before the party starts and opens their gifts and creates a fun and enjoyable start to the celebrations.

Booking a venue

Christmas party venues book up fast, so make sure you book something as soon as you can. Most venues will allow you to provide them with ballpark numbers in the first instance and firm things up a few months before the booking date.

Although you can opt for a traditional meal and drinks venue, it's worth considering whether an organized Christmas party package with entertainment included might be a better idea.

They are usually great fun and will probably be talked about for a long time afterwards.

An in-house celebration

If you intend to have your party in your office, there will be even more to plan. Food and drink are probably the most crucial, so decide whether you will be organizing this yourself or bringing in an outside caterer.

Buffet style food is perfect for office functions as everyone can eat and socialize at the same time.

Music is another must for any successful Christmas party, so it's worthwhile having some speakers rigged up in the function suite or board room.

Have a few party playlists at the ready too to help keep everyone in the party mood throughout the evening.

An array of Christmas decorations and lights will add to the festive theme and should help to get everyone in the mood to let their hair down and have a fabulous time with their friends and colleagues.