Planning a Corporate Christmas Party?

A Christmas party is a fantastic way to make your team feel valued, appreciated, gives them an opportunity to let their hair down and to form closer bonds with colleagues.

What would your business be without your staff?  What effect would an unmotivated team have on your bottom line? An enthusiastic, happy, tight knit team is a productive team. So, let them know how much you value the efforts they put in each year. Christmas is a great time of year to treat your staff.

In this article:

• Find out how a great Christmas party can benefit your business
• Check out some popular Corporate Christmas Party Themes

A Christmas Party equals positive vibes and productivity

Corporate events have recently been shown to be one of the most effective means of promoting a brand or product.

You probably have a lot of business connections, but rarely get the opportunity see them.

Whilst such face-to-face opportunities are still more powerful than ever, and should be grabbed at every available opportunity, when it isn’t possible, the digital age provides us with ample opportunity to stay connected online.

What’s that got to do with the Christmas party?

The average guest at your Christmas party is likely to have 150 connections to show your event off to, sharing pictures on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and posting updates about what a great time they are having.

Bearing in mind the positive effects that a great Christmas party will have on your team, and the fact that they will want to let all of their connections know what a wonderful employer you are, make sure that you…

…make it a memorable one!

There are a lot of options out there, from sharing a venue with other companies to decorating the office and dancing on the desks, but why not create something unique instead?

A marquee makes a great space, whether it is attached to your building as an extension, placed in the grounds of your office or at a separate venue, it is a blank canvas that offers flexibility of space and design.

Why not theme your Christmas Party?

If you wan’t to make your Christmas party unique and memorable then why not give it a theme? Themes are not only fun, but they ensure that each years event is easily distinguishable from past events. Everyone will have they’re favourites, and past Christmas party themes can become a fun topic of discussion for guests too.

Remember, not everyone enjoys fancy dress, so a great theme should be able to stand alone without you needing to ask your guests to dress up or take part in any activities that they aren’t comfortable with. That said, interactive an immersive events are now more popular than ever before. Why not hire some on theme actors to mingle with the party-goers for extra fun and atmosphere? Wandering bands, street magicians and caricature artists are a popular and fun way to bring extra flavour too.

Talking of flavour… Catering options are bigger and better than ever before. Think street food stalls, desert stations or canapes and bowl food instead of formal, seating dining or boring buffet options.

Coming up with a party theme that’s going to be popular with your teams can be hard work. So, if you’re looking for some inspiration then here are a few themes that have been trending in recent years:

Great Gatsby

Art deco glitz and glamour is great for a corporate events, if your staff would enjoy dressing up in flapper girl dresses and dapper suits while drinking champagne and dancing then this is the theme for you.

Decorate the marquee with luxury pleated linings and have a black & white dancefloor for busting some moves, make the marquee contemporary with some illuminated seating blocks for when it all gets too much.

Winter Wonderland

This theme can be interpreted in so many ways, from fun and tacky to Narnia or even Game of Thrones (Winter is coming!).

Throw in some fake snow and a few themed props. Winter themes are spot on for the time of year and a great way to get everyone in the mood for the Christmas.

Christmas trees make for great décor, add in bursts of red and green with lots of fairy lights and festive canapés before a three course roast for an early Christmas treat.

Organise a secret Santa a couple of months in advance so presents can be given at the party, team games can also help staff bond. For something slightly more low-key have a chill out area where cocktails can be served and everyone can chat, a dance floor isn’t a must here, but definitely an optional extra.

Circus

The circus theme is all about fun, garish colours and wild entertainment; jugglers, stilts, acrobats and dancers make for a magnificent event. Circus (we hope!) takes you about as far out of the workplace mindset as possible.

Food can be fun and experimental too.

Formal seated dining may not be ideal as circus style events tend to be quite fluid and can often feature entertainers and artists wandering through the crowds and entertaining the guests with exciting side shows.

Canapes and bowl food work well, but fun food stations featuring burgers and hotdogs, plus popcorn stands and candy floss vendors offering deserts work exceptionally well.

Victoriana 

Be inspired by Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol with an ivory lined marquee filled with market stalls and delicate décor. Or why not bring the Victorian age up to date with an ultra-cool  steampunk theme?

Fill the different stalls with a selection of foods, from roasted chestnuts to popcorn, jacket potatoes, soups and roast meats and vegetables. Replicate a victorian street market with some nice theming, fake snow and soft subtle lighting.

You can go all out, with fun wandering entertainers such as professional pickpockets (yes, that really is a thing!) and wandering minstrels and bands. Or you could make it a low-key occasion if staff are looking for something fun without the bluster of a big, all guns blazing event.

If you still aren’t feeling inspired enough, head over to our gallery pages for more décor ideas.

Marquees for winter events

There is a common misconception that a marquee in winter is not suitable in winter due to the unpredictable British weather. This is simply not the case… Our robust marquees are designed to withstand wind gusts of up to 80mph, and are of course completely water proof. Read about our guide to winter marquees or contact us if you would like more information.

Let’s discus your company Christmas Party

Are you ready to find out how we can help? From designing and building a unique party marquee  at a venue of your choosing, to helping you to source the best caterers, entertainers, bar suppliers and theming specialists – we do it all.

Call 01483 322070 or email enquiries@lifestylemarquees.co.uk for a no obligation over the phone estimate or to book a face to face consultation.