It’s getting close to the holidays. Have you started planning an office Christmas party yet?
Don’t worry – it’s not too late to plan a memorable holiday party. When it comes to planning an office holiday party within budget and around a tight schedule, there is a proven formula. Keep things simple, rely on others’ expertise, and don’t panic. You can do this, with a little help!
Keep It Simple
When time is at a minimum, you don’t have time to plan an overly elaborate holiday party. Instead of getting buried in tons of details, simplify what you’re doing. Cut out any unnecessary elements and focus on the big things. When you can only do so many things, pick the right ones and make them count. Also, bring on an event team that will handle the small decisions and complexities of the party. You’ll be glad you did!
Less is More
When it comes to planning holiday décor on a shortened schedule, less is more. Not every square inch of the venue needs to be covered in holiday ornamentation. Pick key areas to decorate and leave bare those lower traffic areas. Use your decoration budget where it has the most impact, such as in entrances, around the bar, and on tables. People will remember the decorations they see, and not notice the ones they don’t.
Be Your Own DJ
The closer you get the holidays, the more likely it is that the most popular live bands and DJs will be booked. That shouldn’t dissuade you from including music at your party, however. If you can find an available San Diego party DJ, and budget allows, you should ideally go that route. However, as a fallback, you can function as your own DJ. For this, you don’t need much more than your smartphone and a music playback app.
Set up a playlist on Pandora or Spotify, or use a DJ app like djay (available for both Android and iOS) for fancier effects. You can run your phone’s music through a set of large Bluetooth-enabled speakers that fill up a room. Or you may be able to connect it to the sound system at the event venue. Check and see what’s available.
Make a Photo Booth
Here’s a great idea for making your last-minute holiday party more memorable. Hire a San Diego photo booth service! There are many great photo booth vendors within our network. So if you need a recommendation, just ask. As a DIY option, you can set up a quick-and-easy photo booth so that your partygoers can take pictures of themselves having fun. This is a budget-friendly project that doesn’t need a professional photographer. Though of course it’s always better to hire professionals wherever possible!
Simply construct a simple photo backdrop – maybe background paper with your company’s logo, which you can get from your local print shop, or a single-color cloth canvas. Set up an iPad on a tripod and install a photo booth app, such as LumaBooth. Take digital photos of all your guests and email their pictures to them. Photos are fun, especially at parties, and this will give guests something they’ll long remember.
Keep it Casual When Planning An Office Christmas Party
When it comes to dining, you may not have time to plan a fancy three-course sit-down dinner. Instead, use your time wisely and focus on food that’s easy to prepare and easy on the budget. This means items like hors d’oeuvres, small plates, and other bite-sized treats. Guests will fill up on these smaller platters featuring crowd favorites. Also, you will free up space in your venue by not setting up formal banquet tables.
As an added benefit, eating while standing up encourages guests to mingle. This is a good thing at a party!
Be Flexible
The later you start planning an office Christmas party, the more likely it is that your date of choice will already be booked out. So, once you have your venue picked out; be flexible in terms of date and time.
Choosing a Thursday instead of Friday, or Saturday afternoon instead of Saturday evening may just get you the venue you wanted. Or if your number-one venue is already booked, the same venue team may have a different location that still has availability. If you’re flexible, you can make this work – even if you waited until the very last minute to book your reservations.
Rely on Your Venue’s Expertise
Finally, you don’t have to do it all yourself. When time is at a premium, let the experts at your event venue take on the work for you.
The venue’s event planner should be able to handle your food and beverage needs, arrange for decorations and other rentals, and even help you book a band or DJ. The team at your chosen venue knows what they’re doing, so let them do it. There’s no reason for you to reinvent the wheel – especially when you’re planning at the last moment.
Let the Experts at Harbor View Loft Help You Plan Your Last-Minute Holiday Party
Located on picturesque Harbor Island, Harbor View Loft is a full-service event venue perfect for your next holiday party. Within our venue, we have an inviting party layout to fit your specific needs, including both indoor and outdoor spaces. Our award-winning event team will help you put together the perfect holiday party for your company, including food and entertainment. Let Harbor View host your holiday party – and handle the details for you.
Contact us today to plan your company’s holiday party.