How to Plan the Office Christmas Party

Somebody has to organise the office Christmas party, and if you’re reading this it’s probably fallen to you this year. It can be a struggle to juggle everyone’s different tastes, budget and availability, but the good news is that a handful of early decisions make everything after that far easier.

Our Christmas party planning guide walks you through the whole process, from the first decisions through to budgeting, choosing a venue, and what happens once the night is over.

Office Party Planning Checklist

Before you look at a single venue, get a rough sense of what the team actually wants. A quick poll in the office covers the basics of planning a corporate party, such as which day of the week suits people, whether they'd rather do lunch or an evening out, and any dietary requirements you'll need to plan around.

A few early decisions shape everything else:

• Sit-down meal or buffet?
• Daytime or evening?
• Self-funded or covered by the company?

None of these needs a final answer straight away, but you do need a working assumption to start looking at venues.

You don't need every RSVP in before you start. A rough headcount range, even a loose one, is enough to get quotes moving.

How to Budget for an Office Christmas Party

The budget conversation is usually the one that causes the most friction later- it’s best to sort it early. UK office parties typically run between £25 and £60 per head for a sit-down meal, with buffets sitting toward the lower end and anything with an activity built in pushing the figure up.

Decide who sets the budget before you go looking at venues. If the company is covering costs, get a figure signed off early by the department responsible. If it's self-funded or split, be upfront with your colleagues about the price and what it includes.

Keep a small reserve on top of whatever you land on. Something always comes up, whether that's an extra round of drinks or a last-minute dietary swap.

HOW FAR IN ADVANCE SHOULD YOU BOOK AN OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY?

Start looking at least three to four months before December if you want a wide choice of venue. Popular spots for office parties get booked up fast, especially for Thursdays and Fridays in the first two weeks of December. Prepare a shortlist of venues as early as the summer time, and keep an eye on when they begin accepting Christmas party bookings.

Book your main venue or activity first. That locks in the date and gives you a fixed point to build the rest of the planning around. If you can be flexible, booking a midweek date is usually easier to get and better value than a Thursday, Friday or Saturday night, though this may cause some disrupted productivity the following day.

Choosing the Right Christmas Party Venue & Activity

A good Christmas office party activity should work for the whole team, not just the most vocal opinions. It needs to be accessible across different ages and fitness levels, sociable enough that people from different departments mix, and substantial enough to anchor the evening without splitting the group across multiple locations.

When you're shortlisting venues, be sure to ask the following important questions each time:

• How many people can the venue accommodate?
• What's the cost per head?
• Is it indoor or outdoor
• Is catering included, or will a separate meal need to be booked?

Planning an Inclusive Office Party

An office party will have a wide and diverse range of guests from many different walks of life. It’s crucial to confirm dietary requirements and any accessibility needs ahead of time, and keep them in writing. The same goes for cultural or religious considerations.

If your team is hybrid or remote, decide early whether you're running one central event or putting on a lighter option for people who can't make it in. If the budget allows, offer to cover travel for remote or far-out staff to enable them to attend.

Try to build in some optional extras and make sure everyone has a choice in how they spend their day. Mandatory fun rarely lands well, and a bit of free time in the schedule usually goes down better than back to back activities.

Putting The Finishing Touches on an Office Christmas Party

A simple theme or a splash of decoration in the office can lift the mood and create an atmosphere without much additional cost. Encouraging fancy dress or Christmas jumpers is great, but don’t make it a hard rule or require expensive purchases.

A bit of light entertainment goes a long way with an office crowd. A short quiz, a photo booth or a lighthearted awards round all work well and don't need much setup. Arranging a Secret Santa gift exchange ahead of time builds excitement for the day, but set a price limit on what everyone can spend on their gift.

Whatever you land on, make sure everyone knows the basic plan: date, time, venue, dress code and how to get there. This avoids last-minute confusion or dropouts.

Office Christmas Party Logistics

In the run up to the Christmas party, confirm the final headcount with the venue and remind them of any dietary requirements one final time. Make sure you’re aware of everyone’s travel plans if you aren’t hosting it on site.

Structure the day so the energy builds rather than peaks too early. If it's an evening event, that usually means arrival and drinks first, the main activity or meal in the middle, and space to wind down or carry on afterwards.

We recommend delivering a short briefing the day before to cover the essential logistics and to let everyone what to do if they run into trouble on the day, as well as provide a gentle reminder of the code of conduct.

What To Do After the Office Christmas Party

After all the fun, there’s a small amount of admin work that's easy to forget. Most important of all is the financial tasks. You’ll have to settle the final bill with the venue, reconcile any receipts if the party was self-funded, and chase up any deposits that are due back.

Send a short thank you message to the team the next working day. It's also worth flagging lost property early, since coats and bags left behind are the most common casualty of an office party. Hopefully there won’t be any disciplinary issues to deal with, but unfortunately this may be required.

While it's not required, we highly recommend you take note of what worked and what didn't. Next year's organiser will thank you for it, especially if it's you again.

Corporate Christmas Parties at Sixes Cricket

If you're still deciding on a work Christmas party venue, Sixes Social Cricket may be what you’re looking for. It's an experience built around a virtual cricket simulator- no cricket knowledge or ability is needed to participate, keeping it inclusive to all. Groups take turns in the batting lanes, and the format is competitive enough to be fun but relaxed enough that nobody feels put on the spot.

The fun takes place in a bar and restaurant setting, so food and drinks are part of the party package rather than a separate booking. We also offer private hire for office Christmas parties across all UK venues, making Sixes a straightforward option if you want the venue and activity sorted in one go.

If that sounds like the right fit for your team, book your office Christmas party now or get in touch with our events team.