How to ensure your Christmas bash goes with a Ho Ho Ho!

The Smart Training Company offers top tips for event organisers and venues over the Christmas festivities. To get us in the mood here’s some fun facts about Christmas:

• According to tradition, you should eat one mince pie on each of the 12 days of Christmas to bring good luck.
• US scientists calculated that Santa would have to visit 822 homes a second to deliver all the world’s presents on Christmas Eve, travelling at 650 miles a second.
• 6 million – The number of rolls of Sellotape that will be sold in the UK in the run up to Christmas (5.99 million is the number of rolls that you can’t find where the tape ends)
• According to a survey conducted in 2016, 57% of adults in the UK would gladly sacrifice seeing relatives on Christmas Day if it meant they could spend more time on Facebook.
• Nearly 60 million Christmas Trees are grown each year in Europe
• In a recent Yahoo poll, users voted the most popular Christmas film of all time as Home Alone, with The Muppet Christmas Carol second, and It’s a Wonderful Life third.

Top tips for event organisers

Plan ahead

Start planning as soon as you can to ensure you get the choice of date and venue that you want. The more unique venues will always book up quickly. Then send a ‘save the date’ around the office. Be aware of venue deposit and cancellation terms, just in case.

Accessibility

Find a venue that’s easy for people to get to and think about arranging for taxis home. If you choose a venue with bedrooms check to see if there is a special accommodation rate that you can offer attendees as another option to a taxi.

Delegation

Consider setting up an organising committee. There’s a lot to do and it’s a big responsibility to spread the load. Discuss what’s been done before; what did people like, what didn’t work and agree your budget.

Does it need a Christmas theme?

Think about tying the event together with a theme. You can then follow this through in the invitations, dress code, activities and even a competition and novelty prizes on the night.

Plan the menu

Whether it’s a themed event or Christmas fayre make sure there’s plenty of food and there is plenty of choice, so it will suit everyone. A buffet works well for larger groups, and guests can then eat when it suits them. It’s nice to have a midnight snack laid on later in the evening, such as soup, bacon butties or food items tailored to your event theme. Surprises are fun and memorable! Some venues will provide this anyway so ask the question.

Do you need a table plan?

Seating plans are often a good idea for larger groups. Mix people from different departments up and possibly ask guests to move places for dessert to encourage more interaction. Place some small activities on the tables, such as puzzles, jokes and games which will add to the fun! Set up a WhatsApp group or encourage Instagram or Twitter interaction and then use pictures and posts to create a fun newsletter after the event.

How will you entertain your guests?

Think about the music and entertainment … again, cater for all as many different tastes as possible. Venues can help you and should have some good contacts. Research what you’re looking and whether the entertainment is suitable so that there are no surprises on the night.

Prepare, prepare, prepare

Check everything with the venue a week or two before to ensure both sides have covered everything; it’s also a good idea to do a debrief with the venue after the event especially if you think you will return next year.

Be a great host

Meet and greet your guests on the night. If you’re part of an organising committee then you can divide up jobs on the night. Ensure your guests are comfortable and looked after but above all make sure you have a fun night too; you will deserve it!

The Smart Training Company is running a Christmas Sales and Spend Review Workshop in January and February 2019 to help venues review 2018 and plan and maximise sales and marketing opportunities in the run up to, and over the Christmas period in 2019. For readers of the Edge Venues please enter promotional code SMARTVIP19 to book delegate places at £165 instead of £199.  For more information  click here