Tis’ the season for attending numerous holiday parties. Some you are genuinely looking forward to these festive gatherings, while others may be dreading to attend. Don’t let your office party be in the category of dreaded holiday events. Instead, plan the hands-down best holiday party that your employees look forward to each year!
After all, you are throwing this to show appreciation of your employees and all their hard work. A successful party will increase company morale going into the new year. It can also increase their pride in your company, thus creating an even more collaborative, communicative and successful company. So, how do you make it that memorable?
Create a Theme
Any theme is better than no theme! It can be anything from festive holiday themes like Friends of Rudolph, Ugly Christmas Sweaters, a Groovy Holiday that is 70’s themed or Christmas Around the World that includes foods, drinks and facts about other cultures’ traditions. By establishing a theme, your workers will have something to go off when planning their outfit.
Keep Up With the Trends
- Décor
This year has been all about the photo ops at events. Numerous celebrations use massive balloon installments as decorations. These create a welcoming space full of colors that are beautifully arranged, and a great photo opportunity.
- Grazing Table
Bypass the time and money spent on individual plated entrees or tacky snack tables full of things that aren’t enticing to anyone. Instead, set up a delicious grazing table where guests have an abundance of options. A trendy setup includes fruits, cheeses, sliced meats, olives, crackers, nuts and an assortment of dips.
- Food Trucks
Everyone loves the opportunity to taste different street foods. By bringing a couple of food truck vendors to your party, guests can watch their food be freshly prepared while they socialize with their coworkers. These days, you can find a food truck for whatever type of food you’d like to offer the group!
- Interactive Cocktail Stations
If you are planning on serving alcohol at your office party, you may want to look into a cocktail station where guests can be actively involved in creating their drinks. This could include lists of different mix-ins for drinks, and an assortment of flavor combinations for that perfect gin and tonic.
This interactive idea can also be used when serving food. For example, an interactive dessert table could include pastries and hanging pastry bags filled with different flavors of icing or fillings that guests can pipe into their treats.
- Self-Care
Who could resist some puppy snuggles? Bringing in puppies for “puppy therapy” has become a popular stress-relieving event. Many college campuses and employers across the nation are joining this trend to help students and employees lower their stress levels.
Additionally, in-office spa treatments are all the rage this year. Host a raffle where employees can win different spa treatments. The winners of the raffle could enjoy an in-office treatment where you book them all during a set day of the week.
- Entertainment
Vintage games are still alive and well, and quite frankly, they are growing in popularity again. Bring in a projector and an assortment of 1980’s video games, and you will have a wildly competitive and entertaining battle of Pac Man or Galaga. You could even set up a tournament bracket to up the competition level.
Photo booths are also a creative way for employees to take some silly pictures and show off the fun time they had. Themed backdrops and props can create a whole experience for guests. For example, consider your work for a major magazine publishing company. Set a solid backdrop and then use a different transparent piece with an arrangement of article titles around the sides, mimicking the front of your magazine. Guests can stand in between the backdrop and transparent piece and can pose as if they are the feature on the cover of the magazine.
These are just a few of the hot, trending topics that employers are beginning to use at holiday parties. Remember to create an event that will show your employees just how much you appreciate them. After all, that’s what the celebrations are all about!