A party is a party is a party – right? Not necessarily. It’s office Christmas party time again and the ones that get it right will be talked about for months afterwards – hopefully for all the right reasons. But the ones that go horribly wrong will be consigned to the black hole where all bad memories go!
In theory it should be the simplest thing in the world to throw a good party. All you need is a few nibbles, some drinks, people, and that’s it. Wrong! A good party is like a cocktail; it should have all the right ingredients in the right proportions and should carry a kick and a zing, leaving you wanting more!
Here are a few tips to make your office Christmas party memorable.
#1. The Sound’s the Thing
First and foremost get a great sound system in place. A party isn’t a party without music and the choice of music can make or break your party. The general rule is that people love to let their hair down. They love to sing and dance. To this end your choice of tunes has to be considered very carefully and should cater for all the guests not just a select few. If your office party guests are of mixed ages then make sure the playlist has something to make everybody want to get up and dance.
It’s a good idea to have a mix of old school, maybe 70s and 80s tunes and newer download favourites. Dance jams are fine but best not to make it too clubby unless all the guests are 25 and under! Pop/dance crossovers are a good bet. Pop classics like cheesy Christmas songs and sing-along’s are perfect for end of evening fun.
Whatever your choice of music though, you need it to sound its absolute best and this is where a high quality sound system like those at Sound Services works its magic. Hire the best system you can afford from an expert provider with experience in knowing exactly what an event needs to give your party guests a party to remember.
#2. Food and Drink
Party food is probably one of the hardest things to get right. Hopefully you as the organiser will have done a little research beforehand to find out if any guests have specific dietary requirements; for instance if any are allergic, or are Coeliac, or veggie or vegan.
Let’s face it the days are long gone when you could just whack out a few ham sandwiches and some sausage/pineapple/cheese on a stick combo. People have more sophisticated tastes now. Having said that, whatever food you provide must be portable and easy to cope with – many a party has been ruined for someone by the ill-timed spill of chilli salsa down the front of an expensive new dress!
Finger food and canapés, the less fussy the better, cannot go wrong. Similarly, cookies, cupcakes and crispy sweet treats, even mince pies, are all good. Trifle is probably a no-no.
As for drinks, hiring a professional bar and bar staff is probably the best way to make sure guests go home at the end of the night merry rather than legless because the surest route to the bathroom floor at the end of proceedings lies in allowing guests to help themselves.
Again, cater for all tastes with a good mix of beers, wine, cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks.
#3. A Place to Sit
Whilst it is great to see everyone dancing it’s also important for weary revellers to have somewhere to sit. If there aren’t enough office chairs to go around, or they’re too expensive to risk damage, consider hiring seating from a professional catering company.
Have a great – and safe – party!