With 14 hours of average daylight and fresh tan lines, it’s going to be a challenge to even think about planning a holiday party. Santa is so far off our radar, our kids haven’t even begun to clean up their act. So then why the urgency in booking your company festivities? Put down the umbrella drink for just a moment and let’s take a sleigh ride into the future.
Take it easier.
Once Halloween hits we are off and running, folks. If it isn’t a Friendsgiving, it’s a flight out to visit Grandma, or your kid’s Nutcracker rehearsals, or another night detangling twinkle lights. Football games. DIY costumes. And let’s not forget the dreaded end-of-fiscal-year reporting. Societally we have jammed so many traditions into the final months of the year, what we crave most is a night on the couch with takeout.
Now imagine you’re also in charge of the company’s seasonal spectacular. Goodness gracious, where is that going to get squeezed in? If there’s any way to remove all cheer from the season, it’s by overcommitting. Starting your corporate party planning in summer, or even spring, allows you to check to-dos off the list gradually, so that November is spent being cozy, not crazed. Give yourself a monthly goal of securing your venue, caterer and menu, décor, entertainment, and corporate communications respectively, and by December the heavy lifting is off your mind. Your reserve tank of jolly will not be totally depleted, your merry spilleth over.
Don’t settle.
Beware: while you’re still blowing up floaties and flipping brats, the band your boss loved from that wedding she attended is already booking up into next year. The space whose online photos matched your vision is taking deposits for December as we speak. Every event provider has experienced the last-minute panic of a client in need, begging someone, anyone, to find an opening in their calendar. Because there is an inflexible number of dates for a somewhat limited amount of vendors, what often happens to the late-to-planning client is a slapdash blend of whatever they could throw together. Their corporate holiday fiesta winds up housed in an abandoned warehouse, where Santa Claws invites all the “good kids” to sit on his lap, while personnel helps themselves to a 20ft long hoagie. While this all doesn’t sound like a bad time necessarily, and it would definitely be memorable, it doesn’t echo the polish and appreciative spirit your organization is likely going for.
Planning ahead means you don’t have to take whatever is left in the pool of cool and trending party elements, vendors, and venues. Showing advance thinking tells your crew they aren’t an afterthought and they’re worth saluting.
Save money, and spread out the billing.
Imagine what we, as your premiere catering company, finagle to squeeze in a grand holiday jubilee amidst the packed roster. First and foremost we might need to hire additional seasonal help at our home base with cooking, dishwashing, inventory, and transport, or rent additional equipment or vehicles to accommodate you. We also might need to travel a wider distance to locate the menu ingredients or tableware that has stocked out locally. Your cost for a crunch-time corporate party increases because our costs increase, and we’re only assisting with your feast. Now imagine the venue, entertainment, and décor are all experiencing the same scramble to give your workers an outstanding experience. Those additional costs add up and then get passed on to your organization.
By contrast, by booking in a more timely manner, not only are there no emergency fees incurred, there are often early-bird discounts from which to benefit. It’s much more efficient to run an event related business when you know where you’re going to need to be months down the road, and what resources and manpower will be required. Those savings are yours as well, and what a hero you’ll be to your budgeting overlords.
Better yet, with the additional savings you might just be able to afford small gifts for the staff or their kids, top shelf spirits, or bail money for any of your more feral revelers.
The more the merrier. Literally.
As we all know, December is ground zero for holiday commitments, and your corporate shindig is competing with every last one of them for an affirmative RSVP. By fall, while children are living their best lives, haggard adults are bingeing on nog just to get through the day, saddled with tasks and calendar appointments. Not only will a delayed invite likely not fit in most of your guests’ schedule, those who are available are less likely to attend out of sheer overwhelm.
Getting a save-the-date out early however beats everyone else to the punch. Your event lands in the date book ahead of every other option, and at a time celebrants are looking ahead with seasonal glee. Your team will appreciate the prior notice if they plan to be traveling in, or will need to secure the highly coveted and ever-rarer December babysitter. And better attendance equals a better time. A packed house fortifies morale, camaraderie, and creates a palpable buzz everyone will be talking about Monday.
More time to go wild.
Corporate parties can be complex! Choosing a theme is only Step 1. From there all the elements seem to multiply, which, down to the wire, is quite the headache. When starting well in advance however, it’s fun, and you can build out your design, then refine all the details, and think more creatively. The masterpiece at the end will be testament to all your thoughtful consideration.
Work in concert with your caterer further ahead to tailor your menu, so your feast is unique and unforgettable. Curate branded party favors your guests will actually use and enjoy. Work with your hired band on a truly finetuned playlist, altering lyrics to include company inside jokes. It’s much more feasible to bring a bold vision to life with ample time to work out the kinks of your brilliant ideas.
What can I do if I’m too late?
All is not lost, don’t panic. Have you considered a January jam? February fiesta? You might actually be doing your colleagues a favor by pushing their celebration to the boring less intense months. Your guests are more likely to be available, not to mention so will your events professionals. As an organization you can use the function as a pat on the back for the previous year, as well as a pep rally for the one you’re in. Partying in the down season might even save you some money, as providers sometimes offer discounts to bring some pomp to the more depressing months of the year.
Be warned however of gnarlier weather in January and February, which might impede travel for both locals and remote personnel flying in from the outer reaches. Theming the fete more around winter, the launch of a new year, or general gratitude will be more befitting of the timeframe, and feel less like a holiday hangover to your attendees.
Whatever you’re planning, and whenever you’re doing it, reach out today to get your party started.
