How to plan the office Christmas party: 10 steps to ensuring a successful festive celebration

Planning the office Christmas party can feel like a daunting task, particularly when you're trying to organise something that will appeal to the whole team. From choosing the right date and setting your budget to finding a venue that ticks all the boxes, there's plenty to consider before the festive celebrations can begin.

When it comes to hosting a Christmas party, there are almost endless directions you can take your celebration. Perhaps you're looking to hire out an entire ballroom for a 1,000+ company-wide reception, or maybe your team would rather sit down to one of the capital’s finest festive set menus. You could even spark some friendly competition with an activity-led Christmas party, whether that's bowling and mini golf or something more immersive. While that flexibility gives you plenty of choice, it can also make it difficult to know where to start. But luckily, we're here to help.

In our opinion, the key to a successful Christmas party is to start your planning early. Whilst turkey dinners and snowy evenings may not be a top priority throughout the summer, popular venues can book up months in advance, particularly for the most sought-after dates and times, so it’s worth getting the basics sorted as soon as possible. It’s also a great way to ensure your entire team can make it, giving them plenty of opportunity to get a date in their calendars.

Whether you're organising a small team dinner or a large-scale company celebration, this guide covers everything you need to know about planning an office Christmas party. Follow our tips and ensure that this year’s celebration is a roaring success (without all the last-minute stress!).

How far in advance should I start planning a Christmas party?

You’ll be surprised how many hours and how much organisation is required to plan a successful party, so allow yourself plenty of time. A lot of Christmas party venues also get booked out several months (sometimes even a year) in advance, so get ahead to avoid missing out. 3-6 months is not an unreasonable timeframe, particularly if you’re planning something large-scale, or are looking to book some of the most sought-after dates in December. Smaller groups and those with more flexibility on dates, may find that 1-2 months is enough time to start planning.

What is the average cost of an office Christmas party?

For a Christmas party in London, you can expect to spend around £50-150 per person, depending on the size and prestige of the venue. If you're planning a Christmas party in a smaller city or town across the UK then costs may well be cheaper, but again it comes down to location and the size of your party. Your Christmas party cost will depend on room hire fees, minimum spends, and party packages.

10 top tips for planning the office Christmas party

There's so much to consider when planning the perfect Christmas party. Read on to discover all the must-know tips for festive party planning, to ensure that this year's celebration is the most memorable one to date.

1. Set the budget

Some of our favourite affordable Christmas party venues across the UK include Dishoom Manchester, Rotunda London, and Mowgli Street Food Bristol.

Before you start letting your mind run wild, pin a budget down. It might seem like an obvious one to mention, but it's absolutely crucial, as it will determine the type of venue you can afford, what food and drink you can have, the style of theme you go for and the entertainment you hire. 

The price of a Christmas party can vary widely, but on average, we'd expect food and drink costs to be around 30-40% of the total budget, with the venue taking up another 30-40%. Any extras such as DJs, activities and decor should be around 20%. If you're looking to keep costs down, consider off-peak dates, flexible party packages and spaces without room hire fees or a minimum spend.

A key factor when deciding your budget is figuring out what kind of party you’re planning to host. Are you holding it in the office or will you hire a venue? Is it a staff party only or will employees’ spouses be invited too? Perhaps clients and external stakeholders are expected to be there? These are questions that need to be answered before the real planning can begin. Define your non-negotiables early on and the rest of the planning process will be smoother.

2. Establish the guest list

Before you do anything else, you’ll need to finalise your guest list. This will inform the type of venue you choose, and help you narrow down your choice by capacity. Alongside your core guest list, it's important to decide how flexible you're willing to be on numbers. Is it employees only, or are partners invited too? What about freelancers or contractors? We'd recommend getting an early estimated head count before booking, then you can get a final RSVP number later. 

Once you know how many people are coming, the venue research can begin! For major, blowout celebrations, take a look at our favourite large Christmas party venues for hire in London. Bigger groups could also consider the UK's best exclusive hire Christmas party venues and the best country houses for throwing a Christmas party.

Meanwhile, smaller groups can explore London's best party venues for small groups, as well as the top private dining rooms in London for an intimate Christmas celebration.

3. Choose a date

Christmas and the end-of-year months are a busy time for everyone, so it’s a good idea to get a date in the diary as soon as possible.

Are you planning an evening or lunchtime reception? Lunch options will often have greater availability. Will the party be held on a weekday or weekend? This can be a deal-breaker for many. The idea of giving up their free time (such as the weekend) might not appeal to some, and they might consider a day out of the office more of a treat.

We'd recommend looking at dates in late November for more availability, or even consider throwing a January Christmas party. Venues have better availability after Christmas and prices tend to be much cheaper. Plus, everyone's calendars are much more free in Jan! And a party is a nice way to perk up a typically dreary month.

Once a date has been decided, send out invitations. A placeholder date should be enough with the promise that more information will be provided later. The main thing is to lock in a date to ensure most of your team can attend. 

4. Book a venue

Host intimate private dinners for just 12 at ISSO - Prawn Crazy, London, go all out with a celebration for 400 at Bodleian Libraries, Oxford, or opt for something in between at Ladbroke Hall, London, with capacity for 14-300.

Here are a few things to consider when finding the perfect venue:

Capacity

Christmas party venues come in all shapes and sizes, whether you're planning an intimate office do or a company-wide bash for hundreds, if not thousands, of guests. Once your guest list is finalised, you'll know exactly how big your venue needs to be to accommodate everyone. Consider whether you're planning a seated or standing event as this will influence what spaces you can hire.

Location

This is perhaps the most important factor. Once you've decided where you're looking to host, you can quickly narrow down your search. You can easily browse Christmas party venues by location with SquareMeal, with party options across the UK! Be sure to consider transport and parking for your chosen location to ensure it's easily accessible for the whole team.

Date

Certain dates will have more availability. Consider off-peak dates such as midweek options, or even opt for a celebration in January. Those looking for prime times in December may need to book early to secure their perfect venue. Depending on the date, you can also expect peak or off-peak pricing, so consider lunch times and midweek if you're looking to save costs.

Exclusivity

It's worth having a think about whether you want exclusive hire for your event. This could be a private dining room or complete venue hire depending on the size of your party. Smaller groups may consider hiring a table within a restaurant or even opting for a shared Christmas party.

Packages

You'll want to check the venue's packages before booking to see what's included. Do they offer room hire fees or simply a minimum spend option? Are packages priced per head or for the whole event? This way you can often combine food, drinks and activities into one.

Lord's Cricket Ground, London, has a variety of party packages for 30-300 guests, including room hire, three-hour drinks packages, dedicated event planners, and plenty more.

Activities and entertainment

Nowadays, people expect more than just a traditional dinner. Consider hiring a venue with activity options such as mini golf, bowling, karaoke or VR. It's a great way to break the ice and bring a team together, without putting the focus simply on food and drink.

5. Think about the food and drink

Delamina East, London, is all about festive sharing menus, whilst The Hari, London, offers three-course festive feasts for guests. Meanwhile, Vagabond Liverpool Street, London, has put together several tasting and wine packages you can organise for your group.

Ultimately, the most important thing at any Christmas party is food and drink. Consider whether your event would benefit from a selection of canapes and bowl foods if you're looking to encourage mingling amongst your group, or whether you're planning more of a traditional sit-down dinner with multi-course set menus for something more formal. There are plenty of different catering options, so it's worth figuring out what works best, and ensuring that there's enough food for the entire team. One thing's for sure: don't skimp on the nibbles!

Dietary requirements go beyond catering for nut allergies and gluten intolerances - it’s also about lifestyle choices such as vegetarianism and veganism. To ensure everyone in your party will have a good time at the Christmas party, take dietary requirements seriously and offer an exciting menu for all. Go for cuisines that work well with dietary requirements.

Many venues will also offer drinks packages, so you can decide whether to organise a welcome drink on arrival for the team, as well as deciding alcohol packages. You'll need to decide if you're offering unlimited drinks packages for your guests, whether you want to offer drinks tokens or a set amount of drinks per guest, or if your event is going to have a cash bar. Remember to offer a wide range of non-alcoholic drinks too, rather than assuming that everyone will want to drink.

6. Add entertainment

Explore everything from classic fairground games at Fairgame Canary Wharf, London, to immersive science demonstrations at Winchester Science Centre, Hampshire.

In our experience, the best Christmas parties are those that come with entertainment. Consider hosting an activity as part of the celebration, whether that's bowling, cookery classes, mini golf or karaoke. It's a great way to get everyone in the office to mingle and socialise, and get people who might not know each other that well to get better acquainted. It also adds an element of fun to the party. 

Immersive experiences are a hot topic right now and can truly elevate your party if you're looking to plan something out of the ordinary. What about having your Christmas party on a bus that takes you around London or hosting it at an interactive play, which is acted out in a make-believe vintage train carriage?

Further options could include live bands, DJs and magicians - be sure to consider what will suit the team, rather than just planning something for the sake of it. Not every party needs entertainment, so it's not always essential. Small team dinners, for example, don't always need further activities - the food and venue may be the main attraction instead.

7. Consider the theme and decorations

If an immersive experience is off the table, why not consider a theme instead? It will make every other stage of the planning process easier, and help guide your decisions about food, drink, decorations, props and entertainment.

Take Apres Ski as an example. Food: German sausages - easy. Drink: mulled wine - duh! Decorations: sheepskin throws and ski goggles, of course. For further inspiration, browse our best Christmas party themes guide for ways to spruce up your event.

8. Think about accessibility and inclusivity

A Christmas party should be an enjoyable experience for everyone, so it’s important to consider the different needs of your team when planning the event. Check that your chosen venue has step-free access and accessible toilets, and make sure any activities are suitable for guests with different abilities. Dietary requirements should also be taken seriously, with plenty of appealing options for vegetarians, vegans and those with allergies or intolerances.

It’s also worth remembering that not everyone drinks alcohol, so offer a good selection of non-alcoholic options and avoid making drinking the focus of the event. 

Office Christmas parties can get pretty boozy, so it's worth organising transport to ensure guests get home safely. You could try either organising a coach or minibus to take everyone home at a set time, or have taxis waiting outside the venue. 

9. Finalise details with the venue

To avoid any last minute confusion, reach out to your venue in the run-up to your party to confirm final details. This can include:

• Final guest numbers
• Dietary requirements
• Menu choices and drinks packages
• Seating plans and layouts
• Arrival and departure timings
• AV requirements
• Decoration arrangements

This is also the time to settle any outstanding payments. Once everything is confirmed, consider sending out an itinerary to your employees, particularly if your Christmas party has multiple locations.

10. Enjoy!

You've done the hard part! Now it's time to sit back, relax, and enjoy your festive celebration. Before you know it, it'll be time to start planning for next year.

If you feel like you're running out of time, and aren't sure where to start with your planning, check out our ultimate Christmas party planning guideline, with a month-by-month breakdown, and tips and tricks on how you can get ahead.