Christmas is definitely the biggest holiday celebration in the Philippines. Everyone from family and friends to homeowners associations and private companies plan fun-filled Christmas parties to celebrate the end to a wonderful year. In fact, many companies start planning their annual Christmas parties early in the year to give them the time necessary to organize an unforgettable event.
If you know you’ll be on this year’s organizing committee, you are undoubtedly already trying to come up with several ideas to make this year’s party the best one ever. Here are a few tips to help you do just that:
Determine the Right Date for the Party
Naturally, Christmas parties are best held on December–but which date should you schedule it? Ideally, you’ll want to book your corporate party on a Friday. This saves a lot of travel time to the party for employees since they are already in the Metro and saves everyone the trouble of having to wake up early the next day for work. You’ll also want to consult your HR department and see if there’s a particular week in December when the workload is less so everyone can focus on enjoying themselves at the party instead of worrying about deadlines.
Book a Venue with In-house Catering Early!
Popular venues fill up quickly well before the -ber months roll around. Given this, it’s best to book a popular events space in Manila, like the Atrium at Enderun Colleges, as soon as possible. Make sure you set aside the time to conduct an ocular. It’s also advisable to book a venue that offers in-house catering services around the same time. After all, it’s no secret that the star of any Filipino Christmas party is the food! Booking a venue with in-house catering saves you a lot of time and, more often than not, a sizable portion of your budget.
Choose an Exciting Theme for the Party
It’s easy to eschew a theme for your company’s Christmas party. A party is a party, right? Although people will enjoy a good party regardless of the theme, choosing an interesting theme definitely makes a difference (and makes decorating Christmas party venues easier). If you want to organize a party that people will be talking about for years to come, try going all-out with these fun themes. Having a tough time choosing a theme? Keep everyone involved and put three themes you and the rest of the organizing committee love up for a company-wide vote.
Consider Hiring Professional Entertainment
It’s fairly common for companies to have employees perform during the party. However, hiring professional entertainers can easily elevate the fun factor of your company christmas party. Consider hiring a professional host/comedian to keep everyone engaged throughout the program and/or a popular band for a concert after the program. Another option is to match the entertainment with your theme, e.g. magicians and contortionists for a circus-themed party. You may also choose to still have employees perform on a volunteer basis and alternate them with professional performers.
Give People Enough Time to Let Loose
If your corporate catering package comes with alcoholic beverages, make sure you set aside enough time for everyone to enjoy a few drinks. Allotting only a short amount of time for drinks, especially if you won’t be serving alcohol during the program, may encourage some people to drink as much as they can within that time frame. One good way to ensure everyone has a great time, you may want to offer pre-party cocktails and snacks prior to the start of the party and resume serving alcohol after the program. This way, people are in a relaxed mood and not too hungry, allowing them to focus on speakers and performers.
