For many, the work Christmas party will feel like a not-to-distant memory. But, if you’ve ever been tasked with planning a Christmas party, you’ll know that starting early can make the difference between a night to remember and one to forget.
9 Reasons Why You Should Start Christmas Party Planning Early
From Cascade Productions’ award-winning team of event producers, here’s why it’s never too early to book your Christmas party:
1. Deciding (and Delivering!) a Theme
Let’s start with the fun part – early planning gives you plenty of time to get creative. That begins with a theme, which can be as simple or as involved as you like. Once decided, it guides the rest of your party planning process - from artwork to decoration, entertainment, dress code and even venue.
Last Christmas, (pun not intended) we flew 40 Christmas trees from a ceiling above an audience of over 800 people, really bringing the party’s ‘Enchanted Forest’ theme to life.
2. Finding the Right Venue
With a finite number of venues and dates, great spots get booked up quickly. And let’s face it, is a Christmas party really a Christmas party if it isn’t in December?! Starting early gives you a greater chance of getting the right venue for the right day, which is especially important for larger groups.
3. Securing Preferred Suppliers
The same principles apply to entertainment and suppliers. You’ll find the best vendors are in high demand during the festive season, so you’ll want to secure them as soon as you can, and that’s as soon as possible after your dates are locked in.
4. Saving Money
Planning a Christmas party early guarantees you the best possible rates. The Christmas premium is real, and the closer Christmas gets the higher prices tend to go. This will also help with financial planning, budgeting and forecasting - trust me, your accounts team will thank you later.
5. Avoiding the Christmas Crunch
As December approaches, the end-of-year crunch can mean the Christmas party planning doesn’t quite get the love and attention it deserves. A head start means you can tick off big tasks early, spend more time on the fun parts and really enjoy yourself when the time comes around.
6. Planning for EVERYONE
Early planning means you’ll have plenty of time to accommodate people’s needs – availability, dietaries, accessibility and even security and health & safety requirements to name a few – ensuring your event is as accessible, inclusive, safe and enjoyable as possible for all.
7. Building Excitement
Setting a date for your Christmas party gives people will have plenty of time to get excited. For many, this is the highlight of the work social calendar, so getting an early Christmas party invite gives plenty of time for anticipation to build.
8. Creating Wiggle Room
No, we’re not talking about dancing (yet). Giving yourself more time means more flexibility to account for changes, any additional needs you might not have known about, and any last-minute curveballs.
9. Elevating the Experience
Back to the fun stuff - with enough time you can push your Christmas party to the next level. Whether that’s outrageous set pieces, exceptional décor or the perfect finishing touches on your theme, with enough time – and the right partner to help you make it happen - you can fully realise your vision.
So, yes, it might feel strange to talk about Santa Claus and Christmas trees in Spring, but when it comes to planning your Christmas party, it really is never too early to start.
How Can I Make the Christmas Party Memorable for the Company?
Planning your Christmas party early also gives you the best opportunity to make it memorable. By getting ahead on the big stuff like venue, theme and entertainment, you’ll carve out more time to focus on the details, such as the handwritten stationary, personalised cocktail names or the closing song for the band. These are the touches that people remember.
Knowing your team and exactly what they’ll respond to is one thing, but making sure you have the time, the budget and a partner who can help you deliver on them is another.
When Is the Ideal Time to Start Thinking About Booking a Venue for Your Christmas Event?
When it comes to booking your Christmas party, it really is a case of the earlier the better. Summer is sensible, but it's the sooner the better when it comes to getting exactly what you want in terms of venue, entertainment and the all-important theming.
Book your Christmas party with Cascade Productions
At Cascade Productions, we’ve been creating outstanding experiences for decades, across brand, communications, culture, events and film. In that time, we’ve produced everything from smaller festive get-togethers to Christmas extravaganzas, so we know a thing or two about making a Christmas Party special.
Get ahead this Christmas and book your Christmas party with us now.
