• Choose a Time and Date – Surprisingly, the time employees most prefer to attend a holiday party is during lunch. That way, they can enjoy the event without missing out on personal time. As a bonus, most event centers, restaurants, and other venues offer big discounts for daytime events. Don’t want a daytime party? Try weekday nights. You can also save on holiday party costs by hosting the event in a different time of year. Make it an employee appreciation party instead of a holiday party. 

• Select a Party Planning Team – No one person can plan a holiday party all on their own. Make sure you have a party-planning team to brainstorm ideas, make decisions, stay organized, and help ensure the event goes off without a hitch. 

• Consider the Menu – There are a lot of tricks you can use to not only have good food at your holiday party but also to save money on the food. For example, avoid plated meals. Individual plated meals may seem fancier, but oftentimes the food is lower quality and much more expensive. Try buffet, passed, or family-style food to save money but also to help ensure the food is delicious. 

• Set an Alcohol Limit – No one wants to be the person who gets smashed at the holiday party, but somehow someone always is. That’s why more and more companies are setting alcohol limits for their holiday parties. Try narrowing the types of alcohol you offer at the party, closing the bar at a certain time, or limiting the total amount your bartenders can serve. Don’t forget to check your insurance policy to make sure you’re covered if any issues arise. 

• Set Up a Gift Exchange – While not everyone celebrates Christmas, it is always fun to set up some kind of holiday gift exchange for your party. This way, employees can get to know one another better and everyone gets a present. It’s always a good idea to put some kind of spending limit on the gift so everything’s fair. Also, look into online platforms that facilitate gift exchanges with online name drawing, wish lists, and more. 

• Host it at an Event Center – Get the employees out of the office and into a fun event center for the party! Not many people are comfortable letting lose in an office environment. Plus, event centers come with staff, equipment, furniture and more to help make sure your party goes off without a hitch.

Memorial Event Center, an Alamo, TX event center , is here to help you plan and execute a great company holiday party. Call or visit us today for more tips or information on our services .