Source: Opposuits

Christmas parties: we all love it. It’s a great way to get colleagues together to celebrate the holiday season. Are you planning the corporate Christmas party, and do you need some inspiration? We’ve got you covered. Our office manager, Marga (who we like to call Marge in Charge), organizes the OppoSuits’ Christmas party every year and helps you out by giving her tips on throwing the most awesome Christmas party out there. This will help you to be stress-free and to make it a night to remember.

1. Christmas party invitations

It all starts with a loud and clear save the date. Be on time! A few weeks later you can send an official invitation in addition. Make sure all information is included. When (date and time), where and why. Also, be creative in the invitation. Preferably let a Graphic Designer make the invitation. Great design and texts will definitely help to get everyone excited for the party. Oh and a pro-tip for planning: don’t plan your Christmas party too close to Christmas. Many of your guests will be leaving town to visit their family.  

2. Christmas party preparations

A party falls or stands with good preparations. Don’t hesitate to ask your colleagues to help you, for example with decorating or moving stuff so that you create a cool room. For instance, you could make a karaoke bar or a dance floor. Of course, you can’t organize it all on your own and that’s okay.  Make sure to ask your co-workers for help weeks before the party (and choose the colleagues you can count on).

3. Christmas party food & beverages

Of course, there’s no party without a good bar and buffet. Don’t think it’s easy to do it yourself. First of all, you probably can’t, but second, you don’t want to spend all night arranging catering. You need gossip for the next day at work too, right? So, contact your local catering service and let them do the job. They know what to do and it will make you feel way less stressed out. Make sure to order enough food; especially when everybody will drink alcohol. And of course, order enough beer, wine (and optional: shots).  

4. Christmas party music

Start playing Christmas music weeks before the Christmas party to get into the Christmas spirit. It’s just the beginning of an unforgettable party. Of course, during the party, a good DJ is a must. There’s always a friend, colleague or family member who likes to play the music during the Christmas party. If you have a low budget, you could think of a barter deal; what do you have to offer in exchange for DJing at your party?  

5. Special Christmas party act

Priority number 1: take care of a really good, unforgettable act nobody expects. Is there, for example, a local artist who’s popular within the company? Book this artist and everybody will be completely starstruck and excited about it. This really helps to get the party started. This was a big hit at the OppoSuits Christmas party, so I really recommend doing this. 

6. Christmas party photos 

Don’t forget to take photos and videos. You won’t recognize your colleagues after a few hours of drinking. Make proof and never delete these pictures again. You will need them once.. ever… soon… Spread some ‘throw-away cameras’ and the most memorable photos will be made. Of course, you could also hire a professional photographer to take some fun photos of the Christmas party. In that case you’re sure to have some good ones.  

7. Christmas party outfits

Think about a fun dress code everybody is confident with. What about Casual Chic, Black Tie or Cocktail? Of if you’re working for an informal company, Ugly Christmas Sweater could be a nice theme as well. If you choose this last one, you could suit up your entire team in our Christmas outfits for that ultimate Christmas vibe. Fun guaranteed.   

And last not but least… If you’re in charge, make sure to be well prepared and leave nothing to chance. Don’t trust anyone. People won’t be on time and things will go wrong during the Christmas party. But the best thing is to accept this and to stay relaxed. Just make the party a good one, and enjoy the party yourself too. Good luck; you got this!

Full Article

By Margaret Gates

Source: Landcaster Online

Some of the best holiday traditions start with the three Fs: family, friends and food. For Joe Hess, that means making beef tenderloin for Christmas Eve at his mom’s house, which is a little less work than his other holiday tradition — hosting 40 at his own house for Thanksgiving.

As co-owner of Cracked Pepper Catering in Lancaster, Hess knows a thing or two about holiday entertaining. His advice?

“Keep it simple. Your guests are happy with whatever you do,” he says. “You want to be able to spend time with your guests.”

If you’re hosting a holiday party this year, keeping it simple still requires some careful planning. Here are some tips from Hess and the experts at The JDK Group, a catering and event planning company in Lancaster.

Set your date soon

Long before you choose a menu, bake a cookie or plan your decorations, pick a date for your party. Many companies and even private individuals secure their dates for holiday party catering with JDK weeks, or even months, in advance, they say. Even if you don’t need a caterer for your drop-in, you will need guests. Pick your date now, before those guests accept another party invitation.

Set a time limit

For a drop-in cocktail party, consider a 2.5-hour window, Hess says. “People can drop in, have a nibble, say hello and go on to the next party,” he says. Any longer can be exhausting, and the food can suffer.

Plan the menu

“The menu for your holiday party depends on what kind of atmosphere you are hoping to create for your guests and on your guests themselves,” says Emma Santana, director of sales for The JDK Group. “We see a variety of styles from intimate multiple-course served meals paired with fine wines, to fun interactive food stations, to more casual mix-and-mingle styles with some small-bite passed hors d’oeuvres and heavier hors d’oeuvres items for picking on a food station.”

For that standard drop-in cocktail party, Hess says, four to five items are plenty. “Try to have a showstopper item and then some easier things,” he says. Think at least two hot items — maybe a baked brie or roasted vegetables — and three cold items. “Make sure one of them is a sweet item,” he says. “It could be tiramisu or chocolate mousse cups or something from your favorite bakery.” Assortments of different holiday cookies are popular or a mix of lighter small-bite desserts, Santana says. Also offer at least one item for those guests who may have dietary restrictions.

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