Five Steps to Planning the Perfect Christmas party

We understand that lots of you need a little bit of time to grieve the summer and embrace the autumn before you start thinking about the festive season, but unfortunately, in the events industry, there’s no time for such indulgences. So, for anyone out there rolling their eyes at the appearance of mince pies on the supermarket shelves in mid-September, you might want to brace yourself before you read this blog, as we’re diving straight into the Christmas season with our top five tips on planning the perfect Christmas party. (Just for record, for us here at {10-11} Carlton House Terrace, Christmas can’t come early enough – we only need the temperature to drop below 20 degrees and we’re up in the attic dusting off the tinsel!)

Plan Early

The festive party season falls into a remarkably small window, particularly if you’re hoping for a good turnout. Your colleagues and clients will be booking up those key dates from the end of August and venues will be firming up enquiries at around the same time. If you haven’t decided where you’d like to hold this year’s festive celebrations, we’d advise getting a shortlist of spaces together as soon as possible.

It's also worth checking the diaries of your must-have attendees so you can be working on your dates and venue selection at the same time. It would also be handy to have an idea of numbers early on, as this will dictate which London Christmas party venue will suit your event best.

Think mid-week and an earlier start

Since hybrid and remote working was adopted by many businesses, the onus on staff giving up personal time for company events has somewhat shifted. These days it’s far more likely to find team nights out taking place mid-week and there is far less expectation on the event going on into the small hours.

It might also be worth floating the idea of hosting a late-lunch, rather than an evening meal, particularly if your team is based at far flung ends of the country. This could prove a popular decision amongst staff and it might also have the added benefit of saving you some money as some venues charge less for day time dos.

Check in with a handful of colleagues as to what their preference would be. If your choice saves you a bit of money, you could then afford to splash out on extras on the day.

Don't Underestimate Location

As well as trying to make the time and date work well for your invitees, it’s important you choose a central London Christmas party venue with really good public transport links. Wherever people are travelling from, they are going to want to be able to find your party venue quickly and easily and not to have to rely on taxis or lifts to and from the station. No one likes hanging around outside waiting for cabs, particularly in the depths of winter.

Choosing a venue in the heart of the capital also means that if any of your guests want to tag on some shopping or perhaps a show, they are going to be spoilt for choice. For out-of-town guests who want to stay over and make a proper get away out of your event, then central London has a wide range of hotels to suit every budget. Check out our preferred suppliers for our hotel recommendations in the area.

Focus on the Trimmings

When you’re selecting your venue make sure you pick somewhere that doesn’t scrimp on the extras. Christmas is a time to celebrate and to spoil your guests. At {10-11} Carlton House Terrace we’re renowned for our beautiful Christmas decor. Your guests will be greeted by a 12-foot Christmas tree in our foyer, plus a second tree in one of the entertaining spaces you’ve hired. Your tables will be adorned with festive foliage centre pieces and candles and a traditional Christmas cracker. For entertainment you will have access to our Premium Spotify account for your curated playlist (what’s Christmas without some festive tunes?) and many of our spaces have a dancefloor.

Seeing as it’s a special time of year, lots of our clients choose to upgrade their Christmas party packages and opt for live music or a DJ. You can also choose to add a photobooth to your space, giving your guests the chance to capture and share their memories of the night.

Food is probably the biggest focus for most party goers at our central London Christmas party venue and you can always rely on our catering partner, Searcy’s, to prepare and serve restaurant quality meals. This year their festive menus include a traditional turkey dinner with honeyed carrots, a fondant potato and apricot and sage onion stuffing with a deconstructed plum and amaretto Christmas pudding with nutmeg sauce for dessert. They also offer vegetarian and vegan options and buffet and snack bowl menus.

Add in a Little Magic

Creating a magical Christmas party doesn’t mean you have to spend, spend, spend. Sometimes it’s the little, thoughtful touches that make a party memorable. Perhaps there are a few games you could add to your evening that will raise spirits and smiles? Secret Santa is always a crowd pleaser and keeping the maximum spend low will encourage thoughtful or handmade gifts. A festive quiz, with rounds including ‘name that seasonal song or film’ will help break the ice for guests who don’t know each other very well.

Get in touch

If you’d like to speak to a member of our Events Team to discuss your 2023 London Christmas party, please don’t hesitate to get in touch by calling 020 7969 5224 or emailing us via info@10-11cht.co.uk.