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The Christmas hype is upon us. In fact, it feels like retail and hospitality have been gearing up for a couple of months as they attempt to recover from the downturn - do you agree or is it just me that has noticed since September the Christmas chocs and mince pies on the shelf, ‘book now for Christmas’ signs and events to book for the family?

The LemonZest Team love Christmas events. They always bring extra sparkle and it’s a busy season for the team to get creative delivering Christmas parties, team days and corporate events.

Christmas parties can be the perfect time to reward teams for their hard work throughout they year. I am sure many companies will have on eye on pitching the right type of event as we all navigate rising costs and in some cases an uncertain outlook. However, with the right planning and advice you can find a happy medium to celebrate the successes, reflect on the year and come together as a team.

Small details and careful planning can make all the difference to getting the right balance to an event. My tips for pulling off a great Christmas event are as follows:

• As one of the most in demand times of year, don’t leave it until the last minute and chose a suitable venue and format for your event. Brainstorm what is an appropriate format and ask employees for suggestions. Is a sit down formal meal the way to go or is an afternoon activity with drinks more your thing?

• The demand for entertainment ramps up in corporate party season so don’t leave entertainment to chance. Go on recommendation for reputable acts, dj’s, after dinner speakers etc.

• Christmas events are not limited to the evening or the month of December. Is there an opportunity to hold your event in the daytime? Sometimes this opens up greater opportunities with venues at this busy time of year. Consider a daytime activity and combine Christmas and team building activities. How about Christmas carols, a Christmas themed trivia quiz or even a January event to bring in the new year and share business goals.

• Team up with another department, or company to get more bang for your buck with a shared event.

• Get interactive - it’s a great way to engage guests. This can be anything from a photo booth to capture the moment and then reuse on your social media channels to demonstrate your company culture to cocktail/mocktail making that will bring a fun element to a party. How about a themed Santa's grotto and a secret Santa gift exchange?
  

From an events management and production perspective, it takes a variety of team skills to deliver events to a high standard and with a multi disciplined approach. We recommend having a dedicated person or group internally that can manage with external expertise to find venues, book entertainment and excel at theming. Having a point of contact to act on behalf of the company that can work with the likes of the LZ team can ensure your company culture is considered and emulates through the event.

There is an abundance of small things that make a difference to transform an average Christmas party into a celebration to remember. Just ask me!