Usually during the holidays, a business will hold a corporate holiday party. This is a time to come together and celebrate. Typically, these parties are held toward the end of the year and celebrate all the successes of the business along the year. If you are responsible for planning the corporate holiday party, then there are a few things that we recommend in order to make the party a success.

First of all, a budget should be established. This is important when planning a corporate holiday party, so that you know exactly what is possible within your budget to fit the purpose.

Second, it is important to know what the others enjoy. You should have some idea as to what the other employees like, as in order to have this responsibility, it is most likely that you have worked for the company for a considerable amount of time. Knowing what the others enjoy will allow for planning of games that will get them involved, which will make a successful party. Music is another good source of entertainment for a corporate holiday party.

Third, you are going to need food and drink. Making sure you have plenty to go around is key to a successful get together. Planning a corporate holiday party, it is important to decide whether you want to have the party catered. Depending on the size of the party, catering may be the best choice. If you decide on catering, ask the following questions: what are the basic packages? Are they based on number of employees? Or total participants? If fewer people show up, do we get a refund? If more show up, do we get another invoice? What isn't included in your package? Are you part of BBB? How long have you been in business? Additionally you want to get feedback from previous clients in these areas...how was the food? How did the staff interact with your employees? Did they create teamwork scenarios? Any feedback from the employees that attended? If you have a smaller group, there are other options, like everyone bringing a dish or the planner can purchase food and drink with the allotted budget.

Finally, we recommend deciding on the time and date of the party. It should be as convenient for everyone as possible, however it may not be possible to choose a time that everyone will be happy with. As long as the majority is able to attend, that is all that you can do.

Planning a corporate holiday party can be successful following the above steps. Another thing to consider is whether or not to serve alcoholic beverages, which may not be possible if the party is during working hours or if on company premises.