Inexpensive Corporate Holiday Parties

Cost Cutting Company Christmas Party Ideas

Nov 2, 2009 Bridget Coila

Corporate holiday party ideas that cut costs don't have to cut quality or fun. There are plenty of ways to host an inexpensive gathering this holiday season.

Hosting an inexpensive office holiday party shows employees that the company values their workers but also isn't overspending on frivolous things during a down economy. Making good choices about the time, venue, food, decorations, entertainment and guest list can help make an inexpensive party a holiday success. Here are some company holiday party ideas to help cut costs and still stay festive.

Choose the Office Holiday Party Time and Venue Wisely

Companies on a budget might consider changing the time of their party to a less expensive one. Holding the party on a workday evening or during the day instead of on a Friday or Saturday night can save money. A luncheon party at a restaurant is much cheaper than renting a hotel ballroom or banquet hall on a weekend night.

Changing the date might also help. Some companies hold their formal corporate holiday parties in early January, when costs for banquet hall rental and catering drop.

Scale Back The Company Holiday Party Guest List

Some companies make their office holiday party into an employee-only affair. This works best if the party is held during work hours, since many won't attend an evening or weekend event without spouses.

Other ways to limit the guest list include limiting the formal party to permanent full-time employees, perhaps holding a smaller on-site party for contract or temporary employees or assigning each department to hold its own small party for all employees.

Inexpensive Decorations and Entertainment Ideas for Corporate Holiday Parties

Decorations don't have to be elaborate to be festive, and many companies forgo things like large centerpieces and expensive décor for the annual Christmas party. Bowls of candy can be an inexpensive and fun centerpiece option to replace large floral displays.

One idea for an informal party is to have a craft corner at the party where guests can make their own ornaments and decorations to hang on trees and walls around the venue.

For music, hiring a DJ is cheaper than a live band, but there are ways to make the entertainment even less expensive. Hooking up a stereo system to an ipod preset with holiday music can provide simple and festive entertainment. Another option is to hook up speakers to a radio set on a station playing holiday music, since many schedule commercial-free holiday programming in the weeks before Christmas.

Cutting Office Party Food and Alcohol Costs

If a company is holding a major holiday bash, they should ask for a party menu with inexpensive options. A buffet generally costs less than a sit down dinner and limiting food to hors d'ouvres and desserts can cut costs even more.

When a company provides the food for their corporate holiday party instead of hiring a caterer, this can also lead to lower costs. Many supermarkets and local delis create pick-up trays for holiday parties, or someone in the company can make a tray themselves. These can include cold cut platters, bread and cheese plates or vegetables and dip.

For informal parties, a potluck is another option. Remember to have employees sign up for the type of dish they are bringing to avoid duplicates or too many dishes in one category.

To cut costs on alcohol, drink tickets are a popular corporate Christmas party option. These work by giving each guest a set number of tickets, often two or three, redeemable for a free drink. Any drinks beyond the free allotment must be paid for by the individual.

The article Office Party Food Menus has more ideas on how to cut down food costs for a corporate holiday party.

However a company chooses to handle their annual celebrations, cutting costs for corporate holiday parties is a good way to show respect for the hard work employees have been doing and indicate to those workers that the company isn't wasting money.

The most important thing to remember is that employees value appreciation more than how much money their company spends on the company party, so bosses should be sure to spend time thanking their employees for all of their hard work throughout the year.

The copyright of the article Inexpensive Corporate Holiday Parties in Entertaining is owned by Bridget Coila. Permission to republish Inexpensive Corporate Holiday Parties in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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