23 September 2020

Dare We Talk Christmas?

With all the uncertainty and truly unique happenings of the past few months, a lot of us are, understandably, not planning much at the moment. So, is it crazy to think about a Christmas event?

As an events planner, this time of year usually starts seeing the messages about Christmas parties and events come in and surprisingly, I am starting to get such enquiries which is fantastic. 

But, understandably, with businesses still not back to normal, and not looking like they ever will be for a while, planning anything can feel quite risky. Three months in the current climate seems a long way off and, as we have seen, anything can happen.  

However, I know that a lot of team leaders are wanting to give their workforce something to look forward to and to celebrate their hard work over the past few months, and friends and families are looking to plan really special get togethers or virtual get togethers   

I talk about this a lot; there is a need and a craving for experiences currently and to create memories rather than ‘things.’ And people are wanting to plan something special with perhaps a bit more added care and attention than usual. As a lot of us aren’t going out as much as we were or seeing people so often, when we do it has to be extra special which is where my team and I come in.  

Below I have given a few ideas of how you can celebrate together safely over the Christmas period – I hope they provide food for thought. We have a huge black book of venues, suppliers and ideas so if you would like to discuss your Christmas celebration, please do get in touch.  

An intimate outdoor area get-together: 

The current government guidelines say that you can have gatherings for up to 6 people. There are some beautiful outside spaces (with heaters!) to host drinks or dinner and for bigger teams, perhaps stagger the groups? Or how about recreating Narnia with drinks or dinner in a forest clearing? The possibilities are endless…. 

A bespoke activity day: 

There are some fantastic activities around at the moment to do as a team or with friends and family. With teams not spending time together in person currently it is more important than ever to maintain that team spirit. Have you thought about whisking them away from the hustle and bustle to a wonderful location and getting everyone involved in some fun and enjoyable activities? This can be so therapeutic and hugely rewarding for companies and staff members alike. We love organising bespoke experiences and have been visiting a lot of wonderful venues that have already got our creative juices going. Do get in touch to find out more about how we can bring your ideas to life. 

A private dining experience:  

A wonderful thing to do for your loved ones is to book a private dining room, perhaps with a private chef, for a special dinner to celebrate the festivities. There are some stunning spaces, including the more traditional and classic to the modern, quirky and chic, and getting booked in now will help support those businesses as well as treating yourselves to a special evening to remember. 

An immersive Christmas experience: 

As it’s looking more likely that we can’t all be together for Christmas in large groups, there is the option of doing ‘live’ Christmas events in smaller teams, or in your family and friendship groups, and then streaming these individual experiences online to other company teams so you can still experience something together at the same time. We can create bespoke celebrations with entertainment including magicians, artists, caricaturists, a wreath-making workshop or another type of crafty evening. And for the kids, why not include a pantomime element?! Did you see that ex-Blue Peter presenter Peter Duncan has launched Panto Online? Such a fabulous idea! [link www.pantoonline.co.uk]  

If you would like to talk about ideas for Christmas, we would love to hear from you. With our extensive knowledge we can definitely create that perfect event for your needs.