25 August 2022

It’s Time To Get Festive

It is the time of year where people are starting to plan Christmas events, especially in the corporate world. Have you given it any thought as yet?

There is definitely a demand for experiences this year as people are still making up for lost time from the pandemic and are wanting to curate memories that go above and beyond the traditional Christmas meal. They are requesting that added air of magic, and we are more than happy to oblige!

This year I have seen first-hand the power of shared experiences, whether that be on a retreat, an activity or a group challenge and people are really relishing the adventure and newness that goes with it.

So, if you are starting to plan your festive events, do have a think about what added dimension you could bring. A few ideas include:

Make the venue special

More than ever, venues are the event – think the rise of places such as Flight Club and Swingers which are all about the group activity on top of food and drink. These venues create a magical world for their customers to be immersed in which can be hugely fun and entertaining.

Have a showstopper

It’s all well and good booking a venue and having a nice meal, but what is the showstopper? What will people remember? Could this be a magician, a quiz, some awards, a special guest – what will give the wow factor?

Get immersive

Like the venues are doing, people are loving immersive experiences – whether that be a bit of theatre, food, drinks or entertainment. Could you incorporate this into an event, eg, a group tasting session?

Giving back

The community spirit was high during lockdown and many people have incorporated that community value within their lives and businesses. Within your event, ask how you can give back. Is that by a donation to a local charity, having someone speak that is hugely inspirational, showcasing a certain venue or supplier or cause?

Stay local

Piggybacking on my point above, people were very much appreciative of what was on their doorstep during lockdown so when planning your event, ask if there’s a way to stay local and use local venues and suppliers and support your community. This is a great way to support and promote them.

Don’t forget everyone loves a theme

It’s Christmas, people will have worked hard and want to kick back and have fun so why not make it extra fun by having a theme to your event. This can be a certain dress code, music, drinks, food – whatever you fancy, but most of all it has to be fun! And a theme makes for some cracking photos!

Remember sustainability, diversity and inclusion

Do remember to put sustainability, diversity and inclusion high up on your requirements when looking for venues and suppliers and see who aligns with your values and where you want to spend your money. There’s nothing wrong with asking what their policies are to see if they marry up with yours.

If you need help planning that amazing festive event, do get in touch!