Holiday parties don’t have to break your budget! If money is tight, but you still want to rally your employees, or celebrate their accomplishments, here are some inexpensive ways you can do it.
Venues: Some venues are way more expensive than others. You may need to poke around a little, but so long as the food is good, people will be happy. If you’re having trouble finding a venue for your holiday party, call an entertainment company and ask them for recommendations! Your entertainment provider can give you some unbiased ideas. You might consider going with an entertainment company that will come to you and skip the venue all together! It’s way cheaper to host your holiday party at your location!
Date: Choose your date carefully. Reception halls and entertainment companies all get requested for the same dates. With Holiday parties, the most popular and most expensive dates are Friday and Saturday nights in December. Most places offer a reduced rate for during the day, as well as Sunday through Thursday events. Another consideration in date choosing, is time of day. If you have your Holiday party at your location, and choose to have it during the day, then there will be no expectation of spouses (which will double your food needs).
Entertainment: Yes, you need entertainment. It’s as important as the food, but some entertainment is better than others. Choose a show; whether it’s a game show, comedy magic show, or even a juggling show! Shows require less personnel than other forms of entertainment, and less personnel means cheaper! Your guests can mingle, have dinner, enjoy a show, and then get a thank you from the boss.
Team Work: Don’t be afraid to explain your budget limits and goals with your entertainment provider and reception hall. They want your event to be a success, because successful events re-book.
Ownership:Allow your employees to buy their own drinks, or to donate to a special cause at the event. These things are optional, so not everyone has to, but companies that have missions outside themselves grow. Ownership can also be allowing your employees to volunteer to be a part of a game show or stage show! This may seem obvious, but many companies that we provide entertainment for try to control even who gets to play.
Remember, Holiday parties are important, and you can have a nice event without breaking your budget.
Happy Holidays!
