Christmas parties are a great way to boost morale in your company by showing your employees how much you value their hard work and loyalty over the past year. Parties can increase productivity, improve team relationships, and help to establish your company culture.
However, for some businesses, throwing a Christmas party might stretch a small budget beyond repair. Whether you’re a small business with limited funds, a new start-up, or even just had a difficult financial year, there’s often a lot of pressure on employers to throw an expensive party.
So, to help you out, we’ve found 3 great options for a Christmas office party on a budget, so you can treat your team without breaking the bank.
A meal out
A simple meal out at a restaurant is a nice way to get your whole team together and share some good food and drink, excellent company, and a festive atmosphere. It might not seem massively exciting, but it can help to involve those who might not enjoy big parties, making sure your whole team can be part of it.
This option especially lends itself to a low budget as many restaurants offer group discounts and weekday deals. And, for an even more budget affair, you could even host the meal during the working day, giving people a well-earned rest and saving some pennies in the process. Some restaurants, such as Bella Cosa, offer the chance to book Christmas work lunches.
If a meal isn’t your thing, you can also get great group discounts and daytime deals with activities like bowling, which can be paired with some cheap food from the on-site eatery.
In-house party
One of the best ways to save some money on a Christmas party is to make use of the space you already have, rather than paying to rent any outside spaces. Even though it’s in the office, you can make a great festive atmosphere with a little creativity.
Hang some Christmas decorations around the area and have an activity with your team to decorate the Christmas tree to get everyone involved. You can make the party a themed one, asking for theme ideas from your team and having everyone in fancy dress. This is often a much cheaper and more fun get together than the evening wear often required for parties, and allows you to incorporate some prizes for best and worst dressed!
Having festive games like a baking competition, balloon games, a Christmas quiz, or some karaoke will help to create a fun and holiday atmosphere for everyone, and having everyone bring in a plate of something will cut down catering costs.
For more ideas for Christmas games, visit this post. Alternatively, for more office party ideas, this blog has some great tips.
Shared party
This especially works for those with small teams, allowing you to pair up with other small businesses to have an office party.
The shared party package is offered by a lot of venues, such as hotels, as a cheaper alternative for a holiday bash. For a discounted fee, you can usually enjoy a three-course meal, festive decorations, and entertainment, meaning you can have a classy affair for a much cheaper price than usual.
It’s also a much easier option than a DIY party, as all the planning and organisation is down to someone else!
