How to plan a work Christmas party, step by step

Planning the work Christmas party is one of those jobs that looks easy until you're doing it. There's the date, the venue, the food, the dietary requirements, the entertainment and keeping the boss happy, all while doing your normal job.

This is the plan we'd follow, based on years of watching what goes well and what doesn't. Start as early as you can. If you're reading this in November, don't panic, just move faster and be a bit flexible on the date.

A rough timeline

September: agree the budget, guest list and a shortlist of dates. Early October: book the venue and entertainment. Late October: send invitations. Mid November: collect menu choices and dietary needs. Early December: confirm final numbers and the running order with everyone involved. The week before: chase stragglers and double-check transport.

If you're already behind that, compress it. The order still holds. Date, venue and entertainment first, then everything else.

Step 1: Set the budget and the guest list

Find out what you have to spend and whether it's a total or a per head figure. Then confirm who's invited. Just your team, the whole company, partners too? These two decisions shape everything else, so nail them down first.

Ask whether there's money for extras like entertainment or transport, or whether it all needs to come out of the same pot.

Step 2: Pick the date (early)

Send out a quick poll with a few options. Include at least one weekday and one date in early December. Fridays and Saturdays later in the month book up first for venues and entertainers alike, so if you want one of those, you'll need to move quickly.

Check the date doesn't clash with a big deadline, school nativity season or anything else that'll keep people away.

Step 3: Book the venue

Once you have a date and numbers, contact a few venues. Ask what's included in their Christmas packages, if you'll get a private space, what time you need to be out and what their deposit and cancellation terms are.

Visit if you can. Photos never show you the pillar in the middle of the room or the fact that the private area is next to the toilets.

Agree the menu early

Most venues offer a set Christmas menu with two or three choices per course. Pick one that covers vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options without lots of special requests. Check if you need to send individual choices in advance, as many venues do in December. Getting this in early means the kitchen can plan and your guests get what they ordered.

Step 4: Sort the entertainment

Decide what kind of night you want. If it's a sit-down meal, think about a magician for the Christmas dinner who moves between tables between courses. For a bigger party with a stage, you might want a stage show after the meal. A DJ for later is common, but remember that dancing doesn't usually start until people have relaxed a bit.

Book entertainment straight after the venue. Good acts get booked up for December evenings just like venues do. Our quote form only takes a minute.

Step 5: Send invitations and collect details

Send a proper invitation with the date, time, venue, dress code and how to get there. Ask for menu choices and dietary requirements at the same time, with a clear deadline. You'll still be chasing people the week before, but at least most will be sorted.

Keep a simple spreadsheet: name, attending or not, menu choice, dietary needs. It'll save you a lot of scrolling through emails.

Don't forget anyone

Not everyone loves a big party. Make sure there's a quieter area where people can chat away from the music, and good alcohol-free drinks for non-drinkers and drivers. Check the venue is accessible for anyone with mobility needs, and that there's food for every dietary requirement on your list.

If some of the team can't come because they work remotely or on shifts, think about how to include them. A smaller online get-together, a Christmas hamper in the post or a separate lunch on a different day all show they haven't been forgotten.

Step 6: Plan the running order

Write down roughly what happens when. Arrival drinks, sit down for food, speeches, any awards, entertainment, carriages. Share it with the venue and anyone performing, so everyone knows when the important bits are. A magician, for example, will plan their sets around the speeches if they know when they are.

Keep speeches short and put them between courses, not at the end when people want to get on with the party.

Step 7: Think about getting home

Share local taxi numbers, last train times and any parking details. If the venue is out of the way, a minibus at the end of the night might be money well spent. It's a small thing that shows you've thought about people's safety.

Have a plan B

December is unpredictable. Trains get cancelled, snow arrives and the flu goes round the office. Know the venue's policy on reducing numbers at short notice, and keep a list of contact numbers for everyone involved.

If anything changes, like the start time or the guest count, tell the venue and any entertainers as soon as you can. Most are flexible if they've got some notice. Far less so if they find out on the night.

Step 8: On the day, and after

Arrive early to check the room, place cards and anything else you've arranged. Keep the venue contact's number and the entertainer's number handy. Then try to actually enjoy it. You've more than earned it.

Afterwards, send a quick thank-you to the venue and the team, and make a note of what worked for next year. Future you will be grateful.