The very best Christmas party themes and why

 

They’ve (hopefully) been working hard all year and rewarding them with a great party will generate some good will going into the new year. This, in turn, will directly translate as higher productivity and smaller staff turnover. All good stuff!

 

But beware: if you scrimp, cut corners or do a half-baked job, it might end up having the opposite effect and then you’ll be worse off than if you did no party at all.

 

And this is where themes come in. The most appropriate and well-delivered themes will have your colleagues Instagramming their way through the evening – a sure-fire sign they’re having a good time. And free marketing too!

 

So what festive party theme do you go for? Well, that depends on a few things. Budget for start. Frankly, a high-concept Great Gatsby soirée only looks good if you throw some cash at it. A tropically themed party, on the other hand, can be great fun with just a few Hawaiian T shirts, some colourful decorations and a dress-up box – in the right venue of course.

 

Have a think about your company’s personality too. Are they a fun-loving, shot-drinking bunch or would they prefer a seated black-tie affair? Once you’re set on a theme and you’ve got all your creative Christmas party ideas in place, you’ll need to make sure that the entertainment and – vitally – food are on point and match up with what you’re doing. Traditional turkey dinner at a Mexican-themed party? Big no no!

 

A lot to think about, right? Don’t worry though, our Christmas party ideas below will ensure you’re suitably inspired so that whatever choice you make, it’ll be the right one.

 

 

This one is all about the venue and there are plenty that fit the bill around London. Characterful, dimly lit spaces with exposed brick or wood-panelled walls work best – think Brewers’ Hall – but anything with faded Victorian grandeur will do the job nicely. 

 

The likes of the Victorian Bath House in the City is a good shout. Otherwise there’s historic Skinners’ Hall if you need something larger.

 

Once that’s sorted, you might want to think about the sort of entertainment. Having roving actors, dressed in Victorian garbs will add theatre to proceedings. A Christmas Carol party wouldn’t be complete without Scrooge, right?

 

Speaking of dressing up, how about getting your guests to come in some sort of fancy dress? To save everyone the cost and bother, a fancy-dress box at the drinks reception is good idea.

 

 

 

It might seem a bit ‘done’, but we still think that a well-turned Winter Wonderland Christmas party is up there with the best themes.

 

It begins, of course, with the decorations and lighting. All things ice and snow are where to begin and the likes of Best Parties Ever and Event Prop Hire can easily help with providing just that. Think white trees dripping in twinkling decorations and blue or white up lights everywhere else.

 

Picking a blank-canvas venue will make life significantly easier for you. Somewhere like the Ice Tank in Covent Garden or The Worx in Parsons Green.

 

 

 

 

Okay, so let’s mix things up a little and instil a little Brazilian fever into proceedings. With the weather outside inevitably being frightful, your colleagues will thank you for a sun-filled fiesta indoors.

 

The quick-win here would be to book either Tropicana Beach Club, which lots of space for dancing or Christmas-themed games, or maybe party-bar Barrio Shoreditch if you’re after somewhere a little smaller. These places are ready-made for a Rio-themed carnival party, with the right kind of decorations, drinks, food and entertainment.

 

All you have to do is get your lovely guests to bring along a Hawaiian-style shirt – or something more elaborate if you think they’ll go for it – and you’ve got yourself the makings of a fantastic group office Christmas party.

 

 

Or just plain old ‘circus’ works too. Adding ‘dream’ makes it sound a bit more exciting though, right? This Christmas party theme is always a lot of fun and the title will give your colleagues a really good idea of what to expect. 

 

Big top-style entertainment (you’re going to need a place with high ceilings), fun food stalls (popcorn and ice-cream perhaps?) and, of course, a ring master of ceremonies leading your guests entertainingly through the evening.

 

If we were organising a Dream Circus-themed festive bash, we’d probably call Awesome Events, who have a proven track record in delivering high-concept circus-act Christmas parties at their purpose-built semi-permanent structures around town.

 

 

We really like this theme because, permitting you’ve got an elegant venue, all that’s left to organise is masks for everyone. Either that or you can ask your guests to bring their own. Here’s a link to some of our favourites on Amazon, from the elegant to the down-right weird. 

 

These Christmas events tend to be rather smart affairs, so it’s best to remind your colleagues to come black-tie and ball gowns. As far as decoration is concerned it is safe simply to stay within the parameters of ‘tasteful’. For the lighting too.

 

So, where to book such a festive do?

 

1. Have you got the budget to pull off a high-concept theme?

2. Is the theme appropriate for the personality of your office?

3. Does the venue marry with the theme?

4. Is it classic enough to be classy or different enough to be exciting?

5. Is it fun?!