Ho-ho-ho! Christmas is around the corner which means it’s time to plan a fun get-together for your members. I know organizing events at a coworking space may seem like a ton of work. But isn’t the festive Christmas spirit well worth the effort?
Just make sure to look through the pieces of advice below. They will guide you through all potential bottlenecks and help to make your Coworking Christmas a blast.
Let’s go!
Before you start to cut out the snowflakes, define the objective of your coworking Christmas event. This is important because, without a clear goal, the party can easily become a waste of time and money. Besides, you'll have no way to measure whether or not the event was successful.
Some possible objectives for a Christmas party might include
Whatever your objective may be, make sure it's communicated to all participants so that everyone is on the same page and knows what they're working towards.
Planning a budget for a Christmas event at a coworking space can be tricky, but with a little forethought and organization, you can do it.
You surely want as many people as possible to enjoy your fabulous Christmas party, so there are a few things to consider when setting the X-mas date.
Whatever date you choose, be sure to give your guests plenty of advance notice!
The next step is working out how many people will attend your event. Is it just members or members + kids, or maybe you want to invite external customers and partners?
A theme party is a great way to shake things up and make your party more memorable. The theme of your event doesn’t necessarily have to be related to Christmas, so you can go really wild and creative.
Rather than having the standard Elf, Grinch, or Secret Santa party why not try something different? Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Use decorations, lighting, and music to support the selected theme.
Booking entertainers for your Christmas party is a great way to keep your guests entertained and make your party a memorable event. From comedians and magicians to carolers and Santa Claus, there's an endless variety of performers to choose from who will be sure to delight your guests.
Depending on the theme and the activities you’re planning for your coworking Christmas party, you might want to suggest a specific dress code to help your members prepare and feel comfortable.
Your message about the dress code may look like this.
“White tie party, of course! Just kidding. There are really only a few guidelines to follow when dressing for our coworking Christmas party: festive and cheerful!
So think reds, greens, golds, silvers, and sparkles! Anything that will make you stand out and add some extra cheer to the holiday season. And since it's likely to be cold outside, make sure to dress warmly too. Cozy sweaters, warm boots, and layers are always a good idea this time of year.”
Once your members know the basics of the party and what they should wear, they can focus all of their energy on being excited instead of being nervous.
At that moment you already have all the essential party details, so it’s time to send out your invitations. The best time to do it is around two weeks before the event. This will give your guests plenty of time to RSVP and make arrangements.
There are a few different ways to format your invitations. You can send them as physical cards, or you can use an online invitation service like Evite.
Include clear information about the time, date, venue, and transport, as well as the fabulous entertainment and festivities you have prepared.
The lead-up to your coworking Christmas party is also a great opportunity to build extra buzz with cheerful posts on your community feed, luring event description on the Events page in your app, posters, emails, and intranet banner ads. It’s unbelievable how much anticipation contributes to the mood of the day!
What's more important than food? The answer might be nothing! That’s why hosting a coworking Christmas party is usually all about the grub. You know what will make your guests happy—great menu options and tasty treats from some of their favorite restaurants or caterers in town. Here are some ideas for planning out how to serve up something yummy this year.
No matter which food format you’ll choose, make sure you have alternative options for people with dietary restrictions such as vegetarianism, gluten sensitivity or allergies. If possible try to book your catering service ahead of time so that all the good providers aren't taken!
It is not necessary to exchange gifts but I would recommend you to include a fun way of gifting in your list of Christmas entertainment for members.
One fun way to exchange Christmas gifts is to have a Secret Santa. Everyone draws a name from a hat or uses a link to a secret Santa generator shared in your app and then buys a gift for that person. It's always fun to open a gift that you didn't expect!
Another fun way to exchange Christmas gifts is to do a white elephant exchange. Everyone brings a gift and then everyone takes turns picking a gift from the pile. The person who picks the gift then has to open it and play by the rules, which are usually something like, "you can't re-gift the present or put it back in the pile." This is always a lot of fun, especially because people often bring really weird or funny gifts.
You surely want members to remember the party you organized for them. Setting up a photo booth is a simple yet effective way to let every participant take away a part of the holiday cheer with them.
Here’s how to set up a photo booth for your coworking Christmas event.
The choice of music really depends on what kind of Christmas event you're hosting. If you're having a more formal event, classical music like "Jingle Bells", "Deck the Halls" and "Feliz Navidad" might be a better choice.
But if your event is more casual, maybe some festive Holiday tunes would be more appropriate. Try modern holiday songs like "All I Want for Christmas Is You" or "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)".
Or, if you want to go all out and get into the Christmas spirit, put on a winter playlist with songs like "Let It Snow", "White Christmas", and "Frosty the Snowman".
Whatever you choose, make sure it's something that everyone can enjoy!
Playing Christmas party games is a great way to get everyone in the holiday spirit! It's also a fun way to get to know each other better and to bond with your coworkers. Here are some of our favorite Christmas party games:
When it comes to Christmas decorating, more is definitely more. So crank up the holiday tunes and get busy draping your coworking space in all manner of sparkling decorations.
While it's great to get creative with your Christmas decorating, it's also important to incorporate some traditional elements. After all, what would the holidays be without a little bit of tradition?
A few key items that come to mind are a nativity scene, a menorah, or a kinara. By incorporating these time-honored elements into your decorating scheme, you'll help ensure that your Christmas party is one that everyone will remember for years to come.
No Christmas party would be complete without a visit from Santa himself. If you're expecting a jolly old elf this year, make sure you're prepared by clearing out a space where he can set up his workshop. Then add some finishing touches like a cozy chair and a blanket thrown over nearby furniture. This will help create the perfect spot for Santa to take pictures with all the little ones (and maybe even some of the adults.)
Although it may be the last thing on your mind after a busy day of Christmas celebrations, sending out thank you cards is a must-do. Not only is it polite, but it also lets your guests know that you appreciated their attendance at your party.
When sending out thank you cards, there are a few things to keep in mind.
I am sure that getting such thank you card will bring a smile to the attendees’ faces and fix the positive image of your brand in their minds.
The Christmas holidays are a time to come together with friends and family, but for coworking spaces, it’s also a great opportunity to throw a killer party. Whether you’re looking for ideas for your next get-together or just want to see what other spaces are doing, we’ve got you covered.
From promotion to technology, check out our Event Guide for all the tips you need to organize a successful gathering for your members. And don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter to get more inspiration delivered right to your inbox!