The work Christmas party isn’t just a long-awaited fixture in the corporate calendar, but an opportunity to bring everyone together to celebrate the fantastic year you’ve undoubtedly had.
We’ve hosted a whole sleigh full of corporate Christmas parties over the years, so trust us when we say there’s no better opportunity to incorporate some fun activities into your event than a good old festive get-together with the office. There are hundreds of choices when it comes to Christmas party entertainment, all perfect for networking, building teamwork skills, and most importantly, for having a whole lot of fun!
We thought we’d share a few of our favourite ideas with you, so if you’re looking for some corporate Christmas party inspo, eve has your back. You can rest assured, that this will be a year to remember (or perhaps not…)!
Murder Mystery
Everybody loves a good old game of Cluedo, but have you ever wanted to give it a go in real life? When it comes to your Christmas party entertainment this year, a murder mystery party will make your event stand out from the hordes of Christmas drinks receptions.
Assign your guests a classic Cluedo character and ask them to come in fancy dress. Perhaps it’s Ms White the maid, so don a traditional maid’s costume and make sure you’ve got a feather duster to hand! Re-enacting the traditional whodunnit over a glass of champagne is the perfect way to spice up your Christmas party this year and get everyone involved in a hilarious and thrilling game.
If you’re still looking for a traditional sit-down dinner party, a murder mystery is a brilliant pre-dinner endeavour to facilitate conversations between guests. Work on those all-important teamwork skills as guests team up to uncover the murderer amongst them.
Where better to host your fantastic corporate Christmas party murder mystery, than a grand old Hall like Ironmongers’ Hall? This beautiful and imposing Tudor-style Hall perfectly befits a grand evening with heraldic wood panelling, twinkling crystal chandeliers, and stained-glass windows. And did you know, the original house in which Cluedo was set, was aptly named ‘Tudor Hall’ or ‘Tudor Close’? So, you’ll feel like you’re really out in the country here at Ironmongers’ Hall, without losing the practicality of a London postcode only a few minutes’ walk from Barbican Tube Station.
Cocktail making masterclass
Did you know that Gin is made from Juniper berries? Or that the Old Fashioned is the most popular cocktail in the world? That’s because you probably haven’t had a cocktail-making corporate Christmas party before!
This is such a fun Christmas party idea, designed to get everyone stuck in learning about and making their own cocktails, under the watchful eye of a cocktail connoisseur. Even if cocktails aren’t you’re forte, it’s still such a fun activity to get your guests engaging with one another and learning new things they can take away and use at home whenever they want! The perfect pre-dinner ice breaker or Christmas drinks activity, although we do suggest doing this before you’ve all sampled too much champagne!
Looking for a fabulous venue to host your amazing cocktail-making masterclass? Allow us to introduce the beautiful Events @ No6, a stunning, contemporary, and environmentally friendly venue just five minutes from Aldgate tube station. Sip on your handmade cocktails whilst you admire the gleaming lights of the London skyline at night through the multiple large windows giving you a unique view across London at Christmas.
If you have guests who don’t drink amongst you then no need to panic, take a look at our blog all about alcohol-free cocktails, with insights from some of London’s cocktail masters!
Ugly Christmas jumper competition
If you fancy something a little more understated this year, then an ugly Christmas jumper competition might be exactly what you’re looking for. A classic Christmas staple, you can’t go wrong with a good old ugly Christmas jumper, the uglier the better!
Do away with fancy dresses and dinner suits, throw on a garish sweater, and go head-to-head with your colleagues to see who can come up with the most obnoxious of jumpers! Do away with the pretence and create a casual, relaxed environment for your guests to mingle and chat. An ugly Christmas jumper is a fantastic talking point to kick-start conversations, so sit back and let the bold patterns and cheesy slogans do the talking.
You can have an ugly Christmas jumper competition for your corporate Christmas do almost anywhere, but we think Goldsmiths’ Centre is a perfect choice. A modern and relaxed venue, it’s the ideal setting for a casual, fun Christmas work get-together. Designed to facilitate guests mingling and chatting over a few drinks, it’s got ample space to set up some chilled games and have guests enjoy an evening letting their hair down and relaxing after working hard all year.
Christmas awards ceremony
After a successful year where everyone has worked their ‘you-know-whats’ off, there’s no better way to celebrate everyone’s hard work and commitment than an awards ceremony at your corporate Christmas party. Acknowledging people who have contributed significantly or had a large success, for example, is a fantastic way to show them how appreciative you are and boost company morale, motivating people to keep working hard.
You could choose to do a traditional awards ceremony, celebrating corporate wins and successes, with awards like ‘most recognised employee’ or ‘best customer service’. Or, change it up and go for some more goofy and silly awards like ‘most likely to eat someone’s lunch’ or ‘most coffees drunk per day’. Not only does this inevitably lead to a hilarious evening, but it’s also the perfect way to show your employees that you notice them on an individual level as well as a corporate level. There are so many awards options to choose from, so go crazy, there’s no award too whacky!
Go one step further to ensure a night no one will forget and have an MC host the award show, with live performances breaking up the evening proceedings. Now you just need an incredible venue to host from… enter Plaisterers’ Hall! A truly incredible space, designed in neoclassical opulence with that serious WOW factor, there is no space better to host an extravagant affair like an awards show! Complete with glistening chandeliers and beautiful furnishings, Christmas just got that bit more glamorous. But don’t let the glamour detract from the state-of-the-art AV and lighting facilities, Plaisterers’ Hall couldn’t be better set up for a live performance and presenting. You can rest assured this will be a corporate Christmas party like no other!
Themed Christmas parties
When it comes to thinking of a theme for your corporate Christmas party, there are so many choices. Seriously, Christmas is the perfect season for a themed event and no theme is too crazy at this time of year- trust us!
Narnia
This one’s a staple, and there’s no secret why… One of the ultimate Christmas films out there, a Narnia-themed Christmas party is the perfect way to bring your winter wonderland fantasies to life. Think ice sculptures, fur (faux of course), and lots of white and pale blue, and you’ve got yourself a Narnia-themed Christmas party that will have your guests frozen in awe as soon as they see it (don’t worry, no one’s turning to stone on our watch).
Great Gatsby
Extravagance? Check. Champagne? Check. Pearls and feathers? Check. A Great Gatsby-themed Christmas party always goes down a treat in all their classic jazz and art-deco glory. Not complete without opulence and grandeur, guests can dress up in traditional 1920’s outfits from flapper dresses to pinstripe waistcoats, there is no such thing as OTT when it comes to the Great Gatsby! And remember; “a little party never hurt nobody”.
Circus
Roll up, roll up to the corporate Christmas party of dreams. Think fire breathers, jugglers, and ringmasters. We know a circus theme isn’t just for Christmas, but picture twinkling fairy lights against the winter night sky! Guests can come in fancy dress and enjoy fun, themed cocktails whilst they watch some professional acrobats defy the laws of gravity.
Masquerade Ball
You can’t go wrong with a romantic and elegant masquerade ball this Christmas. Silver features, ambient candlelight and sparkling gowns will set the scene for a truly wonderful Christmas affair. With guests’ faces covered, conversations are a must to work out who’s in front of you so guests will mingle with one another fluidly, perfect to start building new connections in the office. A few dances are a must, and of course the big unveiling at midnight to round off a magical evening.
The Vaults at RSA House have got to be our suggestion for a Christmas party venue in London, perfect for any themed event. With exposed 18th-century brickwork and remarkable acoustics, it really is a one-of-a-kind event venue. There is so much wall space for some really funky projection so you can go all out for whatever theme you decide on. Plus, it even has a private entrance, so you and your guests can arrive in style for an amazing, exclusive Christmas celebration!
Any of these venues take your fancy?
Got something else in mind? Here at eve, there’s nothing we love more than a holly jolly Christmas party. eve’s little helpers will be more than happy to help you find the perfect space to host the corporate Christmas party of the festive season. Get in touch with the team and leave the venue finding to us!