So you’ve been put in charge of planning your Office Christmas Party Melbourne this year! Maybe you’re excited…or maybe you’re dreading the responsibility of organising an event that people can have such mixed feelings about. Planning a great party is hard work, especially when you have to balance it with all your ordinary work responsibilities. You want your boss and your coworkers to be impressed by your choices, and you want everyone to truly have fun at the party (so no extra pressure then!). What you don’t want anyone to feel like they’ve been forced to socialise at a dull work event.
There are several different formats for an Office Christmas Party Melbourne, and however you choose to structure your party will ultimately depend on the vibe of your office and the vibe you want to create at your party. Some parties will be more formal while others will have a more casual environment; you may opt for a cocktail format or for a sit-down dinner; you may have a theme or no theme at all. However you choose to structure your office Christmas party, here’s some advice to think about as you plan!
Formal or Casual Office Christmas Party Melbourne?
The vibe of your party does not necessarily need to match the day-to-day vibe within your workplace. You may work in a very formal office environment in Melbourne where employees must be dressed up in strict business attire every day—that doesn’t mean that your office Christmas party also needs to be a formal event. In fact, it might be more fun to have a casual party, giving you and your coworkers a chance to relax and let your hair down around each other for a change. You want your party to be enjoyable…not just another work requirement or another check off a to-do list of drudgery. On the flip side, if you work in a casual environment like a manufacturing company in Adelaide, your party might be more enjoyable if you all have an excuse to dress up and look completely different to how your colleagues normally see you all.
Cocktail or Sitdown?
Whether or not you opt for a cocktail format or a sit down dinner for the party does play into whether you want the event to be more casual or more formal. Traditionally speaking, the sit down dinner will probably create a more formal, possibly even stilted environment. That’s not a bad thing; if you need a formal environment at your party, then a sit down dinner is probably the way to go. However, if you want to encourage a more casually interactive environment among the guests, then you’ll probably want to consider a cocktail style party, enabling guests to move freely and interact with each other.
If you really want to have a sit down dinner but also want to keep things casual, it can be done—groups around a table can create an intimate, family-dinner type setting if done well. In this case, you’ll want to be sure to keep the menu items cozy and casual—you’re not trying to cater to an elite, fancy palate. You’ll also want the room and table decorations to be simple and comfortable, so avoid anything that looks too flashy or impersonal.
Office Christmas Party Theme in Melbourne?
Ah, the question of Office Christmas Party theme—a tricky subject. Is a party more fun with a theme? Or is it just another chore for the guests as they prepare for the party? Does it make for a cute and quirky night, or is it just too cheesy and try-hard? Well, the answer to those questions depends on you, on your guests, on how you choose a theme, and on how you all come together to execute it.
A themed party can be a lot of fun. It gives your guests something to rally behind, something to get excited about. It makes your party unique. It makes for great pictures. But the trick is that if you have to choose a theme that’s going to be relevant and exciting for the guests. And there’s a fine line to walk here, because you also don’t want to pick a theme only because it’s trendy or popular—or else your party will become just one more party in a chain of similarly themed parties to be attended this holiday season.
Don’t be afraid of themes—they can really give a lot of life to a party! Just be sure to choose a theme that will be fun for everyone, and to make sure you put a lot of planning into making the party the best it can be.
Have fun!
When it comes to planning a party, whether it’s an office Christmas party or a personal party, whether you’re in Perth or Brisbane or anywhere in between, the most important thing to remember is to keep it fun! For more tips on planning an office holiday party, you might want to check out “5 Creative Ideas for Throwing an Office Holiday Party People Will Love.”
Office parties can quickly fall into the boring category, but they don’t have to—spice it up, make things interesting and exciting, and you’ll be sure to have fun with the planning and your guests will have fun at the party itself.