Christmas parties are an absolute essential for all companies, regardless of their size or sector. It’s a way of thanking your staff for all the fantastic work they’ve done during the year and developing team morale through a good old bonding session – complete with food and drink.

Choosing a Christmas party venue can be a stressful experience, with fussy eaters and difficult staff members all wanting to have their say. However, there are plenty of venues out there that have created the perfect package so your event goes with a bang and is one that staff and managers alike will remember for a long time.

When looking for a Christmas party venue, there are several things to consider. Most important of these is getting a look at the venue, be it pictures or in person. Some venues like to create a Christmas ‘theme’ with vivid scenery evocative of a particular era or place. Would you and your fellow employees feel happy sitting in such an environment for several hours? Or would they be more at ease in a traditional Christmas setting with comfy sofas and a blazing fire?

Another consideration in choosing a location is whether or not you plan on going out afterwards. If you want to hit the town, having the dinner party in a central location is crucial so you don’t have far to walk (or totter). If going on to a bar or club has been vetoed by the company, there are plenty of venues that provide the full Christmas package complete with disco and DJs for after dinner entertainment. Many such parties are held in hotels or clubs, in which case it is possible to book overnight accommodation for those who want to party the night away.

After the location, menus are the second most important factor in choosing your Christmas party venue. With bigger companies especially, you may find there are vegetarians, vegans, dieters and people with numerous allergies in your midst, all of whom need catering for. Most venues offer a vegetarian or fish alternative to the main meat dish, but it’s always a good idea to phone in advance and check they can accommodate dinners with more unusual dietary requirements.

It’s also worth checking what extras the venue offers. Many will incorporate half a bottle of wine per head into the package, but additional wine or drinks will come at an extra charge; consider this carefully before booking your chosen Christmas party venue as you don’t want to be caught short when it comes to beverages to accompany your meal.

Keep a track of menu options and who’s coming; it’s important for venues to know in advance how many people there will be at your party. Get on to slow repliers to ensure you are all seating together; nothing would be worse than having your party scattered about the dining room because the table was too small. Once everything is booked, menu choices confirmed and numbers established, the only thing that remains is to dig out that pretty dress and have a great time!