I hope you are sitting down relaxing because the holiday season will be here before you know it! You are going to need some good corporate christmas party entertainment ideas and the soon you get started the better.

Organizing a successful company holiday party is a difficult and stressful job. There are so many details and it is easy to forget something important. After all, the success of the entire event rests squarely on your shoulders…NO PRESSURE. It’s no big deal; just remember everyone is counting on you. 🙂

After years of performing and attending many corporate events, I have seen my share of stressed out event planners. I hope some of these ideas will help you preserving your sanity. bookmark it so you can refer back to it. Please feel free to share it with friends or others planning parties or events. I hope it is helpful to you and relieves some of the stress.

Let’s Get Started

6 Corporate Christmas Party Entertainment Ideas To Get Started

1. Plan As Far In Advance as Possible…Like the Summer!
It is never too early to start planning your event. The sooner you pick a date the easier it will be for your guests to plan on being there. Three to six months in advance is a good time frame. Hotels, banquet centers, caterers and entertainers (like myself) will still have many dates open making it easier for you to get the date you want. It always amazes me when someone will call me 10 days before an event in desperation. I always try to accommodate, if I am available, but skip the hassle and plan ahead.

2. Pick a Great Venue
The first place most people think of is a hotel or banquet facility, but don’t be afraid to push the envelope a bit. What about museums, wineries, country clubs, stadiums. You could try historic homes or estates. Why not look into the smaller restaurants in downtown. There are many places if you just use your imagination. Sometimes an interesting location can make your event outstanding.

3. Think About The Food.
Many facilities have catering packages to choose from but there are some things you should keep in mind. Make sure you know exactly what is included in the package. Are soft drinks like soda, tea and coffee included or will there be a charge? Are there any vegetarians or vegans in your group? Make sure the facility is willing to accommodate any special dietary needs in your group. You want everyone to be able to enjoy themselves.

4. Get Some Feedback On Last Years Holiday Party
If you want to satisfy your guests you have to know what they want. Some of the best corporate holiday party entertainment ideas come from last year’s guests. Find out what people liked about last year’s event and what was not so hot. Ask questions about the food, the venue and the entertainment. What would they like to see this year? You can do it by email, in person or just pick up the phone. Taking some time to find out information like this can save you from making the same mistakes as last year.

5. Set a Budget
Obviously you want to consider food, beverage and venue costs as well as recognition awards. But some other things to keep in mind include rentals and a sound system. And of course don’t forget the entertainment. Here is a note on prices. Remember, it is not always wise to shop price. The most expensive performer or caterer is not always the best and the cheapest is not always the best value. Just get some general ideas on budget at this point, you can always adjust later.

6. Pick a Theme
If it can work for your event pick a theme and go all the way with it. Don’t be afraid to go crazy, how about “The Holidays in Hawaii” or “Awards as Big as Texas”. You can even use concepts like loyalty, teamwork or customer service. Use your imagination and then start thinking about the props and décor you can use. Then you can move to the food. My favorite theme is “A Night of Magic and Mystery”, who would have guessed.

5  Simple Corporate Christmas Party Entertainment Ideas

7. Name Tags! Name Tags! Name Tags!
One of the simplest corporate christmas party entertainment ideas but so rarely seen at events. A name tag can take the pressure off everyone at a holiday party. No one has to remember anyone’s name they can just relax and have a good time. You can make it simple and have everyone write their own name tags with a marker. Have them write something as a conversation starter, for example, if your event is at an auto museum everyone can write the name of their first car or their dream car. You can ask them a question and have them answer it on their name tag under their name. Questions like, what is your favorite kind of food or restaurant? What is your favorite vacation destination? Or they can write any interesting fact about themselves. Use your imagination and make it fun.

8. Think About the Traffic Pattern
Set up your welcome table just outside the door. You don’t want people wandering around wondering where the event is. Once they enter make sure you set up the bar or soft drinks across the room away from the entrance. This will avoid bottle necks and force people to go all the way into the room. If you are having entertainment or a speaker make sure to set up the platform on a long wall and not at the end of the room so that every one can have a good seat. The entrance to the room should always be opposite s the platform never behind it. Trust me, I once performed at an event where the entrance was next to the stage and it was a nightmare for everyone. It interrupted the presentation every time someone entered or exited the room. Plus, nothing is worse for a guest than having to cross in front of the platform to use the restroom.

9. Make Sure There is Something Happening Right Away – How About A Mystery Party Guest
Here is one of my favorite corporate holiday party entertainment ideas. If you want your christmas party to be a hit you need everyone having fun right away. You don’t want anyone standing around wondering when the event will start. Having some entertainment while the hors d’oeuvres are being passed can really break the ice. A mystery party guest who performs walk around sleight of hand is perfect for the cocktail hour or before dinner. As someone who specializes in being a mysterious, mingling party guest it is a lot of fun and gives everyone something to talk about. Most people have never seen this type of entertainment close up and it never fails to leave a lasting impression.

10. Use a Seating Chart
Nothing is more stressful for your guests that having to rushing around trying to save seats. Having a simple chart can take this stress away. It could be organized by department, work group or name. It also gives you control over who sits with whom. This can be a great tool if you want two groups to cooperate more. Just sit them at the same table and hopefully by the end of the night everybody will be friends.

11. Corporate Christmas Party Entertainment Ideas
Quality entertainment can really enhance your event and make a lasting impression on employees and guests. A younger crowd may enjoy a band or DJ. But sometimes the loud music can be a turn off to the “grown ups”. Besides you can be sure that whoever has to sit next to the loud speaker will want to leave early! I recommend strolling sleight of hand before dinner and a comedy magic performance after dinner and the awards. But don’t make the program too long, especially if there are awards. 30 to 40 minutes of comedy magic after dinner mixed with strolling magic before will be perfect. Whatever corporate holiday party entertainment you choose make sure it is completely hassle-free. You have enough to do without having to cater to a high maintenance speaker or performer.

5 Quick Tips for the Night of Your Company Holiday Party

12. Get There Early
Don’t put yourself into a tailspin right at the beginning of the night by running late. One hour early should be fine, but at least 30 minutes.

13. Be Easily Found
Make sure you check in and say “Hi” to the banquet manager so she can find you and remember you easily if needed.

14. Charge Up Your Cell Phone
People will need to find you and you might need it for emergencies. Nothing is worse than doing an event with an event planner with a dead cell phone.

15. Act Like the Host
Mix and mingle, introduce people and have a good time. The hard work should be done now enjoy yourself a little, you deserve it.

16. Create a HASHTAG #yourcompanyholidayparty2017
Creating a hashtag is simple and it gives everyone a chance to share their photos. It gives a second life to your event and makes people look forward to next year. If this is the easiest and most effective corporate christmas party entertainment ideas.

Well, there you have it 16 corporate christmas party entertainment ideas. Obviously, if this is not the first event you have planned you may have already known some of the tips in this report. But I hope you found something that you can use to ensure your next event turns out to be a huge success and you get the applause, accolades, and acknowledgement that you deserve.

If you are searching for someone to wow clients at your event, please get in touch to learn more about how I can help you at your next client appreciation event.  Click here and fill out the form for more info.