Summer is over and the holiday party planning has begun with much more excitement than before. In recent years the thought of planning a holiday party has been more painful than joyous. With the down turn of the economy many companies and even families have scaled back on the quantity and the size of their holiday party. Fortunately planning a holiday party has increase dramatically over the last two years. The Society for Human Resource Management took a poll and found that 72% of employers hosted a holiday party last year. This is up from only 68% in 2011. Of those who took the survey, 10% said they had to cut back. With more holiday parties being planned we wanted to show you how to create your next holiday party making it exceptional based on the trends. 1. Location 

The first place that comes to mind when many clients plan their holiday party is THE OFFICE. We all spend billions of hours at the office working to complete our mission. When it’s time to party an office environment isn’t the most ideal of settings. Off site locations are great choices to have for your next holiday party. If you are worried about the high cost of a venue during holiday season, pick a venue during the week. More holiday parties are planned on Saturday raising the cost than a Wednesday party. If you don’t want to take the route of using an outside venue, consider making the holiday party more intimate by hosting it at the home of your boss. I find it more thoughtful to have it at your home allowing your employees to see a different side of you. Of course this is up to your comfort zone as the boss. 2. Food We all love food and enjoy it even more during the holidays. The best dishes seem to be created around this time and can result in extra pounds being added. To alleviate the major concerns more guests are looking for foods to be more health-conscious. They are also looking for food to wow them visually. Many catering companies have holiday menus, but that doesn’t mean you have to settle for that. Ask the chef to work with you on a custom menu that will cater to your audience needs.   3. Bar

Having a bar can be a juggling act. Should you have an open bar? Should your bar have a drink limit? Should you give our drink tickets? It’s really up to your budget. Roughly 61% of those who host a holiday party will serve alcohol. More companies are choosing the open bar method for this year’s party and not just any open bar. Specialty drinks are being added to the menu with mixology sessions to better engage guests. 4. Engagement Have you ever been to an event and all you did was sit down and eat dinner, listen to some band and hear what the boss had to say during his drunken speech? That’s not the type of party we like nor the type we want for you. A great way to both build friendships at a holiday party is by having interactive events. A cucpcake design bar, a Christmas tree decorating challenge and karaoke are all possibilities. I once attended saw a wedding on TLC where they had tarot card readings at the reception. The point is to find things that get people moving and talking. 5. Decor

Decor really brings the party to life if done the correct way. Steer clear of decor that carters to one specific religion and opt for non-traditional colors. Green and red are not the ideal color choices for your holiday party. Instead go neutral with touches of red, black, andsilver depending on your taste. With your decor try not to focus so much on tables for guests to sit. Instead provide seating areas that has a variety of chairs and couches which invite guests to be more relaxed and social. If you decide to have dinner tables at your party save money by using centerpieces that aren’t floral. 6. Charity

Tis the season to be jolly so why not share the joy with those less fortunate? There are tons of organizations that could benefit from your holiday party. A few are below. Toys for Tots The Wounded Warrior Project Make A Wish Foundation   Regardless of your holiday party style, be sure to use ideas that will make your party stand out. We are happy to help plan your next event with more cretive ideas when you email us here for details.

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