Category: Work Christmas party ideas

Ideas for a work Christmas party London, staff party, office party

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Christmas in London

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Christmas in London

Every now and then I spend Christmas on holiday in the Caribbean and it’s a totally different experience. You see Christmas trees and Christmas decorations, but it just does not feel the same as spending Christmas in London.

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Selfridges Oxford Street

As the song says, I am dreaming of a white Christmas, it conjures up images of snow falling at Christmas time, not 90 degree sunshine which melts the ice in your rum punch in less than 5 minutes. However, did you know that the beach theme is one of the most popular ideas for company Christmas parties? Just imagine that you are entering a huge marquee for a party and they simulate the tropical weather by using large warm-air machines and all the guests enter in beach wear, but as you step outside, there is snow on the ground. It sounds crazy, but the beach theme is still very popular and our steel drum band has covered many Hawaiian/Caribbean themed parties during the coldest months of the year. Some people flip the coin and do the opposite in the summer, by having a winter wonderland theme. All it takes is a little imagination and a good event planner. It’s nice when you enter a function suite or marquee and you are just blown away by the amazing features that some event planners create. For those of us that have to D.I.Y and become the event planner, there are lots of fantastic party suppliers in London. However, if it’s just too much, then you can check out some of the venues that are currently promoting their Christmas parties on social media.

TWEETS

Alternatively, you can just choose a hotel in central London and spend Christmas there. 

It must be really exciting for Tourists that come to spend Christmas in London. Just imagine staying at a hotel like the Cafe Royal on Regent Street and you step outside and everywhere that you look there are amazing Christmas lights. You then walk a short distance and you are at Hamleys, the most famous toy shop in the world.

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Hamleys

After Hamleys, you take a few steps and you are at Liberty and just around the corner there is Carnaby Street. After 3 or 4 hours shopping, you need a rest back at the hotel before heading up to Oxford Street. So many amazing things to see in London and all within close proximity. Then, at night things just get crazy as there are so many amazing clubs to check out. Just off Regent Street is the Ice Bar, if you want to try something a bit different and just a short walk there is Leicester Square with larger clubs like Ruby Blue.

How do you plan to spend Christmas 2014? If you are on Twitter, you can reply to Twitter/bigsands.

 

 

 

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Did someone mention the word Christmas?

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Summer has not finished yet and already there are scores of tweets containing the word #Christmas.

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It’s one word which has a value of over £70 Billion for the U.K economy, but what does it mean to you and the company that you work for? Will your company be spending on a staff party or will your colleagues have to contribute? If you enjoyed a company summer party, will you also be treated to a Christmas party? If your company is having a party for Christmas, then you will need to get a move on and book a venue as quickly as possible. The key dates that you are most interested in booking in December, are the same ones that 100 other local companies are looking to book. Then, there is the catering companies, bands and other entertainment services which all get booked very quickly. For this reason, many companies end up having their “Christmas” party in January. It’s not quite the same. To avoid this, as soon as everyone is back from summer holidays, start the snow ball rolling.

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New Bond Street

The hotels in London will be busy, but there are also many venues on the outskirts of London which are worth considering. My steel drum band has performed during the reception drinks at many Christmas parties and also at many office buffet parties at venues in and outside London. If the time has caught up with you and you really can’t find a good venue because they are fully booked, then you can consider having a Christmas buffet in your office and hiring an ensemble to perform. There are many entertainers and small ensembles for office parties and various bands in London that can be hired if you prefer a particular style of music or your party. For a house party, there are also many live music options to choose from and you will find really competent musicians for hire in London, there are literally thousands of dedicated performers and bands that you can hire for a Christmas party.

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Christmas buffet

Nowadays most of your planning can be done when you are commuting or relaxing and browsing your smartphone or tablet PC. The devices are getting better at handling mCommerce and search results are also becoming more “relevant” to save your time. To help, you can browse through my Pinterest board for visual ideas.

After the work Christmas party planning is finished, you can focus on treating yourself and celebrating Christmas with friends and family. A personal treat is compulsory. For me, I have this plan that if I get through an entire season of events without receiving a parking ticket, then I will spend some of the savings on a present. I also like to change my phone at Christmas time, not every Christmas, but it’s usually at that time. Having seen the new iPhone 6 specifications, I will be having a closer look. For children, one of the popular toys this Christmas will be a levitating doll that I saw, the Flutterbye Flying Fairy. There are also a whole new range of remote controlled toys which do amazing things. What personal treat will you buy for Christmas?

 

 

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Office Party Ideas For Christmas (A quick guide)

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What are the best ideas for an office Christmas party?

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The first decision for your office Christmas party is to agree on whether you are going out or staying in. All the office Christmas party ideas will fall into place after making this big decision. Going out means hiring a venue or securing a group booking at a shared event. Staying in means decorating your office and arranging catering, entertainment and games with your colleagues. Having the Christmas party in your office does have the advantage of continuity as you get to enjoy the decor for at least a week or two and there will always be left over food and drinks for a few days.

If you can find the right venue, then going out and getting away from the working environment is exciting. Just watch the smiles on your colleagues face when they hear the news that you’ve booked a venue for the Christmas party!!! It’s great to have fun with the people who you spend a lot of time with and surprisingly, the colourful Caribbean theme is one of the most successful choices for Christmas staff parties.

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Barrio East
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Welcome drinks
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Staff parties with tropicana theme

It is an amazing feeling when you walk into the lobby of a venue and see how the professionals do it, compared to your best efforts in the office. We have covered many Tropicana theme parties and it’s a fantastic surprise when guests arrive and hear a live steel band performing and they are greeted with rum punch, mojitos or colourful cocktails.

Alternatively, if you choose to stay in and celebrate with champagne and Christmas canapes, then be sure to get lots of ice!
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Quite often, they pour the welcome drinks too early and the champagne does not taste nice unless it’s served chilled. Be sure to pick up on this critical point if you are planning the party.

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Office parties

You can then focus on presents, Christmas stockings, the office quiz and any other fun ideas for the party. There are also many entertainers that can be hired to perform in your actual office. If you have done all the decorating and preparations, then why not add some live music? Our steel drum band is available for entertainment; bookings need to be made in good time as many companies choose the same week and the same date for their office Christmas party. The repertoire is enriched with a selection of popular Carols to capture the spirit of the festive season. You can discover how Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer sounds on steel drums or hear a medley of Jingle Bells and Joy To The World. The acoustic format with 3 players does not require much space or any electrics and is a great idea for office party entertainment.

The other advantage of staying in is that you won’t have to worry about parking issues. This is becoming a real concern and can ruin a fun event when you see a ticket on your car or, no car. If you are fortunate to hire a remote country hotel, then this is not a problem, but in the cities and towns some advanced preparations are needed.

Visit our corporate hospitality page for more party ideas and inspiration, or call +44 208 421 2987 if you would like to book our steel band for your party.