5 Things To Consider When Planning Holiday Events

With the holidays coming up, it’s time to start planning those fun, holiday parties! Whether it’s a small get-together with your office employees or a large gathering with other branches or community members, there are some things to be considered when planning for a holiday event. Here are five of the most important things to consider.

1. Timing

The holidays are a busy time for most people. When you plan an event during such a busy time of year, it’s important to consider the timing of it. After all, the less likely you are to inconvenience someone’s schedule, the more people will show up! Try to avoid the days directly bordering a big holiday. Try to aim for Fridays or Saturdays when planning for a religious holiday as many people are likely to be busy on Sunday.

2. Weather

The weather at this time of year can be atrocious and it’s important to keep your guests’ safety and comfort in mind when picking a venue. Choosing somewhere nearby your usual office or meeting place is a safe bet. People will likely be coming from all directions so planning too far from their normal commute route could make traveling more dangerous, especially if it’s icy out.

3. Menu

In relation to the weather, it’s important to gear your menu toward the atmosphere of the event. Colder weather invites warmer foods. Winter events are the perfect opportunity for comfort food and hot cider. Your guests will appreciate coming inside from a windy exterior to find warm cups waiting for their freezing hands and a dinner to warm the soul. Autumn also comes with a set of iconic flavors you can work with. Consider catering to that with desserts or coffee laced in pumpkin and spice.

4. Diversity

It can be easy to forget that not everyone celebrates the same holidays. With each person bringing their own unique beliefs to the event, you can make them feel at home by doing a little research into traditional dishes from their own celebrations. If you know some of your guests celebrate Hanukkah, for example, making or ordering some traditional desserts that they’ll be pleased to recognize would probably put them in good spirits.

5. Theme

In the same light, the theme should be chosen carefully to include everyone involved. Choosing a theme that only highlights one religion might ostracize guests who don’t celebrate the same as you. Picking something that isn’t tied to any religious practice is likely to go over much better.

For earlier holidays, like Halloween, costume parties can be fun but not always practical. If you don’t find it suitable for your demographic to have a costume party, it might do just to decorate your venue appropriately and put the theme in the food. You can easily assign creative names to average foods and give your guests a laugh. Sometimes it’s the simple things that really count!