Christmas Party Checklist

With Christmas just around the corner I thought why not make a bit of a checklist of some of the things to keep in mind for a good Christmas Party.

This is just a quick list of some of the thinks I do to make sure my Christmas shows go off without a hitch.

Who, what, where, when, why, how!

Clearly and briefly defining these 6 considerations can make the whole process much simpler from the start, and provided you with the info you need for your invitations and your theme and logistical considerations

Guest list

Knowing who you want to invite is key – it will set the context for all the other planning, so get this done first up.

Theme

Now that you know who is coming, decide on your theme. This will set the context for the decorations as well as help with your invitations. It can be a simple theme like “getting the family together”, right thru to something more elaborate that implies dressing up or specific decorations, like “The 12 Days of Christmas” or “Surfie Santa”

Menu

Food and drinks will often play a big part in a party so consider carefully what you would like the menu to look like – this will allow you to then organise or delegate the food delivery for the day.

Music

A little thought in this area can go a long way to improving the atmosphere at your party – even something as simple as a Christmas CD or live stream can make a big difference!

Room Set

Have a quick think about how to lay the room out to maximise the comfort of your guests. All together at one table, or some different areas for them to gather in small groups? Will they be close enough together to hear each other talk? Will they have enough shade? Will it be too hot, cool or windy? Make sure they will be comfortable!

Decorations

Once again a little effort can go a long way – even if its just some tinsel on the eaves and some crackers and a wreath on the table it will help set the tone for your day. These days most of this stuff can be sourced easily and cheaply from your local supermarket.

Fun

Have a quick thing about what fun things can be done quickly and easily. Crackers and Secret Santas are super easy fun ways to add some excitement to the day!

Documenting

Have a think about how you might document the day – it could be as simple as taking some photos with your phone and posting them up on facebook, through to asking someone to take photos or video on the day. It’s great to share the memories with those who came and those who didn’t make it alike!

Invitations

These can be as elaborate as a physical invitation, which you can now get well priced online, or as simple as an e-card, email or text, depending on how much you want to communicate the importance of the party to your guests. But make sure you invite people with a clear statement of who, what, where, when, why and how and let them know how to RSVP.

Purchasing

Now that you have you plan clear and your invitations sorted out, get all of your purchasing in order so you can make your party fit your budget. Get creative – asking people to bring certain things with them – food, drinks, decorations, cameras, music, etc, can really help with costs and make people feel involved.

Logistics delegation plan

With your event priced up, now you can delegate the jobs that need to be done before the day and on the day. Keep this plan recorded somewhere so that you can check back with people to make sure all of the elements of your party are on track.

RSVP and Follow Ups

Don’t forget to follow up with people about RSVPs and also the jobs you have delegated to them along the way – it keeps people excited and makes them feel involved.

Meet & Greet

Remember to greet people on the day or have someone specifically appointed to do this if you prefer to organise behind the scenes – settling people in and making a few introductions and getting them a drink will help them relax into your event fast.

Serving

Think about your service plan in detail before the event and keep it as simple as possible. Remember the basics – do I have enough serving bowls and spoons, plates, cutlery and cups? Seats? Is there enough space in the fridge and freezer or do I need to get some bags of ice as well?

Pack Up

Don’t be shy to ask a few of your nearest and dearest to hang out afterwards and help you pack up – it can be as fun as the party itself!

Follow Up

Send out some photos of the day and a thank you note, by email, text, facebook or mail. Your guests will appreciate the sentiment!

I hope this list has jogged your mind with a few things that will make your Christmas party just that little bit better. I hope your Christmas party this year is the best you’ve ever thrown!

How do I decide what club to go to when I’m already out?

So this happens to a lot of people, like, every weekend.

You‘re out, just going with the flow, bouncing club to bar, pub to lounge.

What club should you go to next?

I mean, you want to make the most of your night out, so how can you quickly decide which place is the best to go to next?

Here is my quick quiz that I use to answer this question for myself:

Where am I – what’s close?

So this question is important but not the whole story. But it is important. Why walk across town or spend $20 on a cab when there might be a really good option within a block or two. Make a short list of the clubs that are close by.

Where will I know people?

This is a big one for me – and it goes both ways – If I want to chill with just one two mates or I want to dance like a honey badger then I want to go somewhere where I won’t know many people. If I’m riding solo and want to get in on the party, then I want to go to a club I know my peeps go to. If you have a smart phone Facebook places or 4square can help you here as well – use it!

How busy will it be when I arrive?

Oh man, people get this wrong more than any other key consideration. You need to know whether you want room to move or to be in a mosh pit. And then once you decide that, you also need to ask how long the wait might be to get in. If its midnight, don’t head for the hottest club in town. You’ve missed your window. Go to a cool club or bar that’s not so ultra popular and then head to the uberclub around 2 when it’s not so busy. That being said, if you want to be somewhere busy to get amongst it then really think about it – where will be full but not crazy busy in say half an hour (when I arrive!).

How much money do we want to spend?

This is important, especially if you are leading a group. Remember that taking 20 of your mates to a cool club with a $20 cover charge when you don’t have manes on the door list is going to suck $400 out of the groups cash reserves before you even get to the bar. Be realistic, especially if you haven’t organized special treatment before you headed out!

What am I doing later?

This is a big one as well – be strategic. Its midnight. You want to go to that oh so cool club that you went to last month that was packed with great people and had awesome tunes. Then you want to meet up with your special guy or girl at a lounge after that.  It will be an hour line up to get in to the super cool club now – what good options are in between here and there geographically? Maybe you can check out some other bars that you have heard about that are along the way, or you can pop in to a pub where you know some of your mates will be drinking. And message your girl or guy to see if they want to meet you at that awesome club at 2 – then you can dance there and head to a lounge after that!

So these are my big 5. Going out without a plan can be great fun so long as you take a moment to figure out where is best to go next between clubs!