Anne T.
Team Building Retreats to Generate Bottom Line Boosting Strategies►Corporate Event Planning to Reward Corporate Teams
Christmas Event Planning - Is your company planning to have a Christmas event this year?
In 2008 and 2009, Scrooge and The Grinch put in an appearance at many companies in the USA and Canada. Even some companies that were doing well put their Christmas celebrations on ice because they were concerned about "optics" in a tough economy. Was it the same in other parts of the world? This is an unfortunate as the festive season is the perfect time to say thank you to a team that has worked hard all year, particularly when times are tough.
Christmas events don't have to be expensive. They can be organized entirely using internal resources. Planning a Christmas event is a great developmental opportunity for inexperienced staff. It gives them an opportunity to hone their project management and planning skills with a project that is not mission critical. If budgets are tight, even a potluck would work and many employees would enjoy participating.
- Why do companies with a healthy bottom line put festive activities on hold?
- Did your company cancel its Christmas event in 2008 & 2009?
- Is your company having a Christmas event this year?
- What are you planning to do this year?
- What tips do you have for companies that want to have a successful Christmas event?
Some may feel it's too early to discuss Christmas events. This is short-sighted. Companies that wait until after Hallowe'en to start planning will likely find that:
- their preferred venues are booked
- the options that remain are not ideal
- they will pay top dollar - as supply dwindles, prices skyrocket
Especially if your company is using internal resources for christmas event planning to save money, here are some tips and places of inspiration:
Places Where it's Always Christmas
http://bit.ly/christmasalways
Event Planning - Tips for Planning Ahead
http://bit.ly/eventschristmas
Clarification added October 5, 2010:
This is an issue that has had an impact on companies around the world.
Small Sample of Related headlines and articles:
Canada
The new Christmas party hot spot: the soup kitchen
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/holiday/holiday-survival-guide/the-new-christmas-party-hot-spot-the-soup-kitchen/article1408116/
USA
Goldman Sachs Cancels Christmas
http://www.businessinsider.com/goldman-sachs-cancels-christmas-2009-11
Christmas Party Taking a Holiday Amid Downturn
http://www.workforce.com/section/news/article/christmas-party-taking-holiday-amid-downturn.php
UK
The Christmas party is cancelled - The Independent
Most bosses are planning to cancel their office Christmas parties this year
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/the-christmas-party-is-cancelled-513346.html
Pay rises and Christmas parties cancelled as four in five ...
Most British businesses have begun austerity measures
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/oct/26/credit-crunch-british-business
HP cancels Christmas in the UK and Éire According to The Guardian Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and Barclays Capital have all cancelled Christmas events
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/12/01/hp_grinches_christmas
Australia
Christmas cancelled as business bunkers down
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/...business/christmas-cancelled-as-business-bunkers-down-20090619-cqr1.html
Financial crisis kills the office Christmas party
http://www.news.com.au/business/business-smarts/christmas-party-killers/story-e6frfm9r-1111117863877
Clarification added October 6, 2010:
Definitely, Christmas events should be modified fit the times. They can focus on giving back to a local community that is hurting or raising funds, collecting toys etc. for foreign communities where your company does business or war torn areas. Two of the articles I attached made similar suggestions. One article suggested cooking and running a soup kitchen. For sure, throwing a party for members of your community who are hurting would be a PERFECT option. A party planning project and cooking event could bring your team together and provide a company that is doing well with an opportunity to give back to the community. There is no need to cancel celebrations. Just modify them and include more people. Cutting the booze budget alone would all of this possible.
Good Answers (4)
Greg P.
Audiovisual Services for Corporate and Special Events. Author.
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I find your idea of combining the annual holiday party with helping others and giving back to be an effective way to carry on the tradition and recognize employees while also recognizing the reality of these economic times.
june W.
REALTOR® at Sutton Group - West Coast Realty
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So is this really a question? My company has a Christmas party every year although I won't be sure about this year until I receive an invitation. Our company is composed mainly of realtors and usually we pay our own way for pretty well everything - so this is the one big event that the owner of our company puts on for us. Although the party has gone from open bar at the office, to two free drinks at a restaurant venue to lower drink prices at a club (I'm not sure if he subsidized the cost or negotiated a lower price for us). Its a great event and I wouldn't miss it. I'm sure our office starts planning the event long in advance to accomodate our numbers.
Eric E.
IT Web Development Server Administration - Bringing Businesses On-Line
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Hi Anne,
Some of the companies canceled those celebrations for good reasons -public perceptions and future success. Goldman Sachs is lucky their buildings weren't burnt to the ground by angry mobs of people that lost their life savings while this company excelled in profits by shady dealings to say the least. There still in the news and being sued by other banks that dealt with them. Image and perception is everything in business.
Personally I would find it hard living in a small town if my year was good and could afford 10 turkeys yet no one in town could even afford one. By handing out large bonuses would equate to me cooking all 10 turkeys for a family of 4.
A better image and perception? Get everyone together, cook all 10 turkeys and everyone can be thankful for having good friends, family and their health.
Shari G.
Advertising Sales Veteran, Floral Designer, Event Planner
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An annual 'event' is a reward to employees. Tag it anything you wish, but the holidays are always the best time. Meeting the 'other halves' of our co-workers and spending an evening 'bonding' and having some fun, is important, and should be an annual event. The overall affect of these moments are usually positive, and the planning and cost should be managed according to the budget.. But like lights, gas, and water.... needs to be included. A company bought us out and the first thing they did was cancel the 'holiday party'. It told us they didn't care, they were not 'employee friendly' and things were going to change. Within a year, the stock dropped off the market.....and more than half the employees left. I think an annual holiday party can be planned on almost any budget, and the results are always worth the effort.
Party planners can make it work, and everyone wins. The message to the employees is positive, and that is always a good thing.
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David M.
Digital marketing specialist who enhances revenue...
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My company is not planning a formal Christmas party. We are a small company.
Every company has a different decision making process. I'm not sure why certain companies with a healthy bottom line chose to skip a holiday season party. Public perception was likely a factor for some companies.
Dave M.
Professional trade show booth traffic builder and party entertainer. Corporate and private sector events.
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One side note... We live in a pluralistic society that celebrates more than one holiday in December...
In my neck of the woods, they're called "holiday parties"...
That said, LET'S PARTY!!!!
We always do something for Christmas. The Department as a whole does not do a formal event. Every office does their own personal event, either a potluck or going out for lunch as a group. The building management does bring in a Santa for the children who want to take a picture with him. Everything is optional since some people do not celebrate Christmas.
Wallace J.
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Huge Xmas Party out at the Ranch! ;) Cheers...
I work for The BPMF Club, known locally as “The Potters Club” a fine dining establishment in North Staffordshire in England and we already have many bookings from our members for Christmas parties. In fact this year we some bookings very early on from companies that didn’t hold an event last year, I guess the tide is changing and the corporate Christmas event really is a reward to staff.
Cristina F.
Technical Translations - Pharmaceutical Consultant - Lawyer -Chief Science Officer- I Do It- Creative Problem Solver
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No, we are not having events, really there is not much money to spend.
