Christmas Party Budgeting Tips
Christmas is a notoriously expensive time of year, and when money is disappearing faster than Santa will deliver all his presents it can be hard to get enough together to throw a half-decent Christmas party. But never fear, the Pineapple Hotel is here, and we’ve got five tips for throwing a super soiree on even the tightest of budgets.
E-Vite, not Invite The days of the paper invitation are over, so forget about shelling out big bucks for something people aren’t really going to care about. You can print your own and hand label them if you insist on something tangible, but for your work Christmas party no one will mind an invite over internet or email. In fact there’s plenty of services which allow you put together e-vites that’ll save you money while still being professional and formal enough that they’re not tacky.
Down Drinks and Stay Cashed Up If we had to nail down one part of your office Christmas party that will send you broke, it’s the drinks. With all your employees in the one room finally letting their hair down, sometimes it can be a bit too easy for things to get out of control (budget-wise, of course). So reign it in by opting for a drinks package and cash bar option for the evening’s provisions. Shell out for the basics (like beer and wine) and leave anything premium up to the individual. No one will think you’re a cheap skate, but you’ll still be saving some serious cash.
Mid-Week Is The New Black Who said the Christmas party had to be on a Friday evening? If you stick to this rule you’re setting yourself up for some mostly avoidable costs by throwing your do on one of the most expensive nights of the week. Mix it up and keep some extra cash by getting everyone together on a week night when venue minimum spends are at their lowest. Keep the party going by telling everyone to take the next day off and you’ll be the most popular boss in town.
Ditch December Much like the Christmas party doesn’t have to be on a Friday evening, it doesn’t have to be in December either. Ok, so there might be a much stronger argument for why we throw Christmas parties in December, but who needs to stick to tradition anyway? Move the do to January to avoid the expense of peak party season, or celebrate a tradition of a different kind by celebrating Christmas in July. Whatever way you go, there’s plenty of financial benefits to ditching December.
Canapés for Days The soggy sandwich platter or the sit down gourmet menu? One is cost effective but bland, and the other tastes great but costs a bomb. But wait, there’s a third option, and it’s got the best of both worlds. With the Pineapple Hotel’s canapé menu, you can pick up to eight gourmet canapés for all your guests to share, saving you from splashing cash on a sit down menu or having left over cucumber sandwiches here, there and everywhere.
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