We know, we know – the sun has only just hit London and we’re talking about Christmas parties? As ridiculous as it sounds, it’s good to start planning your work Christmas party around summer time. Just trust us on this one. We’re saying it for the good of you, your plans, your colleagues, and ultimately for your reputation as the best Christmas party planner in history.

Even though the sun is out and the last thing you want to think about is the snow (and/or rain and generally miserable British weather) to come at the end of the year, it’s actually the best time of year to start planning your office party, especially if you want to plan something GREAT with minimal stress.

The more you push the Christmas party planning down the To Do List, the less likely your vision will come together smoothly. We’re in a competitive world: London is full of amazing venues, but it’s also full of companies and businesses that want to hire these amazing venues for their Christmas party. So, our advice? Get in there quick!

Benefits of planning Christmas parties early:

You get your pick of the bunch!

By beginning your Christmas planning early, you will get your pick of the best venues in London. Start off with a shortlist of venues you like the look of and think would work well with your vision, then you can organise site visits to double-check they’ve got everything you’re looking for. From the space itself to the facilities it offers, these venues need to provide you with the perfect canvas for your Christmas plans. To really impress your colleagues, you want to nail the location, the venue, the technology and entertainment. Get it right and it’s a sure-fire way to kick off the Christmas festivities – and like we said, that party planning rep will shoot straight up. Excellent.

The perfect date

On top of getting your perfect venue, you’ll be more likely to get the date you want for your Christmas party. Most people opt for mid-December dates, with Thursday and Fridays being a preference. Fancy a Thursday or Friday in mid-December yourself? I think you know what we’re going to say… (Ahem – getintherequick.)

Plus, sorting your date early on means that you have something to work towards. It’s so much easier to plan and book all the other bits and bobs once you have a definite date in mind. The caterers, the entertainment, the décor – you name it, they need a bookin’. You’ll be ticking your way through that To Do list in no time!

Save the dates

By ‘bits and bobs’, I guess we could include the guests themselves. December is a busy time for everyone, often in work life and most definitely social life. What’s the point in picking the perfect date if everyone’s already booked to do something else? By sorting the date of the Christmas party as early as possible, you can get those save the dates out as early as possible too. This way, you’ll get more people to admire your event-organising handywork on the day.

Building a relationship with the venue manager

The more time you leave once you’ve booked your Christmas party venue, the more time you have to work with the venue manager and build your relationship. If you want to, you can get to know them and you get to know the venue, helping to create something entirely unique (and entirely successful) for your work party.

Potential offers and discounts

People love a bit of organisation, and that includes venue managers. By getting on the party planning early, your efforts are more likely to be rewarded with offers, discounts or incentives. This applies for caterers and entertainment too, so get planning. Who doesn’t love saving money? Yes yes, last minute bookings can end up cheaper, but that’s a risky game to play. Not something for the faint hearted, that’s for sure – or the easily stressed, time-restricted or perfectionists out there.

Boost morale

Last, but certainly not least, that diary request for your corporate Christmas party will undoubtedly boost morale within the office. Christmas parties are a great way to celebrate everyone’s hard work for the year. They’re a nice little treat, giving your staff the chance to enjoy themselves and let their hair down.

Conclusion?

It is never too early to book your Christmas party. We’ve had some smart thinkers who have enjoyed their Christmas parties so much that they immediately book the same venue for the following year, straight after the event has ended.