There’s now just under 10 weeks to go until Christmas – which means you’ve only got less than 2 months left to organise your end of year work celebrations. If you are yet to start planning your work Christmas party, now is the perfect time to get moving, just to make sure you don’t miss the boat.

In and around Melbourne in particular, event managers can book up particularly fast nearing the holiday season. So if you are planning a corporate function or even a more intimate work social event to celebrate the end of the year, it’s definitely worth having a few ideas in mind before you start consulting your events team.

For those looking for a little guidance on how to make sure your Christmas party tops last year’s, heed these expert insights from seasoned local event managers that live and breathe Melbourne functions.

Opt for Alfresco Celebrations to Enjoy the Summer Sunshine

With December also bringing some exceptionally sunny weather to the Melbourne CBD, it almost feels like a shame to host your Christmas party indoors. That’s why more businesses are actually looking into garden bookings and even corporate marquee hire for their end of year work celebrations.

If you are looking to host an alfresco celebration for your work Christmas party this year, then you will need to consider event logistics like furniture and flooring hire, catering and food and beverage attendants, and technical support for setting up and managing speakers, microphones, and any other multimedia equipment.

Thankfully, most venues and event spaces that do offer alfresco event options can provide their own management staff for overseeing logistics. If you do require the services of a third-party event manager, then it’s best to know ahead of time, and finalise this support as soon as possible.

Host a Fancy Gala for End of Year Award Ceremonies

If you’re looking to double-up your work Christmas party as an end of year awards ceremony, then you can’t go wrong with opting for a fancy gala dinner party to commemorate another great year of business. Not only will your fancy gala be sure to provide plenty of photo ops for yourself and your wider team (which can then be shared on LinkedIn, company newsletters, etc.), but the opportunity to dress up can also be a great way to see out the year in style.

Plus, fancy gala events are generally accompanied by fine wine and dining, making this Christmas party event option a great way to treat your staff to a little luxury before you close up for the holiday season.

With Christmas event packages, it can also be easier than you may expect to budget per head for your end of year gala event. Simply make a few enquiries and compare quotes with perks or extras provided by each venue or events team. From here, you can find the events package that best suits your team and business.

Book Team Building Activities for an Adrenalin-Inducing Christmas Party

It can be so easy for a year to pass us by without veering from our daily work routine. Even if specific departments decide to take a lunch break together here and there, it can still be tricky for other members of your staff to interact with one another if they have conflicting work schedules or busy times during the day. As such, your end of year work Christmas party is just as much a time for connection and encouraging interpersonal relationship-building as it is a time for celebrating the arrival of the holiday season.

If you want to inspire a little extra team building before you close up for the year, then booking some fun team activities can be another great option for your work Christmas party. Thankfully, you’re very much spoiled for choice when it comes to team building activities in Melbourne. From escape rooms to total ninja obstacle courses, mini golf to lawn bowls, and even surfing and other coastal escapades if that piques your fancy, Melbourne and surrounding suburbs boast a wide variety of adrenalin-pumping activities that also happen to encourage team building amongst friends, family, and corporate teams.

Pro tip: if you’re unsure what activities your team may be most interested in, why not prepare a poll where staff can make their own suggestions and vote on what activities would be the most fun? Yes, it may ruin the surprise, but you can rest easy knowing everyone will be excited for the work Christmas celebrations this year. Plus, for events where team members can expect to work up a sweat or may even need to pack their swimmers, the opportunity to prepare in advance will already be essential anyway!

Enjoy a Full Christmas Dinner for a More Intimate Celebration

Finally, whilst it is safe to say we do Christmas a little differently down under when compared to all of our friends up in the northern hemisphere, it’s still fair to want your end of year festivities to feel at least a little bit traditional. That’s why so many Melbourne teams love booking a perfect Christmas dinner to celebrate the end of the year alongside other more ‘fun in the sun’ activities and events.

With a Christmas dinner scheduled to conclude the day, your work Christmas party can enjoy the best of both worlds: giving your team a chance to get out and enjoy the summer sun, whilst still ensuring that the day ultimately ends up feeling more festive and intimate, letting your team reminisce over a year well spent and excitedly share their own personal holiday plans amongst one another.

Again, like the fancy gala event idea, a traditional Christmas dinner can also be a great photo opportunity that showcases the strength and togetherness of your team. You may even choose to adapt any snaps from this more intimate event into some customised Christmas cards that can be sent out to staff as a little keepsake.

Celebrate Christmas in Style this Year with these Expert Tips

Ultimately, celebrating Christmas in Melbourne can really look like anything you want it to look like. It can be a day of surf, sun, and sand, or it can be a day of sipping on tea and sampling finger sandwiches out in the gardens. Or a bit of both! You can even trek over to Docklands to do a little ice skating at the O’Brien Icehouse if you want to just enjoy a traditional white Christmas too!

Again, it’s all up to you and your team to decide what Christmas party idea appeals to you the most. So get to planning, because Saint Nick really is just around the corner.