‘Tis the season for company holiday parties! If you’re still ironing out some details for this year’s festivities, time is of the essence. Luckily, we put together a quick guide to help make your business’s holiday party a favorite for employees and clients alike.

Make Your List

Who makes the guest list for your event? Your team? Your clients? Does everyone get a plus-one? There’s no one “right” answer to this question. Instead, think about your company’s culture and make the choice that fits best.

Keep in mind, more guests mean more work. Since time’s a factor, consider hosting a party exclusively for your employees and plan a New Year’s get-together for your clients to celebrate new beginnings and business relationships that have stood the test of time.

Set the Tone

Are your attendees a “black-tie and passed hors d’oeuvres” kind of crowd or a “come-as-you-are potluck” group? This distinction sets an expectation for food, drink, entertainment, and venue.

With just a few weeks left in the season, your office, building, or studio can serve as a great venue in a pinch. Transform the space with some tasteful decorations, a slightly more upscale dress code, and some fun activities and entertainment.

Spread the Word

Instead of a mass emailing your team with a meeting invite, set aside a few minutes to design your invitations online through a tool like Canva. With a stylish, designed look your company’s holiday party becomes more memorable and gets elevated  above all the other holiday parties on their schedules.

Be sure to include time, location, dress code, and any planned special events on your invitation to get your guests excited and to answer many of their questions before they even have to ask them. This will free up more time for you to finalize your plans before the day of the event.

A Celebration for Everyone

Keep your holiday party as inclusive as possible. The most common way to do this is by leaning more toward a winter theme rather than a Christmas one, but that’s far from the only detail to keep in mind when you’re planning your company holiday party.

Feature a wide variety of food options, non-alcoholic drink options, and activities that encourage everyone to come together, from your founders to your most recent hire. An easy way to do this is through highly interactive holiday themed activities. Group activities like games and trivia will help your team bond and branch out while old stand-bys like dancing will show your clients your company’s fun side without going too over the top.

Get Your Guests Excited

Leading up to your company holiday party get your guests excited (and take some work off your plate) by organizing contests. Invite your guests to bring their homemade signature cocktail, dessert, or ugly sweater and have all your attendees vote for the best at the event.

Your party gains an engaging activity and plenty of food and drink, all you need to do is award a winner. With such a tight deadline, this is the perfect way to build excitement and expand what your company holiday party has to offer.