How To Plan Your Christmas Events-00-4277

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When do I need to start organising?

Planning a timescale for what should be done and when, can be completed far in advance. Many people make the mistake of thinking that the size of your business and large scale catering are key factors when you need to start planning but, intimate parties held in a small venue will also require forward thinking just on a lesser scale.

You will need to order a Christmas turkey and book entertainment at least a few months in advance and this is the same for whatever size the party is, the only difference being that you may be ordering 10 turkeys instead of one. Entertainment gets fully booked around the festive period so if you don't have in-house events planned then organise someone to come to you.

Once these basics are in place, you can start to organise the non-food items, a Christmas tree (or two) and all of the decorations. These can be put up in November to get visitors into the festive spirit and that way you are also prepared in advance for any unforeseen problems like an angel with no halo or broken bulbs! Write it all down in a diary and assign your staff different ...
... jobs so every day you will be clear on what remains to be sorted out.

What do I need to order?

Make a list of any items that you need or that have been broken since their last Christmas airing. Here is a top 10 checklist that you can add to:

1) Christmas tree
2) Decorations for the tree, walls, ceiling etc
3) Christmas turkey
4) Other foods that will require pre-ordering and booking such as hams
5) Table decorations - serviettes, table cloths, place mats, Christmas crackers, candles, candle holders, party hats etc
6) Festive drinks such as wines, eggnogs, mulled wines and champagnes as well as nice glasses
7) Individually wrapped presents as a seasonal token for your guests
8) Plates and serving dishes as well as pots and spoons for the table for extra servings
9) Holly, a wreath and mistletoe to brighten up the plastic decorations with a touch of nature.
10) Festive music

Get organised!

Make sure that you have all of the necessary equipment ordered as well as the foods. Then working out how many people to cater for is the next step. Advertise your Christmas offerings months in advance and take non-refundable deposits to secure the bookings. Then add another 10 per cent onto the food order as there will always be spillages, damages and dropped plates by both staff and guests. Ensure you have a dish big enough to cook the turkey and that there are enough plates and cutlery.

Think about your staff

Hold a meeting with staff and ask them to write down which days/nights they wish to work and give them the choice of working two out of the three (Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or New Year's Eve) and explain the pay scheme as an incentive. Draw up a rota and add people's names for the hours they agree to work and then you can see where you have gaps and start to fill them with volunteers. A back up rota with staff that can be called upon in an emergency should also be organised.

Planning for every eventuality from food to staff will stand you in good stead when it comes to your actual event and may also enable you to enjoy Christmas alongside your guests!

Merry Christmas one and all.

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