The end of year function is usually seen as a chance to have fun, celebrate successes, reward achievements, introduce new members of staff, and talk about any new developments and future plans.
In the wake of the Brexit brouhaha companies are looking to make the Christmas, or end of year, event something special, and to mark the New Year as the start of fresh business partnerships and opportunities. The changes to the business landscape may not be everyone’s idea of a fairy tale but that doesn’t stop us all from envisaging a happy- ever-after ending.
To ensure that your event doesn’t end up as a bit of a pantomime, careful planning is vital, starting with establishing a budget, and choosing a venue. Figure in the number of guests or delegates and the style and purpose of the event you wish to hold.
While there may not be many fairy castles, halls of the mountain king, Aladdin’s caves or magic islands available, there are plenty of venues who offer something a little different, a boat, though sadly not the Dawn Treader, possibly? Or a glittering mansion set amid Christmas card scenery, a city centre bar where the pixies will mix you a stunning cocktail and feed you tasty treats, or maybe a banquet followed by live entertainment in a room hung with rainbows and sprinkled with fairy dust?
Having decided ahead whether your event is to be a conference or a meeting, and what the refreshments will be, a sit down three course meal, or buffet style, maybe sushi, Indian or traditional, fairy cakes anyone? Consider breaks during the actual meeting or conference part of the event. Lay on plenty of tea, coffee, soft drinks and water. If there are to be toasts, best kept towards the end of the serious part of the event, serve the Frobscottle (Champagne) or sparkling water for the non-drinkers then.
On the topic of alcohol, the most successful arrangement seems to be a welcome cocktail or glass of fizz, then wine on the table during the meal. Some companies will also offer a liqueur at the end of the meal. Beyond that a bar may be available for people to purchase their own. Sadly, there are often one or two choice sprits that after too much freely available nectar (alcohol) can become trolls or wicked witches and turn your business event from a dream into a nightmare.
Will there be entertainment, and if so of what sort, a speaker, live music, party games, team challenges, a disco or perhaps even a magician? Will you be arranging the entertainment, or will it be part of a package from the venue. If you choose to have a speaker or individual entertainer check that their material and presentation is appropriate for your audience.
A great event doesn’t happen by magic, but most venues will have helpful elves (event co-ordinators) to help you with your plans; just talk through your requirements and they will make sure that banana skins and buckets of whitewash over door lintels are avoided and wave their wands to ensure the smooth running of your event.
Sometimes in thinking about the meal and entertainment the actual business end of the meeting can be over looked but the elves will will ensure sufficient thrones (chairs), note pads, pencils, magic lanterns (projection equipment) wipe boards, podiums, microphones, and sound systems for the business end of your event.
A couple of other considerations need to be planned for:
Will people need transport, and will the company be providing it? Cars, coaches or mini buses are the usual choices rather than reindeer drawn sleighs, the polar express or pumpkin carriages, but whichever, is there sufficient parking?
Is there enough accommodation, either at the venue or nearby, so that once the Cinderellas have kicked off their glass slippers, the Princes removed their crowns, and Dorothy her ruby slippers they can be borne aloft on the wings of doves, (travel by lift) to their comfortable beds, with or without peas under the mattresses?
After your Beauties, Beasts and Princes have left, it is well worth while to look back over the event and to consider what went right, what went less well and what can be learned when writing new fairy stories, (organising future events).