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Who's Doing the Office Holiday Party This Year?

By: Susan Dunn, MA, The EQ Coach, Thu Dec 8th, 2005 10:45:29 PM

"Who's Doing the Office Holiday Party This Year? by Susan Dunn, MA, The EQ Coach

If it's you, you're going to have your hands full. It's gotten so much more complicated these days with diversity and PC, and actually, at the goodwill-of-the-season level, a matter of respecting the sensitivities of others; we're all too busy and stressed, and it's become a chore.

New? Not really. I came upon an interesting quote from an article published in the NY Times in 1937, which went like this:

"We hear the beating of wings over Bethlehem and a light that is not of the sun or of the stars shines in the midnight sky. Let the beauty of the story take away all narrowness, all thought of formal creeds. Let it be remembered as a story that has happened again and again, to men of many different races, that has been expressed through many religions, that has been called by many different names. Time and space and language lay no limitations upon human brotherhood."

And earlier than that, in 1934, Julia Peterkin wrote: "I hear that in many places something has happened to Christmas; that it is changing from a time of merriment and carefree gaiety to a holiday which is filled with tedium; that many people dread the day and the obligation to give Christmas presents is a nightmare to weary, bored souls..."

So nothing's new, really. We want to celebrate, not offend, and somehow find the time and the money to do it. And this year Hanukkah starts December 26th, as does Kwanzaa. Busy time!

Some offices are calling it a a"Kris Kringle Party," which at least in the US is one-off enough to be palatable to most. There are other themes you can adopt, centering on giving, goodwill, and winter. Only the most obstinate among us realize that we can't do everything at one time. We can leave the angel off the tree, and the crèche from beneath it, and focus, perhaps, on one of the following themes.

It should be added that many offices are allowing one to put whatever one likes within one's own office, and making the common areas, and the party, if there is one, more inclusive.

If you have a small office where people visit, it helps to talk this out around the coffee pot, and use humor. People who know one another and have discussed things in passing (often one-off, for instance what the office across the hall is doing), tend to be less reactionary.

A few themes?

1. Winter snow. Color scheme of pale blue and white, or simply white. Snowpeople (smile) for décor.

2. Red and gold and green. A simple tree with ornaments, some bows and wreaths around.

3. Cobalt blue and yellow, for the stars in the winter sky. 4. A children's Christmas - décor of wrapped gifts, and some toys, like sleighs, trucks and dolls.

5. Yellow, gold, white and candles, or another accent color. I've seen a lovely pink and burgundy, and pink and white.

Now for the planning. Here's your checklist:

1. Who's coming? Is this internal only, are spouses invited, children? Is it "bring a guest" to cover all possibilities there? Is this for your clients or customers as well?

2. What's the purpose of the event? It is strictly social or do you plan to mix business, giving awards, doing a year-in-review, PR with the community, a chance to court new customers? Doctors and lawyers, for instance, may given an Open House to whom they invite referring professionals, politicians and others. 3. Location. In your offices, a restaurant, someone's home, a hotel or party house? This is determined by budget (and willingness of people to donate their homes). Who is paying? 4. Time of day. Luncheon, cocktail hour, dinner, or into the night?

5. Formal or informal? Seated dinner, snacks, designer or downhome. Lots of options here. The food should fit the formality of the event, of course, and a seated dinner for a large number of people can be quite expensive. You can send word around about the dress code you have in mind, depending upon the formality. If you're sending invitations, it's etiquette to indicate. "Business casual" is one option. I've also used "Dress: festive." If it's quite formal, indicating the men should wear tuxes takes care of the women. If it's plain-out casual, like blue jeans, just put "casual attire." One event I gave was partly outside at someone's beach house. It was impossible to navigate with high heels on, and so we went to some length to say women should wear "flat shoes" and why. If it's formal, and business-oriented, you may wish to have a receiving line. They're lovely; that way you, the "hosts," are sure to have greeted everyone. (Ladies, watch the shoes here!)

6. One party ... or one and an after-the-party party. I recall one event given by a hospital for one of its departments. The doctors and managers showed up for the buffet dinner (at a hotel) and mixed and mingled. Then, as the country and western dancing began, they danced a dance or two and then started disappearing, leaving the employees to have a more relaxed evening, on the house.

7. Liquor or not. Lots of things to consider here. No liquor's safest. Then beer and wine; cheaper, too. Then hard liquor, and if so, is it open bar? What to do about safety, designated drivers, limits, etc. Someone needs to plan this out. Surely there must be a zero-tolerance for drinking and driving.

8. Who will plan it? It takes a lot of time. Someone from within, or a party planning company or caterer? If you have it at a hotel, their catering director can handle a lot of it for you, or a PR firm can plan it all from beginning to ending.

9. Invitations or not. If so, you're already under the gun here, and need to get them out.

10. Entertainment? I always include it in events, and it's plentiful, though some book early. A good band, a local choir, my town has a children's dance and singing group available usually free-of-charge, as well as a boys' choir that can do secular music. The professional PR person knows that you can never go wrong with children. Book a "bad" comedian and you're in trouble. However, if the children goof up, it's just cute. If it's a family event, a balloon man, and a Santa Claus might be in order. Background music is certainly in order. One year I did an event where the theme was an outdoor Christmas - we had trees with simply fake snow, the tablecloths were winter green, with some snow-covered brown logs, a roaring fire, a Yule log for dessert, and I chose selections such as Pachelbel's Canon, Winter Solstice by Windham Hill Artists, and A Nature's Christmas CD I picked up at Target, I think, with beautiful sounds of nature (the cry of a wolf, loon, and so forth).

About the author: ©Susan Dunn, MA, The EQ Coach, http://www.susandunn.cc, mailto:sdunn@susandunn.cc . Coaching, business programs, Internet courses and ebooks. EQ Alive!, #1 rated EQ coach certification program. Email for information on this simple, affordable, no-residency program, training worldwide. Join Club Vivo Per Lei - if you love music or want to learn more about it. Email for FR** EQ ezine

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