It is November and the Christmas party still has not been planned. That happens to plenty of companies every year, and it is less of a problem than it feels. With about a week's notice we can almost always still put on a team event. The bottleneck is rarely the programme, it is almost always the venue. Here is what works best at short notice and in which order to tackle it.
A week is usually enough
Many groups get in touch late because they assume everything in December is booked anyway. For our formats that is not really the case. If the enquiry arrives about a week before the preferred date, it works out in most cases. The earlier you ask, the more choice you have for date and time, but a late enquiry is no reason to cancel the Christmas party.
What can genuinely get tight is the venue. Restaurants, beer halls and function rooms are in demand during Advent, and anyone starting to look in November often cannot find a private room for a larger group. That is why it pays to approach the planning the other way round.
Sort out the room first, then the programme
The most important question for a short-notice Christmas party is not "Which event?" but "Do we have a room?". The answer decides which format fits:
- You already have a room, such as a meeting room, the canteen or a separate area in a restaurant: then the indoor formats are ideal and you do not need to look any further.
- You have a table booked for dinner but no room for a programme: move the programme outdoors and head to dinner together afterwards.
- You have nothing yet: start with an outdoor programme in the city centre. For dinner afterwards a reserved table is enough, and that is easier to get than a room for the whole party.
Three formats that are easiest at short notice
Christmas Rally: outdoors, no room needed
The Christmas Rally is a city rally with tablets and festive tasks. Teams explore the city centre, solve puzzles and photo challenges and face each other head to head at Battlespots. Mulled wine stops can be planned into the route, everyone pays for their own drinks. It ends with an awards ceremony and team ranking.
At short notice it is the easiest choice because it does not need a room. It works well as an afternoon opener before dinner. Key facts: 2 to 3 hours, 10 to 500 people, from 44.95 € per person net. In November the Christmas Rally is our Event of the Month, with 3 hours for the price of 2.
Christmas Quiz Show: in your own room
The Christmas Quiz Show comes to you. A host runs the show, the questions appear on a projector and the teams answer on tablets. Festive categories alternate with puzzle and team tasks. We bring the equipment.
If you have a room, this is the most relaxed option: nobody has to wrap up warm, everyone is seated, and the show combines nicely with dinner. Key facts: 2 to 3 hours, 15 to 500 people, from 35.95 € per person net.
Beat the Red Box: an escape game at the table
In Beat the Red Box, of all people Santa has stolen the presents. The teams open locked puzzle boxes, decode clues and have to save Christmas before the countdown runs out. It is played at tables, nothing more is needed.
The format suits groups who prefer puzzling to quizzing and works in any room with enough tables. Key facts: 2 hours, 10 to 500 people, from 44.95 € per person net.
All three prices are per person and net of VAT. From 30 people the price per head goes down, the exact scale is on each event page. For more ideas, see the article Christmas Party with a Programme.
How to proceed when it has to be quick
- Estimate the number of people. A rough figure is enough for the enquiry, the exact number is only needed later.
- Answer the room question. Do you have a room, only a table for dinner, or nothing yet? That decides the format.
- Give two preferred dates. With an alternative, the chance that everything fits goes up considerably.
- Send the enquiry. Include city, number of people, preferred dates and your room situation. We get back to you with a suggestion that fits.
Conclusion
Planning a Christmas party in November is no reason to panic. We can almost always arrange the programme with around a week's notice. Settle the room question first and the right format follows quickly: the Christmas Rally if there is no room, the Christmas Quiz Show or Beat the Red Box if there is one.
Enquire now, short notice welcome.
René
No Christmas party planned yet?
Send us your city, number of people and preferred date. With about a week's notice it usually still works.
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