Celebrating two ‘silly seasons’ in one year sounds like a good idea to us - and Christmas in July gives you the perfect opportunity to do it.
Embracing the European traditions of a cold weather Christmas has been a popular concept for Aussies across the years.
Now, the theme is something different for corporate functions to celebrate End of Financial year results, thank staff for hard work, promote products or network.
Here’s how to get into the festive spirit this July.
White Christmas outdoors
Dreaming of a white Christmas is something many Aussies do and you can bring this to life with your venue. If you choose an outdoor space, it’s a great excuse to hire a fake snow machine. To add to the theme, make use of the trees with decorations reminiscent of a European winter at Christmas, like lanterns, fairy lights, sparkling tinsel and hanging snowflake baubles.
You’ll probably need a few outdoor heaters. Group chairs around the heaters and near the food to encourage everyone to mingle. Other props to set the scene include street lamps and miniature sleighs from party supply stores.
If you need an icebreaker for events that bring strangers together, try a different spin on the good old fortune cookie. Write out a range of predictions that are funny or have something to do with your company and pop them inside white or silver balloons. Hang the balloons on the backs of chairs and watch as everyone launches into vibrant conversation. When children are attending your event, there are no rules saying Santa can’t make his way from the North Pole for a visit in July!
Indoor ski chalet theme
For an indoor venue, evoke the cosy warmth of a ski chalet. It's a bonus if your function venue has a fireplace to use as a focal point, but there's still plenty you can do to bring the ski chalet vibe. Use rustic, wooden decor with white accents, plush couches for seating and ski paraphernalia. For ambient lighting, a safe way to use candles is to put them inside glass jars or lanterns and scatter them across your venue. Bring the flavour of Christmas with a glittering tree. This can double as a prop for marketing, in the way of themed baubles or product giveaways.
Cosy venues call for intimate games, so consider charades, company-focused trivia or funny employee awards to celebrate all the little things that people do. To ensure everyone keeps mingling, opt for finger food catering in Sydney like delicious wholesale sandwich fillings or even a hot dog stand.
A bar is always a surefire way to encourage gatherings, especially when you serve a themed drink such as spicy mulled wine or snowball cocktails.
When you launch into the festive season in July, you’ll give your guests something special to look forward to and create a buzz of anticipation about your next corporate function.