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Planning an outdoor day time Christmas Party

One of the best things about living in Australia is that our festive time of year can be enjoyed outdoors. Many offices and workplaces now are trending away from the late night Christmas party do, and opting to host these during the day time. For those with families and young children, it’s usually easier to spend a work day with your colleagues than ask for a mid-week or weekend night off from home. Plus most events during the day time allow for a bit more bonding opportunity between colleagues with activities being organised for staff.

But having a day-time Christmas party doesn’t mean it has to be boring! There are lots of fun ways to decorate and style an event space, and still create a festive atmosphere. Here are our top tips for planning an outdoor Christmas party event during the day.

Choose a Space for Unexpected Weather

Even though it’s summer, sometimes it does still rain! Make sure wherever you choose to host your event, you have a back-up option in case it rains. That could be as simple as checking with the pub down the road if they can host your group during the day, or seeing if a local hall is available.

Let Everyone Know What to Expect on the Day

Whether it’s a party in Melbourne or Sydney, a formal sit-down lunch, or a casual BBQ in the park – it’s always good to let your guests know what to expect on the day. If you can involve some staff in helping to organise the event and get feedback about what interests people is always helpful as well. For example, if many of your staff have children, would they prefer a family-friendly event?

Hire a Marquee for Outdoor Events

So even if it doesn’t rain and it’s a gorgeous day filled with sunshine, it’s not responsible to have your guest outside in the sun without any protection. A marquee will be really important to provide some shade. You may also need to consider the temperature and having some fans if it’s going to be an extra hot day.

festoon lights and pop up marquee and trestle tables

Create a Run-Sheet and a Floor Plan

Regardless of the size of your business, you’ll still need a plan for seating and dining 20 to 100+ people in your outdoor space. Even if your event isn’t going to be having food and drink service all day, when it is time for your guests to eat they’ll likely want to sit down. Depending on the atmosphere you want at your event, this could be done in a sit-down style with tables and chairs, or a more informal setting such as casual ottomans and lounges, and cocktail bar tables.

person writing a plan on a piece of paper

Consider Team Building Activities

Sometimes a smaller group can be harder to cater for and keep everyone interested for a full day. However by doing something together during the day time, it can also be a perfect opportunity to break-up the work-day grind and do a team building activity. Some ideas include organising your own version of The Amazing Race, lawn games if you’d prefer something less formal or group trivia. Team activities are a great way to fill up some time and to bring a group together.

teambuilding game