Alternative Christmas Party Ideas
Not everyone wants an alcohol-fuelled office Christmas party that’s spent dancing the night away. In fact, with an increasing number of teetotallers in the workplace, at TLC we’re often asked for creative Alternative Christmas Party Ideas to the traditional dinner and dance. And in opting for something a little different, there may be opportunities for team bonding that go way beyond the communal office hangover the next morning. Here are our top alternative Christmas party ideas to help you decide:
Have a Party on the Move
First on our list of Alternative Christmas Party Ideas, is simple. There’s no rule that says your Christmas party venue has to be stationary when a traveling party is double the fun. Why not hire your very own Xmas party train and have cocktails and canapes on the go? You could even design the space as the Orient Express, and host a glamorous murder mystery evening.
For a quirky take on the obvious bar crawl provide your team with a traditional red London bus to transport them to different cocktail bars across the capital.
Make the Impossible Happen
Sometimes our clients come to us with something so specific in mind that there isn’t a venue in the world that will live up their dream. So, what do we do? We create it for them!
Perhaps you’d love to whisk your team away for a ski holiday but are constrained by budget – we’ll bring The Alps to you. Just like when we made the impossible happen for a client who’s vision of an exclusive party retreat in the middle of an enchanted forest was proving difficult to locate. We hired an entire field and constructed the forest around it – complete with a magical woodland walkway. We can make your dreams come true too.
Embrace Their Inner Child
Everyone loves party games, but at TLC we do them on a grand scale. Think the world’s largest Scalextric track, giant table football (played with real people) or a real casino where all the guests gamble the night away (with fake money of course).
Set Your Team a Challenge
Escape rooms, themed mysteries, even the Crystal Maze – there are challenge experiences popping up all over the country. This type of Christmas party encourages your team to connect and network, as everyone works together to achieve the end goal.
Why not get out and about with a treasure hunt incorporating a trail of clues to seek out across your city. Fancy something a little more adrenaline fuelled? Ramp up the excitement with a treasure hunt on segways.
Related Topic: Christmas Party Planning Shortcuts
Appeal to their Creative Side
Getting creative is a fantastic way to motivate a team, especially if there’s an element of competition. Why not stage your very own live ‘Bake Off’ challenge; it’s easy to recreate the format complete with a marque in a field if you desire.
If your team has their heart set on boozing, then a cocktail or gin masterclass could be the perfect activity. Why not choose something a bit more unusual like The Bletchley in Chelsea. A fully immersive experience that takes inspiration from the code-breaking operations at Bletchley Park during WWII to create a bespoke cocktail that caters to your unique taste. https://www.thebletchley.co.uk/
Chase the Sun
What could be more energising for your team than jetting off for a weekend in the winter sun. There are lots of locations that enjoy year-round good weather within a 4-7-hour travel time of the UK. Depending on your budget you could take in the heady sights of Morocco, combine toasty temperatures with festive cheer in Dubai or relax and unwind in Cape Verde – where the accommodation also happens to be extremely reasonable. Another alternative would be a cruise around the Canary Islands; an easy-to-reach winter sun haven set against an extraordinary volcanic backdrop. From Paris to New York, Milan to Marrakesh – we’ve created Christmas parties all over the world.
Hire an Amazing Space
The UK has some pretty amazing party venues, many of which we’ve featured on our blog {INSERT LINK}. From Manchester’s Imperial War Museum to the Barbican Conservatory, our major cities have a rich architectural history that is second to none. But for a Christmas party like no other it’s time to get truly creative with your venue.
Seek out a unique event space such as the London Dungeons – here at TLC we love a clash of themes so why not have a frightfully festive and macabre masquerade ball as guests mingle amidst the torture chambers.
And it doesn’t stop there – from aquariums and zoos to rooftop terraces there are thousands of quirky venues. Using one of these inspiring spaces as the backdrop to your Christmas party will make it all the more memorable for your team. What’s more, if you postpone your get together until January you may even be able to take advantage of a quiet time of year and save yourself some money.
Make it a Season of Goodwill
Last on our collection of Alternative Christmas Party Ideas is the act of giving. Not everyone team wants a big party, so keep it low key by going out for a lovely lunch then arrange for your team to do something charitable instead. It is the season of goodwill after all. There are so many charities in need of help at this time of year meaning lots of options to choose from. Some ideas could include delivering parcels to food banks or arranging a get together for the elderly – using your resources to cook Christmas dinner for those who will spend the festive season alone. Warm and fuzzy feelings guaranteed for everyone involved.