CHRISTMAS EVENT PLANNING: How to create a theme for your party

Don’t go down a rabbit hole thinking about themes for your Christmas party, says Michael Charles, Creative Director at Julia Charles Event Management (although Alice in Wonderland is a great option)…

Christmas parties are often created around a theme, with PAs having the tiresome task of assuming that they have to think of a new one each year. But really effective events look beyond traditional theming ideas, beyond the simple list of props available and what’s trending, and instead fully explore a theme and create a fully immersive experience. 

You don’t have to think of a new theme each year – some themes can offer you almost endless opportunities to exploit. Take ‘Alice in Wonderland’ – that’s literally a whole world of ideas for you to explore.

We once ran an Alice-themed event, but it was focused solely on the white rabbit. We created a whole experience that transported guests ‘down the rabbit hole’ – with doors and rabbit holes around the venue for the guests to explore, upside down props suspended from the ceiling to create a topsy-turvy underground world, high-end costumes and professional movie standard make-up for the senior management team and performers in costume who interacted with the guests to make the whole experience more immersive.

If approached creatively, every theme can offer you nuances and twists that can be expanded into entire events. A tiny spark of an idea can be expanded, explored, and taken on a journey of creativity. Think of your company’s brand and culture plus the people who are part of your team. A tech start-up may be able to be more creative than a financial provider – but then again, the financial provider may want more creativity and spark to relay a more exciting employer. 

Think of how you can shake up the traditional party format and do things differently – for example, instead of booking entertainment to perform just for a section of your party, why not approach your acts and see if they would work with your guests, to interact, to sit with them and create an immersive experience – and a lot of fun!

Rethink your traditional approach to theming, let your imagination run wild, stir up some creativity and take an alternative approach. Christmas may be a time of tradition, but your theming doesn’t have to follow suit.

Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay