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Merriment and cheer and are words you’ll likely find adorning your Christmas cards – old fashioned words for some good old fashioned fun! And here at Prestige Venues & Events that is what Christmas Parties are all about.
So, whether it’s a seasonal gathering with family and friends or a Christmas party with team mates and colleagues, we have some suggestions, tips and tricks on how to inject some organised fun into you celebration (ones that don’t involve photocopying body parts).
Fancy Dress
Go silly or go sophisticated. Either way, introducing fancy dress to your event is a sure fire way to bring everyone together. “Great comedy nose” is a fantastic ice-breaker and, before the celebration has even begun, attendees can have some fun conspiring about what to wear. Plus, there’s nothing like mass embarrassment to foster a sense of comradery in your gang.
This December, The Apex (located in Bury St Edmunds) will be hosting Masquerade Party Nights. These are evenings of festive cocktails, delicious three-course meals, a live band and… a strict dress code: wear the most magnificent mask you can find. And if this stern message wasn’t enough to motivate your sartorial choices, there will be a prize for the most magical, mysterious mask of the night!
Live Music
Watching a musician perform live can be absolutely mesmerising. From jazz with cocktails, to a swing band by the dancefloor, or a Bavarian Oompah-pah band to put you in the festive spirit, we offer a variety of live musical entertainment at our venues and events.
A jazz two-piece – made up of a singer and pianist – will be the soundtrack to Christmas dinners and lunches onBateaux London. Performing soulful Christmas classics, the music is a perfect backdrop to a dinner on the Thames as you sail through the city at night, sparking like a Christmas tree.
At Brighton’s AMEX Stadium, we have total “Faith” this performer will get your hips moving. On Saturday 8th December, the venue will host ‘An Evening with George Michael.’ Bear witness to a fun and festive tribute act, alongside arrival fizz, a three-course Christmas menu, midnight munchies and a disco and late bar until 1am.
Interactive Experiences
With the popularity of immersive experiences rising – think Secret Cinema, escape rooms and themed bars such as The Candlelight Club – why not add elements of the interactive to your Christmas party? Hire in third party specialists to work with your venue to create an experience, or give it a go yourself and put together a treasure hunt or murder mystery: “Who killed Rudolph?”
At London venue, the Emirates Aviation Experience, hop into a simulator to fly a variety of different aircraft! The venues ‘flight instructors’ can orchestrate landing competitions - where guests work in teams and compete for the highest score – announcing the winners and their prizes while guests enjoy drinks and desserts.
Get Crafty
Get crafty at your Christmas party by introducing a class or work-shop pre-meal. For example, ask guests to bring along a spirit for a make-your-own-cocktail session. Other suggestions are a make-your-own wreath class with a florist or, as a throwback to childhood, a make-your-own Christmas decoration class. Speak to your event planner about their venue’s partners and your options in setting up a DIY session.
Pop Quiz
Ready to rest up, eat up and switch your brain off for the Christmas holidays? Well before you do, we suggest a warm down with a Christmas quiz.
Quizzes are easy to write and implement with a multitude of free, reputable websites generating general knowledge questions for this exact purpose. Or, if you’re feeling creative, you can write your own quiz - about your workplace or industry, silly questions about the guests themselves or about Christmas of course.
This year, we’re hosting pop quizzes at two of our venues. At Aberdeen’s Pittodrie Stadium a mini quiz will take place before dinner as part of their Bring Your Party to our Party Nights, with the winning table receiving a round of drinks on the house. At Hamilton Park Racecourse they host a “Big Fat Quiz Of The Year,” where the winning table earn a cocktail jug of their choice.
Karaoke
Take carolling to the next level by introducing Christmas karaoke to your festive celebration. Invented in Japan, karaoke has been filling participants with equal parts delight and dread since the 1970’s.
At Knebworth House & Barns, karaoke is part and parcel of their Masquerade Ball Party Nights. Set in their themed, star-clothed marquee, your guests can become stars of the small stage by taking on classic pop songs from across the decades.
Venue tour
In amongst our venues there are numerous sporting grounds, cultural and historical institutions, many of which offer tours. Explore galleries; hear secret histories; and walk in the footsteps of sporting fame. When booking your event, speak to your event planner about whether the venue offers a tour and if it comes at an extra cost.
At The National Football Stadium, Windsor Park, we are hosting Festive Friday Lunches with a Heritage Tour of the stadium and the inspirational Education Centre, before a delicious two course festive buffet lunch. At The National Gallery, London, you can arrange tours of the galleries by expert lecturers.
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For more information on our Christmas packages click here or contact our sales hub at venues&events.prestige.uk@sodexo.com or call them on 0845 6055 699.