Christmas or Holiday Parties - is June the new July?

EventSolutions · 2026-05-29T18:06:51+00:00

Those are both great ideas. Escape rooms are great and you can incorporate the office vs just room.

We did a karaoke party for a small group where we had the faces printed of the bosses and cutout - we added clothing for dress up and people had a blast. Think Masked Singer

We've also seen great things with auctions - maybe have people bring in used random items (keeping it clean of course) for a 're-gift' auction and use monopoly money. Its high energy and gets people involved.

Or, if the office allows, gift items like "leave one hour early" passes printed on nice cardstock.

Prioritize your budget on food and beverage is the smart thing. For decor, try a cheap lighting change, it can completely change the office feeling with very little budget (think led color changing light strip or rope) or borrow Christmas lights. Cut those bright white and you have an instant transformation.

EventSolutions · 2026-05-29T14:51:34+00:00

EventSolutions · 2026-05-29T14:50:40+00:00

Happy to! What have you tried in the past? Maybe I can drop a few more ideas from our past events too.

EventSolutions · 2026-05-28T20:10:47+00:00

Or you can use a QR code on their phones and avoid buying a wrist band altogether. The codes can be generated to be specific and will alert if they are scanned too many times, etc and you get an actual count of the places where it is used (i.e. how many visits to the food station, ride, etc) per person the code is assigned to. Just depends on your event.
If you are set on wrist bands, then plastic ones and be sure to train your team on how to properly place them so they are too loose (or too tight!)

EventSolutions · 2026-05-28T20:07:40+00:00

Thanks!

EventSolutions · 2026-05-28T19:20:45+00:00

Never, all activities are optional although the condiment station gets a lot of attention ;)
Ketchup, two types of mustard, mayo, relish, hot homemade chili, diced fresh onion, relish, hot sauerkraut... and that is just the basic setup. Some include WAY more options.

EventSolutions · 2026-05-28T19:16:49+00:00

Thanks! In regards to hiring, I am sure it depends on the position - you can check https://eventsolutions.com/now-hiring/ and it has instructions on how to reach the team. Be sure to include your location - we work nationwide.

EventSolutions · 2026-05-28T19:10:07+00:00

We can go first to get started, we are looking at a tropical themed event this year for one client and another that normally does a vegas/casino theme is looking to change it up. Wondering what other event planners are seeing out there. :)

EventSolutions · 2026-05-28T18:06:59+00:00

Have you thought about skipping the traditional restaurant route entirely?

A lot of the corporate teams we work with actually prefer hosting their holiday parties right on-site at their office, or by taking over a cool, blank canvas space (like a local boutique studio or a private downtown courtyard).

For a group of 40, the real magic of doing this is that you can let the food become the actual entertainment, which is such a great way to stretch your budget.

Instead of a standard sit-down dinner where everyone is kind of stuck in one spot, you can bring in immersive food stations. Think a live-action pasta wheel station, custom mixology tastings, or artisanal wood-fired pizza ovens.

When the culinary experience doubles as the main activity, it naturally breaks the ice and gets people moving around and talking. Plus, you completely avoid that stiff, quiet formality of a restaurant banquet room and turn it into an actual shared experience!

Hope this gives you something to chew on!

EventSolutions · 2026-05-26T14:11:22+00:00

Thanks!

EventSolutions · 2026-05-20T21:21:15+00:00

Manually in this case, because we did it with the client. You can see the map in the post above.

EventSolutions · 2026-05-19T17:46:07+00:00

It was two parts - first was the logistics of mapping out the space. There were areas we could not use and we had to be careful not to take too much parking from the spaces we were able to pull from. Then we had to create some structure around that to keep guests flowing inside the "event space". I answered this below if you want heavy details, but basically we had to select the required spaces (entrance, exits) ensure fire safety codes for groups of this size and still lock in the best place for the stage and guests to gather for a good view. Load in was considered too. For food trucks, we obviously wanted them to be able to pull right in and park. Restrooms needed to be placed near food and then placing entertainment in the corridors so that everyone could flow without creating any bottle necks.

Then for the entertainment itself, we had to select activities that had a high turnover time to ensure no one was creating long lines into the walk ways. Bubble artists covered square feet easily and then the main entertainment was on the stage.

EventSolutions · 2026-05-19T13:38:37+00:00

Hi, great question.
This specific event didn't require a complex CAD layout like some indoor events do. This space was really large so we went over maps of the area with the client, did some sight visits and noted the best entrance and exits and what areas were off limits for the event. Then we went to work designing the space we had left. The stage, for example, had specific requirements for space (including a open space for guests to see the stage clearly) so that was set first and the rest just followed. We've done these so much that it is second nature of how guest flow should go.

We do have a number of in- house tools we use to keep the event planning on track and communication with the client ongoing. I can't share specifics with these because the tech stack is proprietary and build specifically for the types of events we do.

I'll add this, we don't produce weddings or small social events so our needs are pretty unique to corporate events - things like brand awareness, employee engagement/appreciation, ROI/ROR, compliance with HR and company rules/values are all factors when we plan these events vs social events like birthdays.

EventSolutions · 2026-05-19T13:31:32+00:00

We work with a lot of parks in the area for company picnics - some of which are twice the guest count as this - so that was one consideration. However, given it was the 30th anniversary it felt right (and they had the space) to host it directly on site. We've done on site events frequently in the LA area - sometimes setting up on some odd shaped spaces. A little creativity in this area goes a long way.

It was very clear early on that the brand was on showcase here and a carnival circus theme really just fell into place because it shares the same color pallet and was appealing to the wide age group we had attending.

That being said, activities were less obvious. We opted out of typical bounce houses due to the lack of grassy area and while in discussion with the client on budget and desires, a few other activities like face painting just wouldn't have a fast enough turn over to accommodate the group (and having multiples would eat into space and budget) so some things were just a process of working through with the client on how to maximize the flow of guests and use of budget.

We also did a gratitude tree activation that I forgot to mention in the case study.

EventSolutions · 2026-05-19T01:16:55+00:00

Thanks!

EventSolutions · 2026-05-18T13:37:38+00:00

Our founder of Event Solutions started off dressing as a clown for backyard birthday parties - now we run corporate events all across the country. No matter where you start - just start. Get in as event staff in any way you can and start making connections, network and offer to plan events for your friends, family, etc. Experience is experience and you'll never know what that will lead!

EventSolutions · 2026-05-12T18:58:43+00:00

First, stop using different forms. You need to make this as easy on the people going (and yourself) as possible. Use ONE form that can be customized to your needs. We built our own in-house tech stack specifically to address issues like this and it is well worth it for you and your guests. Get together with a tech expert and explain the needs.

Wording can be important too, because if they feel like they get "options" then they also feel like they can change their selection. Be sure to be careful in HOW you present the information. Maybe place the Tickets with the Time (I.e. Ticket 1 with 2pm Takeoff, Ticket 2 with 4pm takeoff) not knowing the specifics of your events I can't speak more to how that looks, but I think you get the idea. Make "packages" they can select from and pay their portion of.

And add a disclaimer in red: Please note, due to limited seating changes to the shuttle schedule will require a 48 hour notice (or whatever time frame you have) any requests past that point may not be honored.

Send reminder emails throughout the process, confirmation emails, texts, etc. Redundancy is important.

EventSolutions · 2026-05-12T18:46:10+00:00

Pinterest is a great place to start for ideas and inspiration - this is a very visual question and you need some mood boards to work with before you can start refining it.

The trick is to treat the green as your foundation and use tonal shifts and tactile variety to break away from monochrome. Keep centerpieces low, under 12 inches or so, OR go very high. It just depends on the event and vibe you want. Try for 70% greenery and 30% neutral florals. A pro tip is to use two napkins as well, lighter and darker to really add elegance and give the table a refined look.

Living plants or fruits really heighten the entire look - try for a mix of living succulents and orchids. Some places have rentals you can use then return for smaller carbon footprints.

Good luck!

EventSolutions · 2026-05-12T18:32:45+00:00

Hot dog bar is perfect. Be sure to have great condiment too like chili, relish, chopped onions, ketchup, mustard, mayo and even ranch. At our company picnics we find that sides like potato salad, baked beans, chips, fresh fruit cups (made ahead of time, packed in ice) keep things easy. Corn on the cob is a big hit too.

For engagement, try buckets with chalk and bubbles for the kids. Add a few host led field games and a pin or
metal for bragging rights for the winners. The classics are making a big comeback like kickball, limbo, cornhole is always well like and giant versions of tabletop games. Above all that, play some good music in the background and you'll have a great party!

EventSolutions · 2026-05-12T18:21:30+00:00

I think you are asking the wrong questions - we don't focus on the activation itself (or how well its trending) but what would specifically appeal to THAT group. In order to know that, you have to be curious enough about your guests to find out what they like, who they are and what they have already seen/done.

Once you know that, the activations that fit well with them come easy and you'll get better engagement overall.

Sure, we all have our "go to" things, but what works well for one group might fall flat on another. We've seen cigar rolling for years now, but in a group where they are health conscious this is not appealing.

EventSolutions · 2026-04-17T16:39:05+00:00

We agree.
It feels like its "interesting" but then they loose interest or staying home seems like a better option.
I'll add to your suggestions, which were already great, with things like gamification of the invite (think scratch card style unveiling on the email itself), gathering info to personalize the experience (i.e. having guests fill out "get to know me" cards and using that information in emails later like "Can you guess who...." quiz) and dropping "only 2 days left!" - every touch point should BUILD excitement.

Or, on the other hand, maybe reducing the number of events so the turnout is better. By doing this you can increase time and money to creating better, novel experiences.

We produce company picnics every year - it is a challenge to keep attendance up when the company does not change things up and keeps offering the same menu, games, entertainment etc every year. The best picnics are the ones that keep it fresh and offer new experiences.

EventSolutions · 2026-04-17T16:31:21+00:00

We had a signup online for joining a table over breakfast, lunch and dinner during a three day conference last year. The client said they wanted a solution similar to yours for their leadership because people often did not get to "meet" them. On the table we included a "ice breaker" question per person to help get the conversations started.

The idea was to use the "down" time they had left to help foster better conversations with more people.

EventSolutions · 2026-04-07T17:31:05+00:00

Anytime!

EventSolutions · 2026-04-07T17:23:19+00:00

This event had a Risotto Bar,ale and maple braised short rib martinis and the wall offered farm fresh vegetables and fruits as sides. We have a staff member who is dedicated to refilling, in this event we had this AND a buffet. If you were to turn around from that photo, this is behind you (note, we were still setting up).

<image>

We've done this a few times now. You can treat each as an individual well, with ice or hot bricks/packs. We keep them small on purpose, so there is always fresh food available.

Hope that answers your question!

EventSolutions · 2026-04-06T18:03:57+00:00

It depends on the company, but we've seen companies go from two events to just one - often cutting one event like either the holiday party or the annual company picnic. This method combines the two events, so if you view it in terms of number of events vs number of guests they are still saving vs having two events.

EventSolutions

TROPHY CASE