in this article The party style Invitations Atmosphere Food Drinks

The Art of Hosting a Work Party in Your Home

By Jennifer Matthews

That holiday staple—the office Christmas party—has taken on many different forms over the years, and it’s often anticipated with a mixture of excitement and dread (not necessarily in that order).

Whether it’s in addition to or as a replacement for a large corporate bash that’s no longer in the budget, you may find yourself in the role of host this holiday season for a group of employees, colleagues and/or clients.

You might call it a holiday party, but make no mistake: This is a business function, and you shouldn’t treat its planning in the same way you approach your annual holiday get-togethers with family or friends. Read on for our tips on how to make your holiday business party an event to remember—for all the right reasons.

The party style

When choosing your party theme, remember that your primary purpose is to recognize your employees or clients and make them feel appreciated. Keep in mind the diversity of your guests. Some may not celebrate Christmas, for example. In that case, opt for a more neutral “holiday party.”

Including significant others in the festivities goes a long way toward establishing goodwill if your space and budget allow. Guests with children might find it easier to attend an afternoon family event—maybe a skating party—or they might enjoy having an excuse for a night out! If you decide to include children, consider hiring a babysitter who will supervise some children’s activities or holiday movies in another part of the house.

The invitations

Send invitations as early as possible—holiday calendars fill up quickly. Leave nothing to interpretation, and be sure to include:

• What: Is it a cocktail party? A holiday dinner buffet? A formal sit-down dinner? (the latter is less recommended for larger groups)
• Who: Be clear about who you’re inviting. If spouses, dates or children are invited, say so.
• When: Saturday nights during the holidays are typically overbooked in everyone’s calendars. Consider an after-work event to ensure high attendance.
• Where: Include a map and directions to your home, along with suggestions about parking, if it isn’t plentiful.
• How: Knowing what to wear for holiday parties can be a source of frustration for invitees. Make it easy by including a line about how you expect guests to dress. Save the formal attire for the large corporate event, but remember: It’s still a business function. “Business casual” or “casual” are both appropriate choices, depending on your theme. Take the lead as host by dressing in a festive but professional way.
• RSVP: Don’t assume invitees are coming if you haven’t heard from them. Be sure to include a reply date, and follow up personally with those who haven’t responded.

The atmosphere

In planning your event, be as generous as your budget allows. Employees in particular have worked hard for you all year and are looking for a show of appreciation.

Your actions as host will set the tone for the party. Playing host also provides you with an opportunity to show your “human side,” and to connect with your team members on a more personal level. Your goal should be to make each guest feel welcome, comfortable and special.

Your home should be tidy and festive. Remove or rearrange furniture if necessary to allow guests room to move and circulate, and provide some clear table surfaces for the setting down of drinks and plates. Having a drop-off table for cocktail glasses and dishware outside the kitchen reduces traffic in an already-busy area. Program holiday CDs or other suitable background music on your stereo’s random repeat setting, press play before your guests arrive, and free yourself up for mingling.

Mingle all the way

Make an effort to greet guests as they arrive. Have someone available—your spouse or a work associate, perhaps—to assist in the front door duties, taking coats, accepting hostess gifts, and guiding guests to food and drink tables. If you aren’t available when a guest arrives, be sure to welcome him or her personally as soon as possible. Provide name tags if your group is on the large side and includes spouses and dates.

Keep an eye out for shy guests who plaster themselves to the wall. Engage them in conversation and introduce them to someone who can draw them out. And avoid spending more than five minutes with any one person or group. And whatever you do, save the work-oriented discussions for the office.

Food

Consider hiring a caterer for the party, to allow you and your spouse to focus on your hosting duties. If a fully catered event isn’t in the budget, at least try to have one or two servers who can assist in kitchen duties and in circulating hors d’oeuvres to your guests. Plan cocktail food carefully—ideally, appetizers should be bite-sized to make things easy for your guests. In addition to circulating trays, place small snack platters in various locations throughout the room to avoid the “buffet table huddle” and to encourage people to mingle.

Check out our food section to get recipes and calculate how many appetizers you may need »

	Social Host Liability Perhaps the most important part of planning any party at your home is your plan to ensure the safety of your guests. Here are some tips on how to reduce your risk.

Drinks

Many of your guests will want to enjoy a cocktail or two at your party, and thoughtfully selected libations can definitely make a gathering more special. But a few people may go overboard, so make the decision to serve alcohol carefully. It’s perfectly acceptable at a business function to forgo alcohol altogether, but if you do decide to serve it, follow the tips in our sidebar.

Have your bar stocked to serve some great holiday cocktails, like Christmas Cosmopolitans, White Christmases, and Holly Berries. Click on our holiday drinks page for tons of great recipes for hot and cold concoctions that will keep spirits bright.

Entertainment

Plan some sort of activity to help to break the ice. A Secret Santa or Greedy Game (see our holiday party article for the how-to on this one) gets everyone involved, and guests may also feel good about donating toys or food to charity. For smaller groups, a classic game like charades can be fun. Or consider hiring a caricature artist or other entertainer who will “work your crowd.” Have a Polaroid camera or disposable cameras on hand to capture your party on film, and post the photos in the coffee room later.

Do remember that the point of your event is to make your guests feel special, and to thank them for their work over the past year. Offer a toast to your guests: Plan it in advance, and make it heartfelt and sincere.

The send-off

If you’re having trouble getting your guests to go home, consider it a compliment to your party-throwing skills—but don’t feel the need to rely on hints or subtlety to move the process along, either. Stand up, say, “This has been such a lovely evening,” and begin thanking them for coming.

As guests begin to leave, station yourself at the door, thank them for coming and wish them a good evening. Providing each guest with a party favor (a small box of high-quality chocolates or baking, or some gourmet hot chocolate or coffee, perhaps) will ensure that their goodwill extends long beyond the party.