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At Calder Conference we take your privacy seriously and will only use your personal information to provide the services you have requested from us. However, from time to time we would like to contact you with details of other services we provide and/or information which we believe may be of interest to you.

At Calder Conference we take your privacy seriously and will only use your personal information to provide the services you have requested from us. However, from time to time we would like to contact you with details of other services we provide and/or information which we believe may be of interest to you.

UNWRAPPING WHY CHRISTMAS EVENTS ARE IMPORTANT

Written by: Sue - 31st October 2017

Experienced event planners know to clinch the best dates and venues to suit their organisation by booking the annual Christmas gathering before summer. For those with fingers crossed for a late opportunity, here are some good reasons still to commit and some atmospheric images for inspiration. Our thoughts could also encourage taking a longer view for next year.

If autumn falls upon you before Christmas planning has made the agenda, there is still hope that a good value option - of exactly the right hue to match your specific goals - may still be unearthed. At ths stage flexibility on the date could help secure the ideal solution. If preferred dates are unavailable, a week-night or day-time event - or even a delayed January celebration - may in the end lead to a more creative and memorable event for guests. Whether for colleagues, stakeholders, clients or all of those together, the Christmas party shouldn't be neglected as there are corporate benefits to reap beyond the chance for everybody to let their hair down.

Wellbeing - Employment surveys tell us that happy team members are less likely to be absent from work due to stress and anxiety; some pin that down to 10 times less likely to take time off. The Christmas party should be the climax of a year punctuated occasionally by similar wellbeing opportunities.

A Stronger Team - Many of the reasons organisations invest in teambuilding events hold true for the Christmas celebration. Out of their comfort zone possibly for the first time, colleagues interact with those from different offices, departments and locations but in a relaxed and enjoyable environment. Discovering a colleague's personal side - their families, their hobbies and maybe even their unique dance style - offers long-term benefits for co-operation and solidarity. For the organiser, this rapport and enduring relationship becomes a meaningful return on investment.

Recognition Then Motivation - The festive get-together is a chance to publicly note, celebrate and reward the hard effort and achievement of the previous year. Somebody who feels valued should hopefully return in the New Year ready for a challenging and target-smashing season ahead. People who feel recognised are more likely to remain loyal.

Unity and Message - If woven into the festivities appropriately, this is also a good time to invite guests to reflect on the organisation's ethos and for management to reinforce key messages. Most people desire to feel part of something bigger than themselves and something worthwhile too. They should return in the New Year inspired and 'on message'.

Inspiration

Grand and Sweeping? A fine example of a venue perfect for a grand and sophisticated event in a time-honoured British festive style is Crewe Hall, Cheshire with partner QHotels. From the moment guests approach the dramatic facade along the tree-lined driveway through the surrounding eight-acre estate, they are sure to be full of excitement and anticipation. This seventeenth-century Jacobean mansion is singularly enchanting with ornate marble fireplaces harbouring welcoming open fires, a carved parlour, long gallery and distinguished great library. Everywhere you cast your eyes there is the warmth of ancient wood panelling, balustrading, intricate carving, coupled with a dramatic staircase and gallery through which to sweep all dressed up in Christmas finery. With more contemporary rooms too, a pool and spa, this venue offers exceptional facilities for a residential experience.

Crewe Hall certainly shows off its best side when decked out for Christmas. The following images are sure to inspire the kind of festive atmosphere which can be created for an event in an historic hotel of character.

 

Intimate and Cosy? Grand and sweeping can be replaced with intimate and cosy with equal impact, as reflected by our partner Red Carnation's venue The Chesterfield, Mayfair. Quiet, calm and comfortable, this hotel feels more like a traditional private club. All the ingredients required to create that endearing flavour of Christmas we have borrowed from a bygone time can be found in this Regency setting.

Guests enjoying Christmas Chesterfield-style are promised a magical welcome from elves industrious at the front desk, a lobby dominated by a Christmas tree with an overwhelming reach and the most ornate decoration. Not forgetting the smell of hot chocolate and mulled wine to entice visitors further into the experience.

Other considerations beyond venue should include whether to invite partnership from a professional event management team. The least stressful scenario is an off-site gathering, away from base, where the set up and dismantling is taken care of for you. Some clients decide to combine the Christmas party with another important gathering on the schedule such as a landmark conference, meeting or teambuilding experience. For such a major production, planning should really be on your mind not too long after Auld Lang Syne.