From scavenger hunts and mulled wine to a Harry Potter themed do, if you’re looking for something different we’ve put together eight cracking party ideas to ensure your end of year celebrations amaze and show your appreciation for colleagues and guests…(and steer Sandra from Accounts away from ordering that vodka ice-luge in the shape of a teeny Gino D’Acampo).
Scavenger Hunt:
Whether you’re planning your own adventure, or buying an affordable pre-planned guide from Treasure Trails scavenger hunts are a surprisingly fun way to spend an afternoon – especially when they finish at the pub. We’d recommend they start at a pub too, and maybe visit one and/or a Greggs for a festive bake in the middle.
Ugly Sweater Party:
Celebrate the awful with an annual turkey curry buffet and horrific sweaters! Everyone is instructed to wear their ugly sweater – prizes for the most impressive. If you’ve got a Scrooge in the office you might want to procure some back up hideous sweaters and other embarrassing props for good measure. The Chronicle Sunshine Fund are in the middle of their Christmas appeal which aims to raise much needed funds to buy specialist equipment for children in the North East – we’ll be supporting on 14th December. Make like Mark Darcy and pull out that seasonal sweater with the office team for a good cause. Text ‘KNIT18 £2’ to 70070 to donate.
Apres Ski:
Winter is the season to be jolly (tra la la la la), but it isn’t easy to keep jolly when there’s a gale battering your every whim. Perhaps a cosy mountain retreat would provide welcome respite, how handy that there is one on Swan House roundabout. Antler the Alpine haven promises mulled wine, a hearty menu of schnitzel and currywursts. Treat your colleagues to Alpine luxury in the heart of Newcastle, think traditional ski lifts in the heated outdoor garden, wintry ferns and hot chocolate. A winter wonderland and a magical dining experience for those who have embarked on the mountainous excursion of 2018.
Let’s Get Mulled:
Not one to mull over…a mulled party! Mulled wine, mulled cider…what else can you mull? Shortlist have handily mulled every kind of alcohol and can recommend Jagerbombs, Guinness, prosecco and strangely WKD Blue.
Harry Potter:
Everyone loves the schoolboy wizard, right? Let the excitement build as your guests receive their ‘letter from Hogwarts’ inviting them to the Banquet in the Grand Hall. The ‘Grand Hall’ can be full of props, the Sorting Hat, relevant house ties, cauldrons, and owls (if you dare to work with live animals)! You can provide cloaks for your muggle colleagues to be Yule Ball ready. Your guests will thank you after delicious roast beef, buttery mashed potato, topped off with treacle tart. Round the night off with coffees and chocolate frogs. Accio butterbeer…NOW!
Food Truck Rodeo:
The North East is full of insane food specialists so if you’ve got a big audience to please, why not have a food truck rally. Work out a coupon system and get trucks that cater for even the fussiest of pots. Some of our favourites are Scream for Pizza, Chuchos, Meat:Stack, Acropolis, Little Fishy, Simply Cheesecake and Fizzy Tap (yep, drinks too)! Book a band and you’ve got a festiv(e)al vibe with none of the wellies and rancid portaloos.
Christmas around the World:
Apart from playing Féliz Navidad on repeat there are some lovely traditions around the world you could incorporate into your party. Assign each staff member a country to research and they can bring in a Christmas treat from the country. Bagsie ‘Bûche de Noël’, what a centrepiece! Or in Japan fried chicken is THE meal to eat at Christmas. Oh I feel a Christmas quiz coming on! The slightly stranger tradition we’d like to see in action is the Catalan tradition of caga tió or “defecating log”, a grinning creature is carved out of a small log and placed on the dining table, you feed the log fruit, nuts, and sweets, you then beat the log until it excretes goodies…
Craftstavaganza:
A personal favourite of ours, we rang in Christmas 2017 with an enchanting wreath making class with Bels Flowers. Beautiful bows, sumptuous greens – Instagram perfection! But there are so many options for a real crafty time – a #GBBO Gingerbread decorating competition, get in teams to decorate Gingerbread homes or blow-your-own glass bauble at the National Glass Centre.
Consider us your BeaconHouse elves, working hard behind the scenes, under the big guy’s shadow (HI SANTA!), talk to us about your dream Christmas party. We can either help you plan or just give you an outlet for festive excitement….call the party hotline anytime!
