This holiday season, instead of settling for a boring office party or the same old location you’ve held the party for the last 10 years, why not step outside of the box a little and go somewhere unique! Around Lincoln there are plenty of new, unique interesting, fun places that your employees will be sure to love for the holiday party. If you can’t think of where to start, here are a couple of locations to get you started!
The Corky Canvas, located at 3700 S. 9th St., is a great place to hold a holiday party. “It’s a unique, fun and everyone gets to take their painting home with them,” Angie Lewis, owner of The Corky Canvas said. “Show your employees that you really appreciate them by thinking outside of the box this year! Plus, you can bring in your own food or have it catered. We sell wine, beer, sodas, etc. to get the party started!”
If The Corky Canvas sounds like the perfect place for your holiday party this year, make sure to start the reserving and planning process sooner rather than later. “Book early to insure you employees are available so that you can make the most of your holiday party! December books up quick here at The Corky Canvas, so book now,” Angie said.
The Corky Canvas can also do themed parties, if that was something your employees would enjoy. “You get to pick the painting so make it a holiday themed painting or pick a favorite from our gallery,” Angie said. If a private party is something you would like, you can book those from The Corky Canvas’ website. “Go to our website and click on book a party tab to learn more about our private events,” Angie said.
Are your employees more adventurous and have a love for the outdoors and something new? Then consider VictoryQuest and Camp Gargano for your holiday party this year. “VictoryQuest and Camp Gargano make a unique venue for a holiday gathering because there’s simply no other place like it,” Doug Pfeifer said. “Anyone can go to a chain restaurant or the usual banquet and party facilities around the area, but to experience a truly unique setting that will make your event memorable and different, consider bringing your group to a VictoryQuest event at the beautiful Camp Gargano facility just 15 minutes from Lincoln.”
“When planning your holiday gathering, we suggest doing something different,” continues Doug. “If you’re going to go to the time, effort and expense to plan an event for your company, group or organization, why not do something that you’ve never done before? Make sure there is going to be great food and make sure that there will be a range of activities that everyone will enjoy. Often times at these events there are a lot of preconceptions that people have and doing some activities that break the ice and get people laughing and maybe getting to know one another in a unique setting can make for a very fun and memorable event.”
Doug suggest coming up with a theme for your holiday party to make the event a bit more fun. “Coming up with a theme for your gathering can help build excitement and aid in choosing the attire, decorations, food, activities, party favors, entertainment and program for the event,” Doug said.
If you are struggling with ideas, here are some ideas to consider. “Some of my favorite holiday parties I’ve attended included a ride on a dinner train and go-cart races between co-workers. These were unique events that stand out in my memory from the dozens of traditional group meals at a local restaurant that I’ve attended over the years,” Doug said.
If your employees would rather have a more formal sit-down meal where they can get to know their co-workers and dress up a bit, consider holding your holiday party at Venue, located at 4111 Pioneer Woods Drive #100.
“The ambiance of Venue and winter menu complements any holiday gathering. This is one of my most favorite times of the year at Venue because of the holiday décor and the warm fuzzy feeling you feel when you walk in the front doors,” Cherie Anderson from Venue said. “To dine with a menu filled with an array of comfort foods, unique winter creations and holiday cocktails would be a treat to your friends and family as you consider options in showing them your appreciation for the past year.”
Instead of worrying about the decorations, food and other details for the holiday party, why not let Venue do the dirty work for you? “Ladies would agree the most stressful part of party planning is the cleaning, decorating and meal planning. Why not consider hosting off site and let someone else handle those details,” Cherie said. “It may be worth the additional cost to you. Venue’s private dining rooms take the stress out of holiday planning. We have two rooms that can accommodate up to 100 guests. Our professional staff will assist you in creating a menu that accommodates your likes, suggestions and budget. Butlered appetizers, buffet, plated…however you envision your party, Venue can create. The rooms are beautifully decorated with holiday centerpieces and winter décor. The staff takes care of you and your guests while you get to enjoy the evening.”
If you don’t think you can get everyone in the office gathered at the same time after work, a gift card to Venue is another great option. “A lot of companies are hosting a holiday lunch in our private dining rooms. They block off a little more time than usual for their lunch break and provide the staff with a beautiful plated or buffet lunch,” Cherie said. “One office last year had Venue gift cards presented to their staff after lunch so they could enjoy an evening out on their own time, which I thought was a great way to show their thankfulness to their staff.”
Venue will also do catering, if you decide on a different location to hold your holiday party but were still interested in the meal options Venue provides. “Another way to eliminate the stress of the holidays is to consider catering your holiday party. Venue Restaurant offers full service catering and bar service off-site. We take pride in working and creating menus that work with any budget,” Cherie said.
Here are a few other locations to consider when choosing a place to hold your holiday party:
Cappy’s Hotspot Bar & Grill Cappy’s located near 48th and Highway 2, is a good option for a number of reasons. If you want a private party room, they have one you can reserve that is still right in the action of whatever is going on in the bar that night. If you want to treat your group to an event, they have live entertainment, poker, beer pong and special events going on every weekend. Consider the great food they serve and the fun entertainment, and you’ve got a party waiting to happen!
Nebraska Club Treat your party to a sight they will rarely see by booking your party at The Nebraska Club. The only private dining club in town, The Nebraska Club is located on the 20th floor of the U.S. Bank building in the heart of downtown Lincoln and offers a panoramic view of the city. The banquet room is large enough to host a good sized party or you can just treat your guests to a delicious dinner in the club’s spacious dining room. Cocktails can be the focus of your holiday party, which is located in the Lounge. When in the Lounge your employees can dine from the lounge or dinner menu while being surrounded by the lights of the city. The Banquet Room is available to host functions up to 175 guests at any time of the day. The Nebraska Club staff will help you plan the perfect event consisting of menu selection, table arrangements and other equipment you may need.
Oasis Inn Hotels almost always make great party locations and The Oasis Inn located on 5250 Cornhusker Hwy is no different. With their family fun dome, indoor pool and in-house restaurant, Oasis is great for a family-friendly gathering or just for the adults who want to have some cocktails and stay at the hotel without having to worry about transportation home. Hotels are also the perfect choice if you have guests coming in from out of town as they can simply reserve a room there and not have to book elsewhere.
La Paz How do margaritas, delicious chips and salsa and traditional Mexican favorites with a contemporary flair sound for a party? La Paz, located on 321 N. Cotner Blvd., is the perfect setting to enjoy this and much more. They have a private party room for your group and a menu that will make everyone in your party happy! Some specials include flank steak tacos, Santé Fe chicken, braised pork tacos, chicken crema, BBQ chicken club sandwich and chicken Diablo.
Bowling Alley Bowling alleys make great places for holiday parties. Who can resist a good-natured game where they are pitted against their co-workers (or the bosses?). Your entertainment is built in when you have your party at a bowling alley, and so are your refreshments. Bowling alleys generally have restaurants, grills and/or concession stands and many have full bars as well. You can either have your party out in the lanes or reserve a private party room where your guests can relax when not bowling.
Top Shelf Top Shelf Beverage Services has private event space available in downtown Lincoln and is the ideal setting for holiday parties of up to 80 people. You’re free to work with any food caterer for your event at Top Shelf and you can use their excellent beverage services to have a wine tasting event at your party or just have professionals pouring the drinks and making cocktails.
Unique and delicious food is always a great way to make a party memorable. Many of the locations we’ve already mentioned serve amazing food and many of them have to-go or catering options. Here are some more ideas:
Country Sliced Hams. “Our Country Sliced Hams are fully cooked so you can put them out and enjoy your guests instead of being in the kitchen cooking,” Tim Powers said. “One week in advance is recommended for party tray’s, 48 hours for ham. Advance notice is always helpful.” A ham is such a holiday tradition and your guests will be sure to appreciate that you have one for them to enjoy. You can dress up a ham with a number of different side dishes and leftovers generally keep well, too, so you don’t have to worry that you will be wasting food.
Serendipities. Desserts are always a hit at holiday parties, and what better dessert could there be than gourmet, holiday themed cupcakes? Serendipities creates amazing, delicious cupcakes that can be done in a holiday theme or even custom created with your company logo or a special message for your guests. You can either have them set out for everyone to enjoy during the party or you can send a jumbo cupcake home with each of the guests as party gift.
Still looking for ideas to make your party unique? Consider the following:
–Entertainment. Although it’s always nice to enjoy a nice meal or drinks together, you can make your party extra festive and memorable by bringing in some entertainment. This could be as simple as having one of your employees dress up as Santa and taking everyone’s Christmas wish lists or as elaborate as bringing in a band and having a full-blown holiday formal dance. Comedians, magicians and musicians make great options and can help drive conversation and fill those awkward gaps that can sometimes occur with groups of people who may not know each other that well outside the office.
–Have a ‘holiday favorite potluck’. This is a great idea for companies who don’t have a large budget to professionally cater their party. Ask your employees to each bring a holiday dish that holds a special memory for them. Once everyone has arrived at the party, encourage each of them to share their memory of the dish. Not only will this provide some entertainment and spur conversation, but it will also be a special bonding activity that will make each employee feel like they know something sentimental about the others.
–Have a gift exchange. Having a gift exchange is a good way to have entertainment and make sure everyone has a great time. This is also a way to take away the uncomfortable feeling your employees may be experiencing, wondering who in the office they should buy gifts for this year. You can draw names a couple of weeks before the party or, even better, you can have a White Elephant gift exchange. These can be a lot of fun and you can put a price limit on the items so that no one feels slighted or embarrassed by the gift they brought.
–Have the party at your home. Having your company party at your home is a gesture that says you feel like your employees are your second family and that you are comfortable being in the space where you live. Having the party at your home also helps you ‘kill two birds with one stone’. You were probably planning on doing holiday decorating at your house anyway, so decorating for the party will not be any extra work. Your lights, Christmas tree and other decorations that you normally put up will serve as the perfect backdrop for your party. It will also be easy to cook up some delicious refreshments right from your own kitchen or, if you’d rather enjoy the party instead of playing hostess, you can always cater in the food and then put leftovers in your fridge or freezer for your family to enjoy later. Consider working with a professional holiday lighting company like Christmas Décor by Festive Expressions to take a little of the work off your shoulders and ensure that your home will look amazing for your guests. These companies will even come out and take down your lights when the holidays are over!
–Have two different parties. Our company generally has two parties each year. One is a family-friendly event that is usually held at a bowling alley, fun center or other place where we can bring our kids and they can have a great time together. The second party is adults-only and usually includes a dinner at a nice restaurant (who is a client, of course!) and then drinks or entertainment afterward. This is perfect because those with families know that their kids will get a chance to have fun and those without kids don’t feel slighted that they don’t get a chance to go out and have some drinks and stay out late if they want to. Just keep in mind that everyone’s schedules get very busy during the holiday season, so you may not want to hold both parties close to each other. We usually have one of our parties before the holidays actually hit and one after, so there is plenty to look forward to even after the technical festivities have ended!
–Have a holiday open house. When the holidays roll around, you usually want to appreciate your employees as well as your customers and clients. Why not do both together? Having a holiday open house at your office is a great way to invite everyone to see where your staff works and provide them food, drinks and fun. Of course, this will involve some clean-up and decoration (depending on what shape your office is usually in), but you can work with an office cleaner or other professional to help you with these issues. Consider having the open house in the afternoon and having it go into the early evening hours so that your employees get a little bit of time off and so that clients and customers will have an opportunity to come after work if you they cannot leave their jobs early. You can cater in food, provide the food yourself, have your employees help with food or even have a selection of foods from your clients (if you have clients in food service). If appropriate, give tours of your office so those who aren’t all that familiar with what you do can see where everything gets done. Bring in a professional beverage service that can set up a bar and you’ll have a party all ready to go! Make sure you send out invitations at least a few weeks in advance as everyone’s schedules get busy this time of year. You can also promote the event on your company website, on your social media and even put fliers into monthly invoices you send out.
–If an usually holiday party isn’t something you feel like doing this year, why not hold a company project to get the employees in the giving spirit while still giving them a good time? “A company might choose a project in keeping with the season, rather than a party, such as a gathering toys or food, etc. to give to a charity,” Annette Marquez from The Perfect Occasion said. “The company could offer to match the value of what the employees collected up to the amount they were planning to spend on a party.”
But, a little party for your employees is something else to consider thanking them for their hard work all year, and their contribution to charity. “The company could still hold a mini festive event with light appetizers and beverages where they could wrap, sort, etc the gifts,” Annette said.
Important safety considerations:
No one wants the holidays to be ruined by a car accident, a DUI or another tragedy. When you hold a holiday party that includes alcohol, you must consider the safety issues that come along with that. Here are a few ways to help ensure the safety of all your guests:
Have professionals pour If you (or someone you get to help out) is not educated in serving beverages, they may over-serve or not recognize the signs when a guest should be cut off from alcohol. When you work with a professional beverage service, they have been trained and can take steps to ensure that no one gets too much.
Provide transportation Providing transportation for your guests not only makes the party feel more special, but it also guarantees that everyone will get to and from your event safely. If you have the budget, consider renting a limo or limo bus for the evening who can pick up your guests and deliver them back home (or to a designated location, such as a hotel) after the party. If this simply isn’t in your budget, you can have one of your employees or even a friend or family member pick up guests in a large vehicle and drive home the ones who need it.
Have the event somewhere that people don’t have to leave Having your event at a hotel, retreat center or anywhere else where they can make plans to spend the night is the perfect idea for both fun and safety. Your guests can cut loose a little bit because they will know they don’t have to worry about driving or getting home to take care of children and you can all even meet for brunch or breakfast the next morning.
This holiday season instead of settling for the same old party room that you choose every year or scarcely decorated office party with 10-year-old decorations; why not consider holding your party somewhere fun and unique with yummy food selections to make your employees fully satisfied. Your employee’s work hard all year long and they deserve a little something special when it comes to the annual holiday party. With the holidays quickly approaching, it’s now or never to book your party location and catering before everything is booked. As the time gets closer, take a poll at the office and see what type of “dream” holiday party your employees are craving. By getting your employees opinions you are letting them have a say in the party, but also taking the time out to really listen and plan a party they will all enjoy. Have a little fun this holiday season by thinking outside of the usually possibilities and making your party something to remember.
A holiday party this year should be fun, unique and something to let your employees remember all year long. “Having a holiday party is a way of saying thank you to all of your employees and bringing a family element to the workplace. Let’s face it, many of us spend more time with co-workers than we do with our own family members and a good holiday party can help people connect on a deeper level and strengthen relationships all around the organization,” Doug Pfeifer with VictoryQuest concludes.