How to Plan a Corporate Christmas Party

A work Christmas party is one of the best moments of the year. It is a chance to say thank you, swap the desk for a festive table and celebrate everything your team has achieved together. With a little planning, organising it can be almost as much fun as the party itself.

The key is to settle six things early: budget, date, format, venue, food and drink, and how everyone gets home safely. Start around three months ahead, agree a cost per head, and ask your team what they would enjoy before you book anything.

The main steps and rough timings for a December party:

• Budget: Agree a cost per head first (in the UK, up to £150 per head can keep an annual staff party tax-free)
• Date and venue: Book 8 to 12 weeks ahead
• Invitations: Send 6 to 8 weeks ahead, with a question about dietary needs
• Final numbers: Confirm with the venue 2 weeks before
• Getting home: Sort transport before the day, not on the night

Each section below covers one step, with tables and a checklist you can copy.

When Should You Start Planning a Work Christmas Party?

Start planning a work Christmas party around three months before the date. For a December party, that means late September or early October.

December is a busy month for venues, caterers and taxi firms. Friday evenings close to Christmas tend to book up first, so starting early gives you the widest choice of dates and venues.

Here is a simple planning timeline:

When	What to do
12 weeks before	Agree on the budget and rough headcount. Ask the team what kind of party they would like.
8 to 10 weeks before	Book the venue and date. Check what the price includes and the cancellation terms.
6 to 8 weeks before	Send invitations. Ask about dietary needs, allergies and access needs.
4 weeks before	Choose the menu and drinks. Book transport home.
2 weeks before	Confirm final numbers and dietary needs with the venue. Share timings and travel details with guests.
The day after	Thank everyone and ask for quick feedback to help next year.

How Much Should You Spend on a Corporate Christmas Party?

Set a clear budget per head before you look at venues. Many UK employers keep the cost at or below £150 per person, because HMRC treats an annual staff party up to that figure as tax-free, as long as it meets a few conditions.

Jargon explained: annual function exemption

A UK tax rule that lets employers hold a yearly staff event, such as a Christmas party, without the cost counting as a taxable perk for the people who attend.

How the £150 rule works

According to GOV.UK and HMRC’s own manual:

• Open to everyone: The party must be open to all employees, or to all staff at one site if you have several locations.
• Once a year: It must be an annual event, such as a Christmas party or summer barbecue.
• Full cost counts: The £150 includes VAT, plus any transport or overnight stays you provide so people can attend.
• Everyone in the headcount: Divide the total cost by everyone who attends, including partners or guests who are not employees.
• Several events: You can hold more than one, but their combined cost must stay within £150 per head for the year.
• Going over: If the cost per head goes above £150, the exemption no longer applies, and you need to report the benefit and pay tax and National Insurance on it.

Worth knowing: £150 is a limit, not a target

A long lunch or an afternoon tasting for a small team can cost well under the limit. Your accountant or payroll provider can confirm how the rule applies to your business.

When you build the budget, remember the costs that are easy to miss:

• Venue hire or a minimum spend
• Food, drinks and any service charge
• An activity, music or entertainment
• Transport to and from the venue
• A little spare, around 10%, for late additions

When Is the Best Date for a Work Christmas Party?

The best date is one most of your team can make. For many teams, that is a weekday lunchtime or early evening in the first half of December.

Evening events do not suit everyone. In a 2025 Acas and YouGov poll, 20% of employees said after-hours social events were among the work activities they liked least. Acas suggests holding social activities during working hours where possible, so people with caring or parenting duties can join in.

December 2026 dates to know

Christmas Day 2026 falls on a Friday. The Friday options are 4, 11 and 18 December, and the last working week before Christmas runs from Monday 21 to Thursday 24 December. Some teams move the party to January instead, when diaries are calmer.

What to consider	Daytime party	Evening party
Best for	Small teams, parents and carers, people with long commutes	Teams who like a late celebration
Good points	Happens in work time, easier travel, more relaxed pace	More of a party feel, room for music or dancing
Things to plan	Cover for the office, a clear finish time	Late transport home, the next morning’s start time

What Kind of Christmas Party Will Your Team Enjoy?

The easiest way to find out is to ask. A short poll with three or four options takes minutes and saves you guessing.

The good news is that most people like a Christmas get-together. In the same ACAS poll of 1,052 employees, team-building activities were the least popular, with 31% disliking them. Only 12% disliked one-off celebrations such as Christmas and leaving parties.

Popular formats for a small or mid-sized team:

A long Christmas lunch

Best for: small teams, mixed ages, people with evening commitments

A seated lunch with a few courses and a glass of fizz to start. Conversation comes easily around one table, and everyone is home by early evening.

A guided wine tasting

Best for: curious teams, groups who enjoy learning something new, a mix of drinkers and non-drinkers

Jargon explained: guided tasting

A tasting led by a host who pours small measures of several wines and explains what makes each one different.

A tasting gives the group a shared focus, which helps people who find small talk hard. It works well as an afternoon event, followed by food.

A wine tasting also suits guests who do not drink alcohol, or who are driving home. At a tasting, spitting is normal and expected, so guests can taste each wine without swallowing it. Anyone who would rather not taste at all can still join in by looking at and smelling each wine to learn about wine.

Jargon explained: spittoon

A container at a wine tasting for spitting out wine or pouring away what is left in your glass. Wine professionals use one all the time, so nobody will think twice.

A seated Christmas dinner

Best for: larger teams, a more formal thank you

The classic choice. Book a private room so speeches and toasts don’t compete with other diners.

A drinks and canapés reception

Best for: mingling, mixed teams, shorter events

Jargon explained: canapés

Small bites, usually one or two mouthfuls, served on trays while guests stand and chat.

Guests can move around and talk to people outside their usual team. Make sure there is enough food to count as a meal if the reception runs into the evening.

An activity with food

Best for: teams who prefer doing to chatting

A wreath-making class, a cookery session or a wine bottle painting workshop, followed by lunch. Keep it light and optional, since heavy team-building is the format people like least.

How Do You Choose the Right Venue for a Christmas Party?

Choose a venue that fits your group size, is easy to reach, and can handle food, drink and access needs in one place. The fewer suppliers you juggle, the smoother the day.

Questions to ask every venue before you book:

• Space: Is there a private room, and does it suit your numbers? A half-empty room can feel flat.
• Access: Is there step-free access, an accessible toilet and parking?
• Travel: How far is the nearest station, and can guests get a taxi late at night?
• Food: Can the kitchen provide allergen information and cater for dietary needs?
• Drinks: Are there drink packages, and good alcohol-free options?
• What’s included: Staff, tables, decorations, music, a microphone for speeches?
• Terms: Deposit, cancellation policy, finish time and the deadline for final numbers.

Worth knowing: town or country?

A countryside venue can feel more like a treat and takes people out of their usual surroundings. Plan travel early, as rural taxis book up fast in December.

How Do You Plan Food for Different Dietary Needs?

Ask about dietary needs on the invitation, then share the list with your venue or caterer at least two weeks before the party.

UK food businesses must tell customers if a dish contains any of the 14 main food allergens. These are celery, cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, lupin, milk, molluscs, mustard, peanuts, sesame, soya, sulphites and tree nuts. A good venue will have this information ready.

Easy ways to get the food right:

• Plan real alternatives: Make vegetarian and vegan dishes as good as the main menu.
• Label everything: Ask for clear labels on canapés and buffet dishes.
• Keep food coming: Serve food throughout the event, not only at the start.

How Much Wine Do You Need for a Work Christmas Party?

A standard 750ml bottle of wine pours six 125ml glasses. If each guest who drinks has around three glasses, one bottle will serve two people.

For drinks with a meal, a common plan is a glass of sparkling wine on arrival for a toast, then a white and a red with the food. Choose wines that suit the menu, and let the venue guide you on what works with their dishes.

A quick guide to how many bottles to order (125ml glasses):

Drinking guests	2 glasses each	3 glasses each
10	4 bottles	5 bottles
20	7 bottles	10 bottles
30	10 bottles	15 bottles
50	17 bottles	25 bottles

How strong is a bottle of wine?

According to Drinkaware, a 750ml bottle of wine at 12% ABV holds about 9 units of alcohol, and a 175ml glass holds around 2 units. The UK guideline is no more than 14 units a week for men and women.

Jargon explained: ABV and units

ABV (alcohol by volume) is the percentage of a drink that is pure alcohol. One UK unit is 10ml of pure alcohol, and the number of units in a drink depends on its size and its ABV.

Plan for people who are not drinking

Alcohol-free drinks are now a normal part of most parties. Drinkaware research from October 2025 found that 44% of UK adults choose no or low-alcohol drinks to cut down, up from 31% in 2018. Among young adults, the figure was 49%. Offer an alcohol-free sparkling drink for the toast and a few good soft drinks, so no one feels left out.

Jargon explained: corkage

A fee some venues charge to open and serve wine you bring yourself. Ask about it if you plan to supply your own bottles.

How Do You Keep a Work Christmas Party Safe and Inclusive?

Treat a work Christmas party as an extension of the workplace, because employment law can treat it as one. Since 26 October 2024, UK employers have had a legal duty to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of their staff.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission says employers do not need to cancel parties. Instead, it suggests they:

• Think ahead about risks such as alcohol, travel and differences in seniority
• Remind staff of the policy before the event, including how to report a problem
• Consider the risks from other guests when choosing a venue and activities

Friendly, practical steps that help on the day:

• Name a host or two: People who stay alert, know the plan and can help if something goes wrong.
• No pressure to drink: Avoid rounds of shots or drinking games.
• Food and water throughout: Keep both easy to reach all event long.
• A clear finish time: Share it on the invitation, with the transport plan.

Plan for the morning after

The government’s THINK! road safety campaign says around 5,500 people fail a breath test in the morning each year, and that there is no reliable way to know how much you can drink and stay under the limit. A later start the next day, or a party before a weekend, takes the pressure off travelling to the office afterwards.

Corporate Christmas Party Checklist

Copy this list into your planning notes and tick things off as you go:

• Budget per head agreed (and checked against the £150 rule)
• Team poll sent and format chosen
• Date and venue booked, terms read
• Invitations sent with dietary and access questions
• Dietary list shared with the venue
• Drinks planned, including alcohol-free options
• Transport home booked
• Policy reminder and finish time shared with staff
• Named hosts agreed for the day
• Final numbers confirmed two weeks before
• Thank-you message ready for the day after

Frequently Asked Questions

How far in advance should you book a work Christmas party?

Book a work Christmas party 8 to 12 weeks ahead. If you want a Friday evening in December, book as early as you can, as those dates go first.

Is a work Christmas party tax-free?

A work Christmas party is tax-free in the UK if it costs £150 or less per head, including VAT, is held once a year, and is open to all employees. If the cost goes over £150 per head, the whole amount becomes a taxable benefit.

Do you have to invite everyone to the office Christmas party?

To use the £150 tax exemption, the party must be open to all employees, or all staff at one location. Inviting everyone also keeps the event fair and inclusive.

How many bottles of wine do you need for 20 people?

For 20 people drinking about three 125ml glasses each, you need around 10 bottles of wine. A 750ml bottle pours six 125ml glasses.

What is a good alternative to an evening office party?

A long Christmas lunch or an afternoon guided wine tasting makes a good alternative. Both happen during work hours, which suits parents, carers, and people with long journeys home.

Sources

• GOV.UK: Expenses and benefits, social functions and parties: the £150 per head exemption and its conditions
• HMRC Employment Income Manual, EIM21690: VAT, transport and accommodation count towards the cost, and how cost per head is worked out
• Acas: Team building tops the list of most-disliked workplace social activities: 2025 Acas and YouGov poll of 1,052 employees
• Acas: Preventing religion or belief discrimination: dietary needs at work events
• Acas: Acas urges employers to act now on sexual harassment: the new duty in force from 26 October 2024
• Equality and Human Rights Commission: New sexual harassment law and workplace Christmas parties: steps employers can take
• Allergy UK: Top 14 food allergens: the 14 allergens businesses must declare
• Drinkaware: What is an alcohol unit?: units in a bottle and glass of wine, and the UK weekly guideline
• Drinkaware: Half of young adults are now choosing no and low-alcohol drinks: October 2025 figures on no and low-alcohol drinking
• THINK!: Morning after: morning-after breath test figures and drink-drive advice