The office Christmas party is often the one night of the year the whole team gets together outside of work, so it is worth getting right. Whether you are hosting in the office, hiring a venue or taking over a warehouse, these office Christmas party ideas will help you plan a night your team will still be talking about in January.

We supply Christmas party furniture, lighting, bars and props to offices and venues across London, Surrey, Kent and Sussex every December, so here is what we see working best.

1. Start with a theme

A theme makes every other decision easier, from the decor to the dress code. A few of our most popular Christmas party themes:

  • Winter wonderland: white birch trees, snowflakes and cool white lighting. See our winter wonderland theme.
  • Après-ski: cosy alpine lodge style with rustic furniture, sledges and warm festoon lighting. See our après-ski theme.
  • Casino or James Bond: giant dice, black and gold styling and a glamorous drinks reception. See our James Bond theme.
  • Great Gatsby: Art Deco backdrops, feathers and plenty of gold for a 1920s night. See our Great Gatsby theme.
  • Classic Christmas: red and green, giant nutcrackers and a fireplace backdrop for photos.

Browse all of our party themes for more ideas.

Illuminated Bond silhouette boards beside a Christmas tree at a James Bond Christmas party in Surrey
Illuminated Bond silhouette boards beside a Christmas tree at a James Bond Christmas party in Surrey

2. Transform the space with lighting

Lighting does more to change the feel of a room than anything else, and it is especially useful in an office, where you want guests to forget they are at their desks. Wireless uplighters wash the walls in colour without any cables across the floor, warm white festoon lighting adds a festive glow, and a starlit LED drape makes an instant backdrop behind a stage, DJ or bar.

See our party lighting hire and lighting hire London pages for the full range.

3. Create a photo spot

Every Christmas party needs somewhere for photos. A Christmas scene backdrop with a fireplace, a pair of giant nutcrackers or a light-up sign gives people a reason to gather, and the photos keep the party going on social media and the company channels afterwards.

Christmas fireplace backdrop with giant presents, sledge, faux fur seats, lanterns and snowflake prop
Christmas fireplace backdrop with giant presents, sledge, faux fur seats, lanterns and snowflake prop

4. Plan the drinks reception and bar

A proper bar makes a party feel like an occasion. Hire a mobile or LED bar, add glassware in crates so nobody is drinking from plastic cups, and keep drinks cold with ice buckets and under-counter fridges. Tall poseur tables give guests somewhere to put their drinks down and keep the room sociable during the reception.

See our bar and catering equipment hire, poseur table hire and LED furniture hire.

5. Get people dancing

If you want the night to go on after the speeches, give people a reason to stay. A dance floor marks out the party area, even in an open-plan office, and party lighting and a DJ do the rest. See our dance floor hire and DJ packages.

Black and white dance floor and Great Gatsby Art Deco starburst props at an office Christmas party in Charing Cross, London
Black and white dance floor and Great Gatsby Art Deco starburst props at an office Christmas party in Charing Cross, London

6. Keep everyone warm outside

If you are using a terrace, courtyard or marquee, electric patio heaters keep smokers and fresh-air breaks comfortable through a December evening. Add festoon lighting overhead and it becomes part of the party rather than somewhere to escape to.

7. Book early and plan the logistics

December is the busiest month of the year for event hire, and the most popular dates, usually the Thursdays and Fridays in the first three weeks, book up well in advance. A few things worth sorting early:

  • Your date and venue: confirm these first, then book your equipment as soon as you can.
  • Access: check lifts, loading bays, parking and any building rules about deliveries, especially for offices in central London.
  • Timings: agree when equipment can arrive and be collected. A flexible weekday delivery slot is the most affordable option.
  • Guest numbers: these decide how many tables, chairs, glasses and how big a dance floor you need.

Our crew can deliver and set everything up before your guests arrive, then pack down and collect it afterwards, so your team can enjoy the night.

Christmas parties we have supplied

A few of the Christmas parties we have supplied, from a Great Gatsby office party in Charing Cross and James Bond nights in Reading and Surrey to a Christmas dinner in Tunbridge Wells, DJ and lighting at the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel in London, and a fully draped room with DJ and lighting at Langley Park Golf Club.

Christmas fireplace backdrop with giant presents, sledge, faux fur seats, lanterns and snowflake prop
Christmas fireplace backdrop with giant presents, sledge, faux fur seats, lanterns and snowflake prop
Black and white dance floor and Great Gatsby Art Deco starburst props at an office Christmas party in Charing Cross, London
Black and white dance floor and Great Gatsby Art Deco starburst props at an office Christmas party in Charing Cross, London
Giant gold 007 prop letters beside a Christmas tree at a James Bond Christmas party in Reading
Giant gold 007 prop letters beside a Christmas tree at a James Bond Christmas party in Reading
Illuminated Bond silhouette boards beside a Christmas tree at a James Bond Christmas party in Surrey
Illuminated Bond silhouette boards beside a Christmas tree at a James Bond Christmas party in Surrey
Christmas party dinner in Tunbridge Wells with carpet runner, chrome posts and ropes, festoon lighting, fairy light backdrop and DJ setup
Christmas party dinner in Tunbridge Wells with carpet runner, chrome posts and ropes, festoon lighting, fairy light backdrop and DJ setup
Black and white dance floor, stage and starlit backdrop for a Christmas party at Lingfield Park
Black and white dance floor, stage and starlit backdrop for a Christmas party at Lingfield Park
DJ booth with starlit front, moving head lights and uplit plinths at the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, London
DJ booth with starlit front, moving head lights and uplit plinths at the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, London
Room draping, DJ, percussion and pink uplighting for a Christmas party at Langley Park Golf Club
Room draping, DJ, percussion and pink uplighting for a Christmas party at Langley Park Golf Club

Plan your office Christmas party with us

See everything we hire for Christmas parties on our Christmas party hire page. Then tell us your date, venue and guest numbers and we will send you a quote with delivery, setup and collection. Request a quote.