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Thursday 11 July 2024

As we move into the second half of 2024, we can now officially announce that there is only 6 months to go until Christmas! Believe it or not, the festive party season is already in full swing, with the return of the London Christmas Party Show, taking place at Freemasons Hall next week.

If you're the lucky one responsible for organising your company's Christmas get together, we suggest you are registered to attend this years show and consider getting the ball rolling for your event, sooner rather than later — many prime dates at popular venues across London have already sold and a handful have sold out on all dates completely.

As venue finding experts, we are constantly looking out for emerging trends and patterns. Regularly we speak with our venue partners and suppliers to understand any noticeable behaviours we are seeing across bookings and as a result, we wanted to highlight 3 main trends we have noticed for Christmas 2024:

Thursdays Reign Supreme

Post-COVID, hybrid working practices have become much more common, with many people choosing or being permitted to work from home on Fridays. This trend is making Friday nights less popular for events as people aren’t physically in the city. Consequently, the number of prime nights available at venues is reduced, making Thursdays the new 'best night' to party. We believe Thursdays have emerged as the most sought-after day for corporate Christmas parties in central London as this “almost the weekend” celebration offers a perfect balance, allowing employees to enjoy the event without impacting their personal weekend plans. The increasing demand for Thursdays means these dates are booking up quickly, so if you’re planning on having your event on the 5^th or 12^th December – you’d better hurry up!

Activity-Based Events

Companies are shifting away from the traditional standing drinks reception and moving towards more activity-based events that promote team participation and engagement. This increase in popularity for activity driven events that prioritises team games, over solely the consumption of alcohol, we believe, is similar to that of the post-COVID shift towards WFH; there is now a greater focus on health, well-being, and the social aspects of events, rather than just drinking alcohol. This change reflects a much broader trend towards enhancing team relationships and promoting a healthier, more engaging experience for employees. So, whether it's your classic crazy golf, digital darts or virtual clay pigeon shooting, incorporating games and activities into your event ensures a memorable experience for all attendees.

Rising Costs

Unfortunately, it is no secret that the cost of living has risen. Simply put, the cost of hosting corporate events has increased as a result. Venues and catering services are experiencing higher costings themselves, which has driven up prices overall. Combined with the demand to host corporate occasions and events, we believe that unfortunately, venues rates will only continue to increase year-on-year. To secure the best possible deal, and ensure you are paying within your allocated budget, we advise booking as early as possible. Acting swiftly not only guarantees your preferred date, but also helps manage your budget more effectively.

If you haven't yet arranged your Christmas party, now is the time to get in touch with our expert team of venue finders, either by filling out our online enquiry, dropping us a quick email of giving us a call on 0207 870 9305. As mentioned, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights are especially popular, so securing your spot at your ideal venue, requires immediate action!

Author

Amelia Fitzgerald

Senior Account Executive, Venue Search London

After graduating from university, Amelia has joined the VSL team as a Senior Account Executive. From working on events at the Singapore Grand Prix, to private concerts with world famous singers - Amelia loves the buzz of seeing an event's journey from concept to creation and is excited to put her London venue knowledge to use.