How to Create a Festive Atmosphere for Holiday Events

By the time December comes around, most people are ready for the sounds of jingle bells ringing, chestnuts crackling over an open fire, and carolers singing. They’ve worked hard all year and they aren’t just excited for an opportunity to relax – they’re ready to enjoy the holiday cheer. Which is why a holiday party is the perfect way to show your appreciation for the hard work your team has put in all year.

Holiday parties provide the unique opportunity to bring your entire team together in a relaxed setting, recognize everyone’s contributions to the year, and give a heartfelt thanks for the tireless efforts of your team members. There’s nothing better than getting everyone together and inviting them to be present and enjoy each other’s company – and the holiday season is the perfect excuse and atmosphere for it!

Holiday events come in all shapes and sizes. Some teams prefer a small, intimate dinner and a nice restaurant or a night out on the town. However, for larger groups that want to have a big celebration, we’ve compiled some of our favourite ways to create a festive, fun, and memorable atmosphere at your holiday gala. Keep reading to learn more.

Creating a Festive Atmosphere.

The holiday season has no shortage of fun, nostalgic, exciting, and relaxing imagery. From different colour schemes to decorating styles, there are so many creative ways to build an atmosphere that is reminiscent of the holidays. When it comes to live events, technology has the power to build these incredible immersive environments.

Consider using projection mapping to create a real-life winter wonderland by making it appear as though snow is falling directly overhead. Meanwhile, gobos can be used in lights to cast snowflakes and other winter patterns along the walls, transforming the space, while blue uplighting and silver drapes can complete the look.

Alternatively, you can recreate the magic of a cozy winter indoors by using red and gold lighting to fill the space with warmth. A fireplace crackling on the screen with complementary sound effects playing softly will make attendees feel warm and welcome, while a fog machine will make the space feel even more intimate.

If both of these options sound equally inviting, you’re not alone – and you’re in luck! Thanks to event technology, the experience can be incredibly customizable, and the entire atmosphere can change during different parts of the program by utilizing different lighting colour schemes, changing visuals that are onscreen or shared through projection mapping, and using a variety of gobos with different lights.

Live Music.

Your holiday event, above all else, is a celebration, and with a celebration comes a desire for entertainment! Live music is the perfect way to get your team in the holiday spirit while they sit back and enjoy their evening.

Whether you hire a band to play a variety of holiday classics, have carolers greet attendees as they enter the event space, host a sing-a-long that gets everybody belting out favourite tunes, or even host a talent show, having live music will give your holiday party a unique tone, setting it apart from other events.

Awards.

What better way is there to show appreciation for your attendees and celebrate their performance throughout the year than by giving out awards?

While many groups may have more formal awards ceremonies in connection with conferences or meetings during the year, a holiday party is a great way to recognize people in a more casual or personal way. During a holiday party, consider highlighting team members in roles that may not be featured during the usual awards ceremonies, or focus the recognition around different criteria, with awards that honour people for being team players, having the most company spirit, always making people laugh, or never failing to support their coworkers.

These awards will show team members that it’s not just metrics around their performance that are appreciated – it’s the unique impact they make on the team.

Lean into the Fun.

The holiday season is all about having fun, and your event should be, too! Lean into the festive spirit and don’t be afraid to get a little bit silly.

From turning the visual display into Santa’s workshop and having executives perform a skit to inviting leadership team members to dress up as classic holiday characters, hosting an ugly sweater contest, and more, creating a fun, lighthearted atmosphere won’t just help attendees relax – it will make them feel like they’ve gotten to build a deeper connection with their leadership team.

From everyone here at AVentPro, we want to wish you a very happy holiday season, an incredible new year, and a future full of memorable, exciting, and creative live event experiences. Reach out to us by email at [email protected] or telephone at (204) 226-5565 to work with our team in the new year!