Last-minute Christmas party: what you can still book now
1. What is still realistic in November
The calendar in November is not empty, it is only sorted in a different way. The ideal window for the Christmas party runs from 28 November to 18 December. Good venues in big cities are booked out four to six months ahead. A search in November is therefore a search in the leftovers of that window.
Taken are the Fridays in the core window. Taken is the second Saturday in December as well. Open are the dates nobody picks first: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, plus dates at midday and the first week of January. These dates are not second choice, they are only less popular.
With the rooms the picture shifts too. The large houses with their own kitchen are full. Free are smaller rooms, restaurants with a side room and the office itself. For 20 to 60 people the choice in November is wider than for 150.
That changes the tone of the enquiry. Instead of one fixed date a list of three dates goes out. Instead of one fixed venue you ask for two formats at once. Why the market fills up so early shows in our post on booking the Christmas party early.
2. Five levers that open dates at short notice
Five things steer whether it still works. The first is the weekday. A Tuesday in December has about seven times as many free rooms as a Friday. The evening does not get worse for it. Only the morning after is less popular.
The second lever is the time of day. A start at midday meets free houses, the start in the evening meets full ones. A party at midday runs three instead of five hours. It costs less and many guests stay longer, because the ride home sits earlier in the day.
The third lever is the month. A winter party in the first week of January finds almost every room free. The fourth lever is the location. Ten minutes by train out of the middle open rooms that in the centre are long gone.
The fifth lever is the number of guests. A room for 40 guests turns up within two days, one for 150 does not. Two small rounds one after the other are easier at short notice than one big one. Fitting ideas are gathered in our post on ideas for the team event at year end.
3. Availability by type of date
The values below are guide numbers from Berlin and Munich, as of early November. They show how many fitting rooms are still free for the date in question. They do not replace an enquiry, but they sort the search.
Figure 1: share of venues still free in early November, by type of date, in percent. Friday in the core window 5 percent, Saturday in the core window 15 percent, Tuesday to Thursday 35 percent, Wednesday at midday 60 percent, first week of January 80 percent.
The jump from 5 to 35 percent costs one weekday. That is the cheapest trade in the whole plan. From Friday evening to Wednesday at midday the choice even grows twelvefold.
The first week of January sits at 80 percent, close to a normal state. It falls outside the window from 28 November to 18 December, and in return prices are lower and the team is rested. What an evening costs in total is sorted out in our overview of Christmas party costs.
Request a Christmas party at short notice
- Three possible dates in one mail
- Price per head gross with drinks included
- Surcharge for express listed clearly
- Deadline for a free cancellation
4. Formats that work at short notice
Four formats run even when time is tight. The first is the party in the office. The room is safe, the tech is in place, only the food is missing. A caterer delivers with a lead time of ten to fourteen days, for small rounds faster. How that works in detail shows in our post on the Christmas party in the office.
The second format is the restaurant with its own room. For 20 to 50 guests there are still side rooms midweek. The price per head is fixed, the staff are in the house, the kitchen anyway. The drawback sits with the menu, since the choice is narrow and the group stays put.
The third format is the party at midday. It starts around noon and ends in the late afternoon. The food is lighter, the drinks are cheaper and the room at that time is free almost everywhere. For teams with a long ride in, this slot is the easier one.
The fourth format is the winter party in January. It uses free rooms, calm kitchens and low prices. As a start into the year with a look back and a look ahead it has a reason of its own. How such a date is built up shows in our post on the new year reception and kickoff.
5. What the late start costs
The late start costs money, but less than feared. The span per head gross across these four formats sits between 40 and 100 €. For comparison the frame for a Christmas party: basic 40 to 70 €, standard 60 to 110 €, premium 120 to 200 € per person.
Figure 2: price per head gross by format when booking at short notice. Party in the office 45 to 75 €, restaurant with its own room 60 to 100 €, party at midday 40 to 70 €, winter party in January 55 to 95 €.
The surcharges come from three places. A surcharge for express sits at 10 to 20 percent when the lead time drops under ten days. Small rounds pay more per head, because travel and set up stay the same. And the room to negotiate is missing, because instead of five offers only two come in.
The evening still stays inside the frame. 75 € per head sit under the tax free limit of the company event of 110 € gross per person, which holds for up to two parties a year. Which format carries which price is costed in our post on formats and prices for Christmas party catering.
6. The steps for this week
On Monday the base is set. Number of guests, budget per head and three possible dates belong on one sheet. One evening midweek, one date at midday, one date in January. Without these three lines no phone call gets anywhere.
On Tuesday the enquiries go out, all on the same day. Five to eight houses, plus two caterers for the version in the office. The mail names all three dates and says clearly that each of them fits. This flexibility is the strongest lever a late enquiry has.
On Wednesday and Thursday the answers come in. Two questions count first: is the date free, and what does the head cost with drinks included. Everything else can be settled once the room is set. An offer without a firm date is none.
On Friday the choice is made. A firm yes by mail, a deposit, a date for the menu. The remaining points sit in our checklist for the Christmas party. For the capital you can request fitting Christmas party catering in Berlin in the same go.
A party in the office beats no party
- A lead time of ten to fourteen days is enough
- Date at midday or midweek
- Set up, service and load out from one hand
Conclusion
Something still works in November, as soon as the preferred date drops. On a Friday in the core window 5 percent of the rooms are free, from Tuesday to Thursday 35 percent and in the first week of January 80 percent. Flexibility on the day replaces the lead time of four to six months.
On price the late booking stays inside the frame. 40 to 100 € per head gross cover all four formats, plus 10 to 20 percent surcharge with very tight lead time. If eight enquiries with three dates go out on Tuesday, the room is set by Friday.
FAQ
Can a Christmas party still be booked in November?
Yes, with cuts on the date. On a Friday in the core window 5 percent of the venues are free, from Tuesday to Thursday 35 percent and in the first week of January 80 percent. The window itself runs from 28 November to 18 December.
Which date has the best odds at short notice?
Wednesday at midday with 60 percent of rooms free. After that comes the first week of January with 80 percent. An evening from Tuesday to Thursday sits at 35 percent, still clearly ahead of Friday.
What does a party cost when booked at short notice?
Per head gross 40 to 100 €, depending on the format. The party in the office sits at 45 to 75 €, the restaurant with its own room at 60 to 100 €, the party at midday at 40 to 70 € and the winter party in January at 55 to 95 €.
How much lead time does a caterer need?
Ten to fourteen days are comfortable. Below that a surcharge for express of 10 to 20 percent comes on top. For groups up to 30 people with a simple buffet a few days are enough.
Is a party in January worth it?
If nothing is free in December, yes. In the first week of January 80 percent of the rooms are available, and the price per head sits at 55 to 95 €. The date falls out of the window from 28 November to 18 December, and in return the choice is open.
Does the tax free limit hold with a late booking?
Yes. The company event stays at 110 € gross per person, for up to two parties a year. A surcharge for express counts into that sum, which is why it belongs in the offer upfront.
