Winter is coming! And with it a whole host of questions about what the festive period will look like this year, whether you’ll be able to share mulled wine and mince pies with friends and loved ones again soon and how to have fun as safely as possible.
While it may be tougher to locate that misplaced cheer in 2020, there is some degree of flexibility around events that can be capitalised on for your staff and clients benefit. Under the latest legislation, business meetings and events of up to 30 people remain permitted across all tiers and exceptions to the "Rule of 6" exist for certain event types (i.e. necessary for work, training or development). In addition, professionally organised events larger than 30 people may happen if "Rule of 6" is adhered to.
Thankfully, many places have revised their event space capacities and floor plans to ensure they are Covid-19 compliant, meet the current social distancing guidelines and offer hybrid events to allow for a mix of physical and online attendance for those who prefer to participate remotely.
With that in mind, we have five great activity ideas to help drum up the excitement of yesteryear because after all, ‘tis the season to be jolly!
1. Hybrid pop-ups - Christmas parties are usually the highlight of everyone’s December social calendar and this year needn’t be any different just because we can’t all gather in a bar and rock around the Christmas tree. Instead, the rocking can be done remotely and safely from home while still bearing all the hallmarks of the fun and frolics. Top of the pop-ups this year is to think inside the box and create a little piece of magic in everyone’s homes before uniting in an online spectacular. Guests will receive a beautifully packaged delivery with everything they need to deck the halls and themselves. Think nature-inspired room and table decorations, multi-sensory food and drink offerings with molecular touches, DIY craft kits, props and dress-up items, as well as that all-important surprise gift. They’ll then be invited to take part in a uniquely designed interactive quiz with breakout room activities, arts and crafts sessions and entertainment. Think all the fun and frolics of letting your hair down without the extortionate cab surcharge and bed is right around the corner. Bliss.
2. Cabaret Night - We all know the Arts has taken a bit of pummelling this year, so what better way to show your support while having a whale of a time watching performers sing, dance and shake their tinselled boas at you (from a distance, of course). From regulation-friendly, spaced out tables, you and your team can enjoy a first-rate food and drinks’ service in the most decadent of venues like The Aeronaut. Or, opt for one of our incredible, ‘lockdown’ experiences that come to life with pre-delivered packages containing festive mock/cocktails and a five-star tasting menu while you enjoy an online schedule of interactive shows from some of the country’s top circus and comedy acts.
3. Immersive experience - One of the greatest things about this season used to be the ability to sit down and dine together to toast the year. Well, now you have the opportunity to do so without worrying about banging elbows with Jeff from accounts. Using interactive set design, bold visuals and performance, we can help plan a bespoke immersive experience that comes to life complete with festive amuse-bouches, classic songs and tales, and as many sumptuous courses as your hearts desire. We also work with a host of fabulous pop-up productions offering exclusive bookings - whether you want an exclusive Dickensian Yuletide feast in a secret venue or to party back through the musical ages from Rock & Roll to Ragtime, we can make it a night to remember with one of our exclusive group takeovers.. For that extra ‘jazz hands’ moment, we can also design a customised scavenger hunt for your groups to find the location before a night full of socially-distanced fun and merriment!
4. Winter team building - Bonding with colleagues has obviously taken on a different format this year, with fewer opportunities to do so in person. But that doesn’t mean the fun (and learning) has to stop even if people opt to stay indoors. From interactive wellbeing workshops and DIY decoration-making (with a prize to the team that finishes first!) and solving murder mystery clues remotely in your own living room (rather than Prof Plum’s), to virtual escape rooms with a pre-delivered high-spec VR set; there really is something for everyone and every size team.
5. Christmas gifting - Finally, want to say a big thank you to your clients and a huge well done to your staff for making it through a tumultuous year? Of course you do and we’ve got you covered with our bespoke mailers. Whether an interactive experience for all the family, box of self care goodies to help slip into that holiday season RnR or fabulous personalised gift to be treasured in years to come for that extra special customer, we’ll have your gratitude delivered direct to their doors via that famous red mail service sleigh in good time for the Big Day.
See? With a dash of creativity and a sprinkle of innovation, we promise it still can be the most wonderful time of year.
Are you event-ready for Christmas and the New Year? Want to put on an unforgettable, restriction-compliant function? For awesome one-off and seasonal pop up-ideas, get in touch with our team today for a tailor-made package.
