How to choose the best entertainment for a corporate Christmas Party
Organising the work or social Christmas party sounds simple. Until you realise everyone expects it to be memorable and worth the wait.
For the person responsible, it feels like a lot of pressure. You need a entertainment that keeps guests engaged (not drifting of wondering what to do), to suit a mixed group of personalities and reflect well on the company and the booker.
The right entertainment can transform a room. The wrong choice can leave people sitting at their tables waiting for the evening to end.
If you're responsible for organising this year’s party, here is a practical guide on how to choose entertainment for a corporate Christmas party that people genuinely enjoy.
How to choose entertainment (quick guide)
1. Entertainment that involves guests, rather than watching something.
2. Correctly match entertainment that will compliment the event. For eg, magician during dinner courses.
3. Consider guest size.
4. Book experienced performers that can adapt to unforeseen schedule changes, awards, or speeches.
Type of event is a factor to consider
Not all Christmas parties are the same. The format of the event will determine the best type of entertainment.
Formal dinner
Drinks
Shared party events
Awards
Company celebretion with clients present
Some sort of stage act can work well at certain points in the evening, but many corporate events spend long periods with guests standing, networking or sitting in small groups.
This is where the entertainment choice becomes important.
Entertainment that moves around the room often works better than something people are forced to look at on stage.
The first thing to think about is guest experience
You know your guests, will the majority actively experience the entertainment, or just watch it from a distance?
Stage shows are entertaining, but only a limited number of people feel involved, and should someone be picked to help that doesn’t want too, it’s makes for awkward viewing.
Interactive entertainment allows guests to take part subtly, which helps creates a shared moment between colleagues who may not normally interact in the workplace, different teams for example.
At corporate events this matters because you want to help people relax, talk and enjoy the gathering.
Guest size is a big factor too
Group size has a big influence on the best entertainment.
For example:
Small corporate parties (20–60 guests)
Interactive entertainment works extremely well because everyone can experience it directly.
Medium events (60–150 guests)
Entertainment that moves between groups keeps the atmosphere lively during drinks receptions and between courses at dinner.
Large corporate parties (150+ guests)
A combination often works best. Multiple interactive entertainment, such as photo booth, caricaturist, and a walk around magician.
Many event planners overlook this and book something that only suits a small portion of the room.
Timing and when entertainment happens
Timing is a good consideration, and a key factor when choosing Christmas party entertainment.
Typically, an order of events is:
Arrival drinks > Dinner > Speeches or Awards > Music and Dancing.
During drinks reception
Guests arrive at all different times, early, fashionably late, and this can lead to them often standing around with colleagues they might not already know.
Entertainment moves around this area, saving awkward moments and help break the ice.
Between courses
This is often when the arrival excitement starts to lose energy. Therefore, entertainment at tables can keep the atmosphere lively.
After dinner
A stage performance or headline act can bring everyone together.
Understanding the timing helps you choose something that enhances the flow of the event rather than interrupting it.
Good entertainment helps bridge the gap.
Corporate Christmas parties often include people from different departments or external clients and partners who do not normally spend time together.
Some good interactive examples of include:
• Close-up magic
• Caricature artists
• Table entertainers
• Interactive performers
• Casino tables
• Photo booths
Social atmospheric entertainment, rather than sat watching from their seats.
Office Christmas party entertainment ideas that work
Close-Up Magician
A close up magician, politely approaches small groups and performs short moments of magic. More importantly though, is the magician can interact and understand how to make guests feel relaxed, more important than the trick to be honest.
This works well during drinks receptions, between meal courses where guests can experience illusions just inches away.
Because this happens in their hands, under their nose and in their space, it naturally becomes a talking point for the rest of the evening.
Many corporate event planners choose this style of entertainment because it keeps the energy moving throughout the room rather than a single focus on stage.
If you are planning a Christmas event in London, Essex or across the UK, you can read more about how this works here.
Photo Booths
Photo booths remain a popular staple. They create an instant interaction between groups and a keepsake.
They work best in a highly visual area of the event so people see other using them and then feel comfortable to join in.
However, they rely on guests approaching them rather than the entertainment coming to the guests.
Caricature Artists
Caricature artists are great, they draw portraits of guests during the event.
They work well at relaxed parties where guests are happy to sit for a few minutes and enjoy the experience of being drawn.
Also, provides a keepsake.
Casino Tables
Fun casinos can work well at larger corporate parties and often go hand in hand with a roaming magician.
Guests receive fake money to play with, games include blackjack and roulette.
They create activity in the room and work well alongside other entertainment.
Why interactive entertainment often works best
Christmas corporate parties are not theatre shows.
They are social events, where guests want to talk, but might not know how to approach a different member of the company or the extended team.
Entertainment that mixes with guests feels more natural because it is part of the event, not the event itself.
This is why corporate planners choose mix and mingle entertainment.
Good questions to ask
How experienced is the entertainment and are they comfortable working in busy event spaces?
Performer need the experience to be able to adapt quickly, some events can be loud and crowded.
Do they have insurance?
Most venues need PLI
Can they adapt to the flow of the event?
The best entertainers, again, down to experience, can adjust their performances depending on schedule changes, speech timings, food service and guest movement.
An experienced entertainer will subtly keep an eye on guest movements the entire time.
London, Essex and UK
London and Essex alone host thousands of corporate parties every year ranging from small teams to large company events.
Because these events can have colleagues that don’t know each other well, they might have seen each other around the office, but don’t know what to talk about, that’s why interactive entertainment can work.
Therefore, if you are the one organising the Xmas party, choosing the right entertainment that mixes with guests can make a significant difference to the event.
