Monthly Archives: December 2021

Why Do You Need Personalised Office Equipment?

Building your small business, Business Cards, Flyers, Marketing, , , ,

Have you been wondering how to make your office a little more homey and friendly feeling, help your business appear more professional to your employees and clients, or tie in your office supplies with your brand for a more cohesive aesthetic? Personalised office equipment could be exactly what you need!

Personalised office equipment could be anything from a custom-printed mug for the breakroom bearing your company’s logo, to a personalised notepad with your branding and contact details printed at the top.

There are so many benefits to investing in personalised office supplies and business stationery – and, contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t have to be expensive! In terms of budget, there are many low-cost sources of office supplies and equipment, so why pay the extra?

In this article, we will discuss the benefits of personalised office equipment to your business and where you can order yours today.

Can Personalised Office Equipment Improve Your Business Branding?

Read any book on business marketing or search online and brand marketing comes out on top of the list of marketing essentials. Establishing and building a brand is one of the fundamental ways of promoting and growing a business.

Develop your own corporate brand image and try to emulate the success of major corporations, whose brand images are closely associated with their products and services.
With brand marketing, the company should use their chosen brand image in every aspect of the business, and that includes areas such as office equipment.

The consistent use of the brand’s image:
1) Immediately makes your brand familiar to customers and the public. For instance, McDonald’s golden arches logo stands out on the high street and is instantly recognisable, without even seeing the company name.
2) Reinforces your brand among your own employees. As a business owner, you encourage your employees to be brand ambassadors and using branded office products internally is great for achieving this.

If your employees associate themselves with the brand, they will believe in and promote the company’s brand image to customers. It is a very important aspect of business marketing – which is why you need personalised equipment in the office.

Some companies, perhaps focusing on their customers only, forget that their own employees are part of the brand too. It makes an enormous difference to business promotion and company morale when employees see themselves as part of the brand.
How can a company be true to its own brand image if they don’t promote that image both internally and externally?

What Kinds of Office Equipment Can Be Personalised?

The list covers many items that a company uses on a day-to-day basis, including pens, notepads, personalised mugs and letter openers.
Cheap, non-branded versions of all these products are indeed available from any office stationery supplier. Some business owners, despite brand promotion being a prime marketing goal, automatically choose the cheaper option rather than using personalised products in their own office.

But for long-term marketing, this is a false economy. Even if you don’t see an immediate benefit, don’t underestimate the long-term effect of personalised office equipment.

Where Can I Use Personalised Office Supplies?

Aside from being useful for internal brand promotion within the office, most of the above products work very well as customer promotional gifts and can be distributed:

1) During trade shows and sales conferences
2) As part of promotional events, such as “spend £20 and get a free mug” when ordering online
3) In your customer-facing business premises, if you have one

As an example, if your business is in the hospitality sector, such as a hotel, branded personalised office equipment such as stationery and pens are great to leave around the hotel for guest use. For instance, most hotels provide pens and stationery in their rooms.
Personalise the pens and notebooks to match the hotel’s name and style. Guests will take the pens from the hotel rooms and use in their everyday life. From a quality point of view, make sure that the pens work well as it is a poor recommendation for the brand if they run out of ink, or break, after a short period.
Look around your home or working environment to see how many promotional items from other brands you own – it may surprise you!

How to Personalise Office Equipment

So, when it comes to ordering personalised business stationery, office equipment and promotional products with your branding, what kind of products are out there – and how might you use them? Here are some examples.

Personalised Mugs

Mugs are probably the most versatile item, as they are highly visible and used every day. You may choose full-colour designs that cover one side or a design wrapped around the entire mug.

Choose a design that matches the company’s brand image, is nice to look at and reflects its products and services. If its intended use is as a promotional gift, make sure that the design includes contact information, and use a good quality mug. As with other items in this category, cups offer long-term brand exposure.
A well-designed personalised mug looks great on social media. Perhaps offer them as prizes during social media campaigns.

Design personalised mugs for your employees complete with their names, or perhaps have a designer draw a caricature of each person and give them out as Christmas presents. This would be a fun way to engage with your employees!

Notepads

Personalised notepads are great all-rounders. They can be used:
1) In the office
2) In the shop, hotel, or other business premises (to be used by staff and guests alike)
3) As promotional gifts for customers
4) As gifts for your employees to take home

One particular advantage of promotional notepads is their size, which allows for extensive creative design and personalisation. Being a paper-based product, they are easy to print on and are less expensive than some other items.
If your business is in the legal sector, design custom branded yellow legal notepads for internal and promotional use. These can be used both internally and for customer engagement.

If aimed at important customers, combine the notepad with a high-quality pen in an attractive leather-style folder. Alongside mugs, pens and notepads are some of the most popular promotional items, because they also offer long-term brand exposure. In marketing budget terms, that’s great value for money.

Pens

There is not a lot of space on a standard pen, so when adding text, include essential information only. If branding is important, custom manufacture the pens using brand matching colours and use a unique shape or design.
The custom manufactured pen option is more expensive and perhaps more appropriate if used for important customer promotions.

As mentioned above, pens are great promotional items for hotels, whose guests may continue to use them after leaving the hotel. If the company hosts a sales conference, give away branded pens and notepads for note-taking. The recipient will hopefully carry on using the items after the event.

For the ultimate high-tech promotional gift, use pens with built-in USB storage and a laser pointer. Before a sales conference or customer meeting, load up the pen with company sales brochures before distribution. These items are also highly popular with employees. Before giving them to the customer, make your sales pitch presentation using the laser pointer. It is a novelty gift, but a highly useful one.

Letter Openers

There are several types of promotional letter openers available, including plastic and sliver knife styles. However, think carefully before giving away a knife-style opener.
Aside from the danger aspect, something that resembles a blade may get blocked by airline security, which would cause issues for a customer flying back to their home city. Unless you have a pressing reason to choose the former, the plastic-style opener is likely the safer option and features several unique benefits.

Because of the plastic material, they come in multiple colours and shapes and are convenient for adding promotional printing, compared to the silver knife style, which is only suitable for engraving.

Rubber Stamps

Unless there is some novelty value in them, rubber stamps are not as useful as promotional gifts. However, they are very versatile when used by a business, in an office or retail environment.

For instance, a coffee shop implementing a loyalty card scheme may use a coffee bean shaped logo stamp, for stamping their loyalty cards, each time a customer buys a cup of coffee. Typically, stamps with a company logo and address are the most popular for office use.

But stamps are versatile and may use any shape or design that fits! Often, these are used in the office to mark received documents or invoices—‘Received’ and ‘Paid’—being typical examples.

Where Can I Buy Personalised Office Equipment?

Personalised office equipment is a great way to liven up your desk at work, and spread your brand awareness among your employees, clients, customers, and the general public.
At 123Print, we provide a wide range of affordable personalised office equipment for you to choose from. You can make your own personalised mug or notebook featuring your business logo and tagline with our easy-to-use design editor. Our printing technology is the best available on the market, so you’ll end up with an extremely high-quality product that you can be proud to associate with your brand.

Start with a blank design, or choose from a range of templates that have already been created for you. We can also print flyers, postcards, business cards and even custom printed envelopes for your business at extremely affordable prices.

When your order is complete, our shipping process ensures that we’ll dispatch your order within two working days! We also offer a 100% customer satisfaction guarantee, so you have absolutely nothing to lose by giving us a try – and we’ll replace or refund your order if you’re ever unsatisfied with the results.

What are you waiting for? Visit our website now to get started and transform your business into a true force to be reckoned with!

What Can You Use Personalised Notepads For (and Are They Worth It)?

Notepads, , ,

Personalised notepads have been around for a long time, but they are becoming more and more popular in offices all over the world.
However, with this popularity comes confusion about what to do with them. What exactly are personalised notepads, and how can they be customised? How can you use them? How much do they cost, and are they worth it? What benefits do they have over plain paper notepads?

Today, we’re going to answer these questions and many more about personalised notepads so that you can decide if they’re right for you. So let’s take a closer look at what you can actually use them for and if they are worth the investment!

What Are Personalised Notepads?

Personalised notepads are customised pads that include printed information such as:
1) Your name and role
2) Your business or company name
3) Your business’s logo
4) Contact information, such as telephone number or e-mail address

Small notepad and pen

They can also incorporate stylish and artistic designs to make them stand out from a standard yellow or white notepad, and add some flair to your notes.
There are thousands of tasteful personalised notebook templates to choose from, perfect for a huge range of vocations and professions, from food-themed notebooks to travel, beauty, construction and more. Every design is fully customisable with your own details. You can even create your own design from a blank white template and upload your own artwork!

What Can You Use Personalised Notepads For?

You can use personalised notepads for multiple purposes in an office or home environment. For example, they are often used as a way to encourage employees to take notes during business meetings, give a general overview of essential information covered in meetings, or as a way to share client contact information.

They can also be used as memo pads for writing quick reminders and notes that you might need throughout your workday. Some people find them easier to use than electronic devices or even regular paper notepads because they are thicker and more durable. You can also easily keep them in your pocket or purse if you are on the go and don’t have access to a laptop or computer.

Personalised notepads are also great for sending notes to clients in a professional manner because they come with your company information and contact information already printed on the pad. This makes it a great way to connect with clients while making it easy for them to reach out to you with any further questions or inquiries.

They also make great employee gifts for boosting morale in the office, and help to spread brand awareness and recognition – particularly if you choose to upload your logo.

Do Personalised Notepads Have Any Advantages Over Plain Notebooks?

Personalised notepads have several benefits over regular notebooks. Some of these benefits are:

1) Design – you can add artistic touches to the pad (such as personalised fonts, images or creative designs) to stand out from the regular notepads on a shelf. This makes them more appealing and interesting for you or your staff to use, which can encourage note-taking or lead generation during meetings.
2) Durability – All of our personalised notebooks at 123Print are made with high-quality, 120gsm paper that you can trust, both in the office and at home. This makes them less likely to rip and bleed ink as regular notepads might.
3) Promotional Benefits – Personalised notepads are a great way to boost your company’s reputation and name. They allow you to print your information on them for increased brand recognition, which can help spread your company name in a positive light to clients and employees.
4) Versatility – Personalised notepads are great because they can be used in many different ways by people within the office: they can be used by colleagues to take notes in meetings, they can be given to clients as an official way of giving them your contact information, and they can even serve as a quick memo pad if you need to leave yourself reminders or essential messages throughout the day.
5) Professionalism – the use of a custom notepad bearing your logo and name will immediately elevate your business in the eyes of customers, clients, colleagues, and professional contacts, and help them to take your company more seriously. They’re also perfect for bringing with you to interviews with clients or potential employers, for conveying an air of professionalism and competence.

Not to mention, personalised notepads are just more fun to use than plain ones. Why not order a few different fun designs to keep things fresh in the office?

How Can Personalised Notepads Benefit Your Office?

The benefits of using personalised notepads over other methods (electronic devices, plain paper notepads) are plentiful.
First, they are commonly used to encourage employees to take notes during meetings. If your team is unable or uncomfortable taking notes with electronic devices (laptops or tablets), personalised notepads are an excellent option.

Second, personalised notepads can be purchased in bulk and given to clients as a way to provide your contact information. Clients can then easily keep your information with them, and you have the added bonus of spreading your brand name to people who might not otherwise be exposed to it.

Finally, personalised notepads are a great way to establish professionalism within the office. They show that your company is committed to investing in a higher quality of office supplies and making your employees happier.
If you are looking for more ways to spread brand awareness within the office or just give your team an easy way to take notes during meetings, personalised notepads are the solution you need.

How Much Do Personalised Notepads Cost?

You might be surprised at just how affordable personalised notepads can be. Though you might associate custom products with a large expense, notepads are only made of paper – therefore they won’t break the bank. Our designs start at just £2.50 for a quantity of 20 compact notebooks or just £3.25 for larger notebooks.

Are Personalised Notebooks Worth the Investment?

Personalised notepads have many benefits over plain notepads that make them worth the price. They are usually thicker, more durable, and more versatile than regular notepads, while still providing you with a stylish way to print

your company information on something that is both practical and functional.
Not to mention, they can help boost your company’s image, provide you with a stylish way to take notes and leave messages throughout the day, and be used as a great client gift that makes contacting you easy. They’re extremely affordable, versatile for any profession or niche, and can be delivered straight to your door! With all these benefits, personalised notepads are a great idea for any business.

Where Can I Buy Personalised Notepads in the UK?

Here at 123Print, we have a wide selection of personalised notepads for you to choose from. Our beautiful designs are highly customisable, allowing you to add your name, company name, and other contact information right onto the notepad itself. They’re perfect for making an impression at interviews, as gifts for employees, or for giving your business that professional edge!

Additionally, we offer both compact designs (140 x 108 mm) and larger notepads (216 x 140 mm). Here are a few examples from our selection you may enjoy:

Compact Notepad Designs

Dark Mystery: This darker design has an air of mystery about it and adds a bit of flair to your notebook.
Breezy Paradise: This light green theme features palm trees to evoke a sense of relaxation – perfect for a travel company, for example.
Good Medicine: This medical-themed notepad design is perfect for a doctor’s office or clinic.

Large Notepad Designs

Black and White Cow: This whimsical design features a cow on the upper edge of the notepad with green grass under its feet.
Raise the Roof: This design features a roof icon on the top and is great for a construction contractor or homebuilder’s office.

Laptop Illustration: This unique design has a watermarked laptop in the middle of the page, making it great for a technology company or computer supply store.
As you can see, there are many different ways to use personalised notepads in your office. They allow you to provide helpful information to clients, increase awareness of your brand and boost productivity in one simple step.

Simply choose the design you like the best, and open up our editor to begin the personalisation process. Your order will be dispatched within 2 working days, and will arrive with a 100% satisfaction guarantee!

The Uses and Benefits of Custom Envelopes for Your Small Business

Envelopes, , ,

It’s important for any small business to be able to stand out in the marketplace. One of the easiest and most affordable ways to do this is by using customised envelopes.
Custom envelopes are, as the name suggests, envelopes for mailing documents that are personalised to your business in some way. You’ve probably received custom envelopes in the post yourself – think of the last time you got a letter from the gas company, for instance. It most likely had the company’s logo printed at the top, and a return address pre-printed on the back.

Seeing a custom envelope can dramatically increase your awareness of a brand. Even if you threw away that letter before opening it, you’ll have seen the business’s name or contact information on the envelope – subconsciously implanting them in your mind as a business that you’ll be familiar with in the future. Custom envelopes also help to create an upscale and professional image that clients and customers will come to associate with your services or products.

Let’s go into some more detail as to what drives small business owners to go with customised envelopes, what you can do with them, and why you should consider them yourself.

Distinguish Yourself from Your Competition

As a small business owner, you may already know that it is essential to clearly differentiate your marketing materials and mail from your competition clearly. If your customer receives half a dozen letters in the post, but yours is the only one with your company’s name and address proudly displayed in the top-left corner, they’re more likely to remember you.

Your post will stand out and catch the eye, and the person will be more likely to open up the envelope to see what it contains. And in the future, your business will come to mind when they’re considering purchasing something that you offer.

To take things up a notch, why not choose a custom envelope template that has a design or photograph printed onto it? For example, if you’re a bakery, this Dazzling Dessert design would be perfect. For a veterinary centre or animal groomer, this Perfect Trio template would work well.

Add a Professional Look

Customers have certain expectations when receiving correspondence from a business. They can spot the difference between cheap envelopes and elegant custom envelopes just by looking at the paper stock, colour choices, type of seal, and more. You want to give them every reason to believe your products or services are worthy of their money.

Using a cheap, plain white envelope isn’t going to make your business appear very professional or noteworthy. Custom envelopes on the other hand, especially those made from recycled paper for example, will create a great first impression.

Focus Your Marketing Materials

When you have a custom envelope made for your business, it becomes the focal point of whatever information or marketing message you include in the envelope. This is an effective way to use quality materials to focus attention on what you want people to know about your company.

Not only can you include your business’s name and address on your custom envelope, but also a design that means something to your company, and even a tagline that you feel represents you or your products.

Add Value to Your Business

Custom business envelopes are luxury items. They represent a higher level of service, a sense of quality, and they let people know that your products or services are serious. Customised business envelopes demonstrate the value you place on your business – you want it to reflect positively on you as an individual, your employees, and your customers.

When ordering your custom envelopes, we’d recommend opting for a higher quality paper, such as 100% recycled paper or premium 120 gsm stock. This will really elevate your business in the eyes of your consumers.

Take Promotional Materials Up a Notch

If you have something that your business wants to promote, such as:
1) New products or services
2) An upcoming event, such as an end-of-season sale
3) A special discount or promotion, such as “buy one, get one free”
Custom envelopes can create the perfect promotional package for your customers. You can include flyers and other promotional materials inside the envelope, or use them as part of a direct mail campaign to drive people to your website where they can learn more.

Your clients and customers will immediately know who their mail is from as soon as they see the envelope, making them less likely to accidentally discard it as junk. You can also include a link to your website directly on the envelope itself, or a phone number for your customers to discuss the promotion with you.

Better Protect Your Mailings

At 123Print, all of our custom envelopes are fashioned from a high-quality and fully opaque paper stock, so you can rest assured that your customers’ privacy will remain intact. Unlike standard or budget envelopes that may be thin enough to read details through the paper, or that contain see-through windows to expose the information inside, our custom envelopes do not.

If you’re sending documents such as invoices or payment reminders, or documents containing your customers’ personal details, your recipient will feel assured that their private mailings have been handled sensitively.

Choose the Eco-Friendly Option

When ordering custom envelopes for your small business, you have the option of selecting 100% recycled paper for your envelopes. Choose this option and you can be sure your custom envelopes are created in an eco-conscious way that doesn’t damage, pollute or ransack natural resources. You simply won’t get this choice if you’re buying standard, off-the-shelf envelopes.

Furthermore, our premium recycled paper doesn’t sacrifice any quality whatsoever – your customers won’t be able to tell the difference, so you don’t have to worry about recycled paper altering the public perception of your business.

Make Communicating Easier

Because all of your relevant contact information is already printed on the envelope – such as your address, telephone number and e-mail address, if you wish – you won’t have to worry about your customers or clients forgetting your telephone number, or struggling to get in touch.

All they’ll have to do is read the outside of the envelope to instantly know who you are, what you do, and how to communicate with you. Why not order several different customised envelopes for each member of staff at your company, so they can each send out mailings with their personal e-mail address?

Save Time and Money

Our high-quality custom envelopes can be purchased at a discount if you buy in bulk, and this will help you save money over the long term compared to buying small packets of envelopes at your local stationery shop. It’ll also help you avoid the hassle of creating and printing your envelopes, which means you won’t have to pay for ink or toner, paper, and other supplies.

Furthermore, you won’t have to spend the time applying return address labels, or hand-writing the return address onto every envelope that you send out. Think of how much manpower, time and effort you can save just by using this simple piece of customised business stationery!

Where Can I Buy Custom Envelopes for My Business?

If you are a small business owner, it’s essential to project a professional image whenever possible. The right kind of envelope used within your marketing campaigns can help reinforce the image that you want your business to present. It will also help build trust among customers, and increase awareness about your company and your services.

At 123Print, we offer a wide variety of custom envelope templates to suit any profession or area of expertise. Choose between standard and 100% recycled paper options, or upgrade to our premium 120 gsm paper for a luxury feel. All of our envelope templates can be fully customised to accommodate your business name, address and other details of your choice. And with our bulk discount, the more you order, the more you save!

If you are interested in custom envelopes or have any queries or questions, visit us online and chat to one of our helpful staff for more information. And rest assured that we have a 100% satisfaction guarantee, so you can order in the comfort of knowing that we won’t be happy until you are!

The 9 Steps to Planning the Perfect Christmas

Christmas Cards, ,

Christmas is everyone’s favourite time of year – many would say that the food, decorations, Christmas music and presents are what help make it so magical. There’s really no better way to get into the spirit of the festive season than by hosting your very own Christmas party!

With Christmas approaching much faster than most of us would like to admit, it’s time to start planning your festive bash. And you can never start too early! Whether you’re hosting a family gathering, work function or just want to celebrate with your friends, there’s a lot to do. It can be easy to lose track of everything you have to organise before the big day, and just how long it will take.

In this guide, we’re going to be sharing the 9 steps to planning the perfect Christmas party, no matter what kind of celebration you’re having. These top tips will help you create an unforgettable event.

1. Choose a Suitable Date

Christmas Day is usually spent with family, so unless your Christmas party is for your close family, December 25th is probably not the best date on which to host it. Similarly, avoid Boxing Day as most families prefer to spend this day relaxing from the chaos of the day before.

A great day for a Christmas party would be a Friday or Saturday evening in December. These days work the best as most of your guests won’t have to work the next day – and Christmas parties simply aren’t the same without the opportunity to have a few drinks and let off some steam.

The most important thing you can do is give yourself plenty of time to plan your Christmas party. At the very least, start planning six months before the event date! That way you have enough time to get everything done and work out how much it will cost.

2. Pick the Perfect Party Venue

You might already know where you want to host your party, but if not, now is the time to decide.
Of course, if you’re hosting the party at your home, this isn’t something you need to worry about. But if you’re booking a venue, you’ll need to do this surprisingly far in advance. Though it sounds far-fetched, many popular party venues often get booked up months in advance for weekends in December.

Some popular types of Christmas party venues include:
1) Hotel function rooms
2) Town and village halls
3) Ballrooms and meeting rooms
4) Private hireable rooms at restaurants and pubs
5) Private rooms at sports clubs, conservative clubs, etc.

Whichever venue you choose, it should be in a convenient location for your guests to travel to, and be large enough to accommodate everyone you’re thinking of inviting.
Be sure to book your venue before you send out the all-important party invitations (more on that now). Otherwise, you’re putting the cart before the horse: you need to make sure the venue is free on your chosen date!

3. Order Personalised Christmas Party Invitations

Many people tend to underestimate the importance of paper party invitations, but they’re really a great way for your friends and family to know about what’s in store! Not only does sending out invites save you from having to phone all of your guests individually with details, they also help set the tone of your party, and create excitement before the big day.

It’s always better to design your own personalised party invitations, rather than picking up a generic pack of invites at a party supply shop. Not only do you not have to write them by hand, but you can choose from a huge range of templates and pick a style that suits the exact theme and aesthetic you’re going for. You can also edit the wording, font and colour scheme easily using our online editor.

It’s good form to let your guests know about your plans well in advance. If you’re hosting an open house that anyone can attend, then send out invites at least three weeks before hand with directions and a map of where you live. If you’re inviting only your family then email them well in advance and make sure they know what to bring.

4. Plan Your Menu Wisely

Christmas is all about indulging, so don’t scrimp on food at your party! If you’re having a buffet, make sure there is plenty of variety to suit different tastes. If you’re going with plated meals, you can’t go wrong with the classic Christmas roast dinner, with turkey, stuffing, roast potatoes and all the trimmings. When it comes to the pudding, a traditional Christmas cake is always a winner – or you could go-all out with a profiterole tower!

You can either make the food yourself – in which case, try to choose dishes that can be prepared in advance, so that you can space out the cooking a little – or hire a caterer to provide the food. This is going to be more expensive, but it’ll take away a lot of stress, so it’s a worthy trade-off.

Importantly, make sure that you accommodate guests with special dietary requirements. If there are any vegetarians or vegans in attendance, ensure they get their share of meat-free dishes – and make sure those on a gluten-free diet don’t miss out either!

You can leave a space on your RSVP cards for your guests to list their allergies, intolerances and preferences. Alternatively, you can add a note at the bottom of your invitation asking guests to contact you if they have any dietary requirements.

5. Serve a Range of Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic Drinks

Christmas is all about having a good time, so don’t forget to provide drinks for everyone! If your venue has a bar, you won’t need to worry about this. But if not, time to start buying and storing your drinks in advance.
A lot of people drink alcohol at Christmas parties, so it’s good to have a range of different options at your guests’ disposal. Consider serving a selection of:

1) Beer
2) Champagne or prosecco
3) Wines (especially mulled wine)
4) Cider (mulled cider is also a great Christmas drink)
5) Spirits (including the classic Irish cream liqueur)
6) Egg nog

It’s always nice to have non-alcoholic options available too. There will be several guests who won’t be drinking – mainly because they’re underage or driving. Make sure to stock your venue with plenty of soft drinks, such as sparkling apple juice, grape juice, and cola.

6. Choose Your Christmas Party Activities

You’re going to need to plan something to do at the party (other than eat and drink). Christmas party activities are a great way to keep everyone entertained. Some examples of Christmas party activities include:

1) Christmas quiz: find out how much your guests know about Christmas. Can they name all of Santa’s reindeer? Do they remember what was gifted on the 8th Day of Christmas? Give a prize to whoever gets the most answers right (like a chocolate Santa)!
2) Dressing up contest: offer a prize to the best-dressed guest (Christmas themed outfits required, of course)
3) White Elephant gift exchange: each guest brings one wrapped present to the party, up to a certain value. Everyone takes turns drawing a present from the pile to open (and keep). Funny and ironic gifts (like ugly Christmas jumpers) are particularly well appreciated!
4) Christmas taboo: as each guest enters the venue, have them take a clothes peg and attach it to their top. Then tell everyone that they aren’t allowed to say the word “Christmas” all night. If anyone is caught saying Christmas, whoever catches them gets to steal their clothes peg. At the end of the night, whoever has the most pegs is the winner!

You could even incorporate some classic parlour games, such as charades, sardines, and “squeak piggy squeak”. If your guests are board game fans, you could even break out the Monpoly (if you dare)!

7. Hire Live Music

A Christmas party wouldn’t be the same without some festive music! If you can spare the cash, find out if there are any local carol singers or live bands that are available on the dates that suit you best, and hire them for an hour or two to entertain your guests.

If live music is out of your budget (or simply not up your street), you could always hire a DJ instead to play the Christmas classics, with some classic rock or pop mixed in. Otherwise, invest in a good sound system and simply set up a playlist to regale you all with festive tunes.

You could even host a Christmas karaoke competition – ideal for once the mulled wine has started flowing and everyone’s feeling a bit “merry”!

8. Plan the Festive Décor

It simply isn’t a Christmas party without gaudy, glittery decorations all around the room. There are lots of different types of Christmas decorations available – you can either buy them or hire them for your event. The great thing is that you’ve probably already got boxes of Christmas gear up in your loft to put to good use!

Of course, a Christmas tree is absolutely essential. It doesn’t need to be a real tree; plastic is perfectly fine, just as long as it’s bedazzled to the hilt with baubles, tinsel and ornaments. Festive wreaths and garlands, to be strung along the walls, are also very popular. Add some fake snow, fake presents and some fairy lights and you’re good to go.
And whatever you do, don’t forget the Christmas crackers! These cheap but cheerful little Christmas necessities should not be underestimated – they’re really fun for children and adults alike. The classic “cracker jokes” cause laughs and groans all round, and there’s no more Christmassy feeling than putting on your paper hat.

Ask your venue whether you can get access the day before (or several hours before) your party. This will give you enough time to set up all the decorations, as well as prepare the food, drink and activities.

9. Organise Transport Home

This step is optional, strictly speaking. But if you know that plenty of your guests are going to want to have a drink at your party, it would be nice of you to organise some way of getting everybody home afterwards. This is a particularly kind gesture if your party is going to be held somewhere “off the beaten track”, or if parking is scarce.

This might be as simple as booking a few taxis in advance, or you could go all-out and hire a coach to drop everyone off. Just make sure to be a responsible host and keep everyone who’s had a drink away from their car keys!

We hope this guide has helped you on your way to planning the perfect Christmas party. When you’re ready to order your Christmas invitations and RSVP cards, head over to 123Print to find a huge range of fully customisable templates, all with