Planning a Holiday Party in Norman, OK? Here Are 7 Things to Do Before You Book
Planning a holiday party should be enjoyable and smooth, so starting early with a few key decisions can help you feel confident and in control.
Whether you are planning a company holiday party, team-building event, or end-of-year celebration in Norman, OK, thinking through these seven things before you book can make the entire process easier.
1. Choose a Few Possible Dates and Times
The first step is to get an idea of when you want to have your party.
Can you host it during the workday or at the end of the workday? Do you want to bring everyone in outside of work hours?
Have a few dates and times in mind so that, whatever holiday party venue you select, you can check availability first. During the holiday season, finding the right date may be the trickiest part.
2. Decide Who You Want to Invite
Deciding who the party will include is a meaningful step that can make your guests feel valued.
Will it be staff only, or could you include family members, vendors, or top customers as a way to show appreciation?
Knowing your guest list also helps determine how much space you need, how many activities to plan, and what type of food and drinks will work best for your group.
3. Think About the Space and Experience You Need
Another consideration is what you will be doing and what type of space you need.
Are you planning a gift exchange and want to use our meeting room? Asking Santa to stop by? Would you like everyone to receive a couple of drink tickets and enjoy delicious custom catering?
Knowing how you want the event to flow helps us place your group in the best spaces at Sooner Bowling Center.
Our event options can include bowling, private meeting space, arcade games, Escape Sooner, food, drinks, and additional catering.
4. Decide What You Want Your Holiday Party to Accomplish
Is your event focused on team building, celebrating a great year, showing appreciation, or simply bringing everyone together?
How would you like to spoil them?
Treating your guests to amazing food catered by Social Butterfly Catering is a great way to make the event feel special.
Our catering division can provide everything from light snacks like chips, queso, dips, and appetizers to a full buffet lunch or dinner, or even a fun dessert bar that everyone will love.
Showing appreciation with food, especially around the holidays, can go a long way.
5. Know Your Budget
On that note, knowing your budget helps.
One of the first questions we ask is, “Do you know what you want to spend?”
We ask so we can help you get the most fun and value from your budget.
Consider your overall budget and prioritize activities, food, drinks, meeting space, and catering options accordingly.
There is also value in knowing that you can make the big approval decisions without having to manage every small detail of the event yourself.
6. Choose Activities That Keep Your Guests Engaged
Once you have a date and time secured, you can start thinking about the fun part.
Most parties are better when participants can keep moving, so choose activities that engage your people.
Consider your guests’ demographics and interests. Would they enjoy bowling, escape rooms, arcade games, or a combination of activities?
At Sooner Bowling Center, we suggest no more than four people per lane so turns move quickly.
You can even add your own challenges, such as requiring everyone to bowl with their opposite hand during the fifth frame, to make the experience even more engaging.
If you have a smaller group and more time, consider incorporating an Escape Sooner experience.
An escape room is a great way to build team cohesion organically. Nothing says “work together” quite like spending 60 minutes in a room trying to figure out how to escape.
If pure fun is what you are after, book bowling lanes and add arcade game cards for even more friendly competition.
7. Make Planning Easier by Keeping More of Your Event in One Place
One of the easiest ways to simplify a company holiday party is to reduce the number of venues and vendors you have to coordinate.
At Sooner Bowling Center, your group can bowl, take on an Escape Sooner adventure, enjoy food and drinks, gather in a private meeting space, and arrange additional catering through Social Butterfly Catering, all with fewer vendors and less running around.
Whether you are looking for a holiday party venue in Norman, a corporate team-building experience, or a customizable celebration for your staff, we can help you create an event that fits your group.
Ready to Start Planning Your Holiday Party?
Let us help you build a holiday event your team will actually look forward to.
From bowling and arcade games to meeting space, Escape Sooner, food, drinks, and full-service catering, we can help you put the pieces together in one place.
Located at 550 24th Ave NW, Norman, OK 73069. Visit us today!
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