Office Christmas Party Guide

Christmas season is fast approaching so let the fun and festivities begin!!

So you’re the one in charge of organising your office Christmas party but you’re unsure where to start? Be safe in the knowledge that you’re not alone. Your office Christmas party is usually an event all your colleagues are looking forward to so here are my tips on how to create a party that will not disappoint!

It’s never too early..

The last thing you need in December is the stress of planning a last-minute Christmas Party as well as keeping on top of your day job. It’s never too early to start planning, the earlier you get organised the more options you will have. 

Pick a date…

Firstly, it is always a great idea to get a date locked in everyone’s diary. Having a date sorted as early as possible gives people a chance to plan around the event rather than trying to squeeze it in alongside other Christmas festivities. If you plan early enough then you are more likely to have a great turnout!

Agree a budget …

The next important step is to agree a budget with the powers that be. You may have some amazing and outrageous plans all for them to be blown out the window so it’s a good idea to keep your ideas on the down low until your budget has been signed off to avoid disappointment.

Choose a theme…

It is important to categorise/set a theme for your Christmas party.  You need to consider your audience mix…consider male / female ratio, age of your guests and the general culture of your company.

Do you want to focus on the food, the booze, the venue or the dancing? Deciding what type of Christmas party you want to throw is also really helpful when selecting a venue. There are lots of different options to choose from but with many event companies out there offering assistance, it can take away lots of the hard work. Some smaller companies opt for a shared Christmas party which is a great and cost-effective way put on a high quality do and it also gives you a chance to network with other companies, whilst other prefer something a bit more private. Both options work really well, it's totally a matter of preference.

Select your venue…

As well as having your date locked in early it’s important to source your venue. Christmas is the busiest time of year for many London venues so putting feelers out in August even though that may seem ridiculous, it’s not! Booking your venue early gives you the widest choice rather than what’s left available. Check out some of my favourite London venues that would be perfect for Christmas parties.

Entertain your guests…

Now you just need to choose the perfect Christmas party entertainment to complete the celebrations! Having performed at hundreds of Christmas parties throughout my career as a corporate magician, I can tell you first-hand how well it works to bring something a little different into the mix. It’s hard not to get snowed under with so many options out there, so I have compiled a list of ideas sure to get everyone into the festive spirit!

Pre-dinner entertainment:

• Photo backdrop

• Celebrity meet and greet

• Roaming artists: magicians (of course!), mind-readers, pickpockets, roaming band

• Background music: DJ, jazz band, pianist

• Interactive games: Fun fair games, quiz

During Dinner entertainment:

• Roaming artists - approach tables in between the dinner’s courses and perform for the guests creating a talking point and bringing something a little different

• Cabaret Show – a live cabaret can be one of the best ways to entertain a large group throughout the celebration meal

• Live music - themed bands, acoustic, singers with backing tracks, tribute acts

Post dinner entertainment:

• Casino - combines well with a disco and your guests can play as and when they choose too

• Live party band/Disco – who doesn’t like dancing?

• Awards ceremony – this can be a great morale builder and is personal to your group, it’s also a great opportunity to recognise people in front of a larger crowd

• Stage show - can include dance, exciting stunts, circus acts, singing, comedy or magic

Book me for your Christmas party…around tables for Christmas dinners giving each group a private performance.

Magic and Christmas go hand in hand and December dates do get booked up very early! My close-up act can be performed at standing drinks receptions, Christmas Balls or around tables for Christmas dinners giving each group a private performance. My stage show is perfect for after dinner and pre-dinner entertainment, or can even be performed between the courses of a meal.

 To reserve me to dazzle your guests at your Christmas party, please contact Natalie on +44 (0) 20 7164 6542 or email her on  info@katherinemills.co.uk 

The Next Great Magician

Here's a clip of my performance for The Next Great Magician which aired in November 2016 on ITV1. This was so much fun to shoot, I hope you enjoy it!

Genie Magazine Feature

I was thrilled to be featured on the cover of Genie - The Conjuror's Magazine, earlier this year. The interview, with David Brittland, is covered on a 14-page spread, in which we talk about my journey as a Magician, where it all began, the high's and low's of my career and my experience of working in the magic industry. 

25 Years of Women in the Magic Circle

The Magic Circle is celebrating 25 years of allowing women to be members. In 1991, 75% of members voted to include women in the membership. Today, there are over 1500 members, but still only 68 of these are women.

An event was held at The Magic Circle to celebrate this milestone, at which myself and some of fellow female magician friends performed at. It was really exciting to see how far women have come, in only a short amount of time, in this art form.

Associate of The Inner Magic Circle

On the 1st July 2016, I was awarded the degree of ‘Associate of the Inner Magic Circle with Silver Star’. This is such an honour, and I am so pleased to receive this, especially as it’s this year that we celebrate 25 years of women in The Magic Circle!

Amsterdam

I recently performed at a 25th birthday party at the National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam. The guests arrived on boats to the exquisite museum, as a live orchestra played.

As always, Amsterdam is such a beautiful city to visit with it's pretty canals, colourful markets and interesting history.

'The Next Great Magician' - ITV

Earlier this year, I filmed for a new ITV magic show, ‘The Next Great Magician’. This series features the world’s best magicians performing their greatest tricks, as they compete to be crowned ‘The Next Great Magician’.

It’ll be coming to your TV this winter from Sunday 6th November. You can see my episode on the 13th on ITV!

Magic & Mixology at The Vaults

This Saturday night at The Vaults in Waterloo, I will be performing alongside Brendan Rodrigues  and Tony Middleton (Headliner of 'The Magic Hour') at this Magic & Mixology event.

"Following its sell-out success, Magic + Mixology returns to the Vaults. In a world of camera tricks, clever lighting and deceptive editing, the best way to experience top-class magic is up close - right in front of your eyes. Step into an underground world of liquor and legerdemain and experience the impossible in your own hands. Witness an hour of top class magic at 7, 8 or 9pm and enjoy the rest of the evening in the atmospheric Vaults bar with exclusive magic cocktails." 

There are still tickets available here!

Which?

The famous British 'Which?' charity asked me to assist them in raising awareness of scams, and how easy it is to fall prey to them.

"Which? exists to make individuals as powerful as the organisations they deal with in their daily lives and we seek to achieve this in a number of ways: our advice helps them make informed decisions; our campaigns make people's lives fairer, simpler and safer; and our services and products put consumers' needs first to bring them better value." 

We produced a series of videos, and you can see one here!