Make This Year’s Company Holiday Party Feel Like a Celebration

Planning a corporate holiday party in Central Connecticut

September has a way of putting everyone back into planning mode. Summer vacations are winding down, schedules are filling up again, and businesses are looking ahead to everything that needs to happen before the end of the year. It may feel early to start thinking about the company holiday party, but if you want your choice of dates, the right space and enough time to create an event people will genuinely enjoy, this is exactly when the planning should begin.

And there is something special about Shuttle Meadow during the holidays.

The Clubhouse feels warm and inviting, the rooms lend themselves beautifully to the season, and the entire setting has a sense of occasion that is difficult to recreate in an office or the back room of a restaurant. For companies looking for a corporate holiday party venue in Central Connecticut, Shuttle Meadow offers the opportunity to step away from the everyday and give employees a celebration that actually feels like one.

After a year of meetings, deadlines, projects and long days, the company holiday party should not feel like another work obligation. It should feel like a genuine thank you. It is a chance to bring people together, recognize what has been accomplished and spend time with colleagues in a completely different setting.

Whether that means cocktails and conversation, a beautiful dinner, music and dancing, employee awards or simply a relaxed evening together, the right venue sets the tone from the moment everyone arrives.

At Shuttle Meadow Country Club in Kensington, we know how much goes into creating that kind of evening. We also know that the person charged with planning the company party probably has plenty of other things to do. Starting the conversation in September gives you time to choose the right date, think through the details and actually enjoy the process rather than scrambling to pull everything together when the holidays are already underway.

Because a successful holiday event is about much more than providing a room. It is about creating an experience that feels right for your company, and making it easy to get there.

Start With a Space That Feels Like an Occasion

One of the reasons a country club works so well for a corporate holiday party is simple: it feels special.

Your employees spend enough time at work. Holding the annual celebration in another conference room or squeezing everyone into the back of a busy restaurant does not necessarily create the sense of occasion you want at the end of the year.

Shuttle Meadow offers something different. Tucked away in Kensington on nearly 400 acres, the Club feels like a destination while remaining conveniently located for companies and employees throughout Berlin, New Britain, Newington, Farmington, West Hartford, Southington, Plainville, Bristol, Rocky Hill, Cromwell and Central Connecticut. And once guests arrive, they can leave the workday behind.

During the holidays, the warmth and character of the Clubhouse create a natural backdrop for a celebration. You can dress things up for an elegant evening or keep the atmosphere relaxed and social. Either way, it feels like an event rather than simply a reservation.

Your Holiday Party Should Fit Your Company

One of the first questions companies ask when looking for a corporate holiday party venue in Connecticut is how many guests a space can accommodate. That is important, but there is another question we think matters just as much: How do you want the party to feel?

A gathering for 25 executives should not feel like a scaled-down version of a party for 200 employees. Likewise, a large company celebration needs enough room for people to move, mingle and enjoy themselves without losing the warmth that makes a holiday party fun.

Shuttle Meadow offers a variety of spaces that allow us to accommodate intimate company dinners as well as larger corporate celebrations. Events can be catered for up to 150 guests, but the goal is never simply to fit everyone into a room. We want the space to work for the experience you are trying to create.

That might be cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvres followed by dinner. It could be a holiday luncheon for the entire staff, an evening with music and dancing, a year-end awards dinner or an employee appreciation event that includes spouses and significant others. Some companies want a traditional holiday celebration, while others are looking for something more casual and contemporary.

There is no single formula for a great company party, and there should not be.

Good Food Matters, Especially at the Holidays

When people talk about a holiday party afterward, the food almost always comes up.

At a country club, dining and hospitality are already part of what we do. That is an important distinction when comparing a private club with a traditional rental hall or event space where food and service may be secondary to the room itself.

At Shuttle Meadow, your menu can become part of the personality of the evening. Depending on the event you envision, that could mean cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, a seated dinner or a different dining format that works for your group. Dietary needs and guest preferences can also be discussed as part of the planning process.

Food should not simply check a box on the holiday party planning list. It should be one of the things your guests enjoy and remember.

The same is true of service. You should be able to enjoy your own company celebration rather than spending the night worrying about whether dinner is coming out, where people should sit or what happens next.

Let Someone Else Worry About the Details

If you are the person responsible for planning your company’s holiday party, you probably did not suddenly become an event planner when someone handed you the assignment. You may be an office manager, HR professional, executive assistant, business owner or member of the leadership team. You already have a job. That is why having an experienced team at the venue matters.

There are plenty of details to consider when planning a company holiday party in Connecticut:

• How should the room be arranged, and when should cocktails begin?
• Do you want a seated dinner or something more casual?
• Will there be a DJ or other entertainment?
• Are you recognizing employees or giving awards?
• Do you need space for a presentation, gifts or a company year-in-review?
• What about dietary restrictions, timing, setup and all of the little things you may not think about until the date gets closer?

Those conversations are much easier when you have someone at the Club helping you work through them.

Our team knows the spaces, understands how events flow and can help you think about what will work best for your particular group. You can come to us with a fully developed plan or simply tell us, “We want to do something really nice for our employees this year.” We can start there.

Give People a Chance to Enjoy Each Other

There is a reason companies continue to make room in their budgets and calendars for holiday parties. They matter.

People who communicate all year through meetings, emails, Teams calls and quick conversations in the hallway finally have an opportunity to sit together without a deadline attached. New employees get to know longtime members of the team. Different departments mix. Spouses and significant others may finally meet the people they have heard about all year.

A holiday party can do something that another team meeting cannot. It allows relationships to form outside of the work itself.

That is one of the things we love about hosting these events at Shuttle Meadow. Once people settle in, you can feel the evening change. The workday gives way to conversation. People linger over dinner. They laugh. They catch up. They celebrate. That is what the night is supposed to be about.

What Should You Ask When Choosing a Holiday Party Venue?

If you are comparing corporate event venues in Central Connecticut, there are practical questions you should ask before reserving a date:

• How many guests can the venue comfortably accommodate?
• What is included?
• What food and beverage options are available?
• Is there convenient parking?
• Can dietary restrictions be accommodated?
• Is there room for entertainment or dancing?
• Can you hold an awards presentation?
• How much time is available for the event?
• When does the venue need a final guest count, and what is required to reserve the date?

You should also ask a question that is harder to put on a checklist: Can I picture my people here?

Walk into the room. Imagine it dressed for the holidays. Think about your employees arriving, having a drink, sitting down together and enjoying the evening. If you can see the party taking shape, you are probably in the right place.

Don’t Wait Until the Holidays to Plan the Holidays

One of the most common questions people ask is, “How early should I book a company holiday party?” If you want your choice of dates, the answer is sooner rather than later.

In fact, any corporate event or company outing is best booked well in advance. You can read more in our post on planning corporate meetings and events in Central Connecticut.

November and December may seem a long way off in September, but the number of desirable holiday party dates is actually fairly limited. Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings can fill quickly, particularly as businesses, families and organizations all begin planning seasonal events.

Starting now gives you more choices and more time to plan the details without adding another last-minute job to an already busy December.

It is also worth thinking beyond the traditional Friday-night-in-December holiday party. A Thursday evening can be a great option. Holiday luncheons work particularly well for some companies, and November celebrations allow you to get ahead of the busiest part of the season. We are also big fans of the January celebration.

For companies with a hectic December, a January employee appreciation party or company kickoff event can be even better. Everyone’s calendar is a little quieter, and the evening can become both a celebration of what your team accomplished and a toast to the year ahead.

The holidays are really about bringing people together. The calendar does not get to decide when you do that.

Take the Office Party Out of the Office

There are plenty of places in Connecticut where you can reserve a room and serve dinner. A great holiday party should be more than that.

It should feel warm when people walk through the door. The food should be something they look forward to. The room should feel festive. The service should allow everyone, including the person who planned the event, to relax and enjoy the evening.

Most of all, your employees should leave feeling appreciated. That is what we want a company holiday party at Shuttle Meadow to be.

If you are searching for a corporate holiday party venue near Berlin, Kensington, New Britain, Newington, Farmington, West Hartford, Southington, Rocky Hill, Cromwell or elsewhere in Central Connecticut, come see Shuttle Meadow before you decide.

Walk through our event spaces. Tell us about your company and the kind of celebration you have in mind. Ask questions, explore the possibilities and see what the Club feels like for yourself.

Your team has spent the year taking care of business. Let us help you take care of the celebration.

Shuttle Meadow Country Club
51 Randecker Lane
Kensington, Connecticut 06037