To plan a Christmas party for employees’ children, start with the families attending: how many adults and children are coming, the children’s ages, and what will make the day easy for them to enjoy. Then build your venue, budget and entertainment plans around that information.
For an employer, HR team or social committee, there are a few details that deserve particular attention. A staff headcount will not tell you how much space you need. One activity may not suit every age. And a visit to Santa needs enough time for each family.
This checklist takes you through those decisions, from the first invitation to the final arrangements, so you can put together a company family Christmas celebration with a clear plan.
1. Agree who the celebration is for
Before approaching venues or sending invitations, agree the scope of the event internally. Is it for employees and their children? Are partners or other accompanying adults included? What age range will the children’s programme cover?
Make those details clear in the invitation so employees can decide whether the event suits their family. Include colleagues working remotely, across different sites or on shifts in your communications.
Choose one company organiser to keep the plan up to date and one person who can approve spending. This gives your venue and entertainment provider a clear point of contact as decisions are made.
2. Count adults, children and family groups separately
For a company children’s Christmas party, you need more than the number of employees who have accepted.
For example, 20 employees each attending with another adult and two children would mean 80 guests. The number of family groups also matters if you are arranging Santa visits or allocating arrival times.
Your RSVP should establish:
- The employee’s name and a contact for the booking.
- The number of adults and children attending.
- The children’s age groups, using bands that suit your planned programme.
- The family’s preferred session, if you are offering more than one.
- A private way to discuss dietary, access or sensory requirements with the organiser.
Only ask for details you need to organise the event. Where two employees belong to the same family, make sure their guests are counted once. Set an RSVP deadline that leaves time to confirm catering, gifts and activity numbers with your suppliers.
3. Choose a time that works for families
Consider travel, shift patterns and existing commitments before choosing the date and time. If there are several realistic options, a short expression-of-interest form can help you understand which would allow more families to attend.
Give the event a clear start and finish. If younger children are attending, allow families some flexibility to take a break or leave before the end without missing every shared moment.
For a larger attendance, separate sessions may be worth exploring. Each session needs its own capacity limit, with time between groups for clearing, resetting and staff breaks.
4. Plan around the age mix
A room of preschool children needs a different approach from a group that also includes older siblings. Use the responses from employees to shape the programme before committing to individual activities.
Think about a balance of moments families can enjoy together and activities they can choose between. Younger children may need more help getting involved, while older children may appreciate something they can take part in more independently.
Ask how each proposed activity works for the ages attending, how many children can participate at once and what others can do while waiting. Make room for children who would prefer to watch before joining in.
For the available shows, activities and levels of support, explore our company children’s Christmas party options. Sharing your expected age mix helps us discuss what could suit your families.
5. Check the space from a family’s point of view
Your workplace may be an option if it has a suitable canteen, meeting area or event space. An external venue may offer a clearer separation from the working day. In either case, look at the actual room and how families will move through it.
Consider the arrival point, space for buggies and coats, seating for adults, toilet and changing facilities, and somewhere quieter to step away from the main activity. Keep food service and queues from blocking movement between areas.
If you are using company premises, agree which areas guests can access and how the event will be separated from ongoing work.
Our guide to Christmas party venues in Cork offers broader starting points for a venue search. For this event, confirm family suitability and your proposed activities directly with each venue.
6. Allow enough time for Santa visits
If Santa is part of the celebration, work out the time required before promising every family a visit within a short window.
As an illustration, 30 family visits at four minutes each would take two hours before changeovers and breaks. Agree the actual visit length and format with your provider; the calculation is there to test whether your plan fits.
Decide whether visits are organised by family or by child, how families will know when it is their turn, and what they can enjoy in the meantime. Avoid scheduling a family’s visit during the one show everyone wants to see.
Leave room for children who need a little more time or would prefer to watch from a distance. A clear queue system and a flexible approach can make this part of the day more comfortable for families.
7. Separate the event budget from the gift budget
Build your budget around the whole event: space, entertainment, food, equipment, staffing, decorations and any photography you choose. Then account for gifts separately, based on the agreed number of children and your approach to age groups.
Confirm who will source, wrap, label, transport and distribute gifts. Agree a consistent approach to late registrations and children who cannot attend, so the organiser is not making those decisions during the party.
Ask suppliers to show what is included in their quotes. A Santa appearance, grotto, gifts and photography can be separate elements; confirm the scope you are booking in writing.
8. Agree responsibilities before the invitations go out
Be clear about who is welcoming families, coordinating suppliers, keeping the programme on time and handling questions on the day.
Agree supervision arrangements with your venue and providers, then explain them clearly to parents and carers. Do not assume that booking an entertainer also provides childcare. State whether an accompanying adult must remain with their children throughout the event.
If photography is planned, explain how it will work and how images are intended to be used. Give families a contact to discuss their preferences before the day.
9. Send families the practical details
A useful reminder helps parents arrive knowing what to expect. Include:
- The address, entrance, parking or drop-off arrangements.
- Their session and arrival time, if applicable, plus the finish time.
- What food and refreshments are provided.
- Any clothing or footwear guidance relevant to the chosen activities.
- The arrangements for Santa visits and gifts, if included.
- The supervision arrangements and a contact for questions or changes.
A brief outline of the day can also help parents prepare children who prefer to know what will happen. Share the same final timings with your venue, entertainment provider and company organisers.
Your final planning checklist
Before confirming the final arrangements, check that you have:
- An agreed guest list: adults, children, age groups and family bookings reconciled.
- A suitable space: the layout works for activities, seating, food and movement.
- A realistic programme: visits, shows and activities fit without avoidable clashes or long waits.
- A complete budget: supplier inclusions and any gifts or extras are accounted for.
- Clear responsibilities: company organisers, providers and accompanying adults know their roles.
- A family update: everyone has the details they need to arrive and take part.
Keep one current version of the plan and circulate any changes to the people affected. After the event, record what worked and what you would adjust; it gives next year’s organiser a useful starting point.
Get support with your company’s family Christmas celebration
Planning a Christmas celebration for your employees and their families in Cork? Celebs Entertainment can help with entertainment at your workplace or chosen venue, or discuss support coordinating the wider event.
Tell us your preferred date, location, approximate adult and child numbers, and the children’s age mix. We can discuss suitable options and the level of support you need.
Explore our company family Christmas party services and enquire about your event.