You’ve picked a date. You have the guest list in order. The next step is sending out the holiday party invitations! But before you do that, there are a few things to take into account. We cover all the basics and give you expert tips on how to make your invitations memorable long after the party is over.
What to include In Your Invitations
When sending out company holiday party invitations, you need to include the Who, What, When, Where, and Why. You’ll also want to let your guests know any special information about things like the theme of the party or if you have a gift exchange.
What?
The what is pretty self-explanatory. What is the event? It could be a Christmas murder mystery party, outing, potluck, etc. You’ll want to give your guests an idea of what they can expect so they can be prepared if it’s a corporate event, you may want to provide a summary of the agenda.
When?
This is probably the most important part of the invitation. You’ll want to include the date and time of the event, as well as any other pertinent information. Save-the-date postcards are a good idea if you have people traveling from out of town so they can schedule ahead of time.
Where?
Include the location. This will be a deciding factor in people’s decision to attend, especially if it’s out of town. If it’s a physical location, you might want to add a little information about the surrounding area. If it’s a virtual event, be sure to include any links or passwords people will need to join.
Why?
The why is optional, but if you have a good reason for hosting the event, you might want to include it. For example, “In honor of our 10-year anniversary” or “To raise money for charity.”
Additional Information
This is where you can put anything else that might be pertinent. Most of the time, this has to do with the theme of the party. You will want to let your guests know what to wear and what to bring. Examples include:
- Dress Code
- Games and Activities
- What to Bring
- Cancellation Policy
- Pets Policy
- How to access information online (apps, websites, etc.)
RSVP
Put contact information for the party, such as phone or email. You can also include an RSVP date. If you want people to RSVP through a specific website or app, be sure to include that information as well.
EVites and Digital Platforms
There are a lot of popular event websites and RSVP sites that allow you to do everything from design and putting up a webpage to finding holiday-themed designs for your emails and paper invitations. Or you can create your own full-blown website for the party. These platforms also help you send out physical invitations and sell or give away tickets. Some of our favorites are:
- Evite
- Greenvelope
- Punchbowl
- Etsy
- Paperless Post
- Eventbrite
- Eventzilla
- Cvent
- Whova
Printed Invitations
Everybody loves to get stuff in the mail! You can use your own computer and printer or go old school and hand write them. Teaser postcards with a catchy phrase like “Don’t get left out in the cold” with a snowman or some holiday scenery are also a good way to generate interest and get people excited about the party. You can even buy pre-printed invitations and fill in the blanks yourself.
Homemade Invitations
If you are crafty, homemade holiday party invites can be a fun way to show a personal touch. Another option is to hire a professional to do calligraphy or design and print the invitations for you. Hiring a professional will be more expensive than any of the other options, so make sure you know exactly what you want before you order.
Designing Holiday Party Invitations
The design of the invite can set the tone for the entire event. Is it a humorous and quirky celebration? No matter what the theme is, the graphic design makes a difference between a memorable invitation and one that’s just “meh.”
Online Software for Design
Not an artist? Join the club. Graphic design is a challenge in itself. The good news is that there are a ton of tools and software that anybody can use to make beautiful designs without a lick of artistic talent.
While Adobe Indesign and Photoshop are great, they have steep learning curves. The following software can help bring your vision to life without having to spend hours learning a new program. There are tons of free and cheap templates online for each of these platforms.
- Canva
- Adobe Spark
- Visme
- Crello
- Stencil
- Snappa
- Pixlr X
Now that you have all the information you need to create the perfect holiday party invitation, it’s time to get creative! Start by thinking about your guests and what will appeal to them. From there, it’s all about putting your own spin on traditional designs or coming up with something completely new. With so many tools and software at your disposal, you are bound to come up with something amazing as long as you give it some thought. So, get out your thinking cap and start brainstorming!
