As we close in on Christmas Party season, many small businesses struggle with coming up with a Christmas party idea that isn’t just ‘taking everyone to lunch or dinner’. Parties are usually off the table, due to the small number of employees and often small businesses have limited budgets on what they can spend per head. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t do something silly and enjoyable together to celebrate the end of the year.

There are hundreds of ideas for small businesses, but we think cooking parties are the absolute best… here’s why:

It encourages bonding and teamwork

Your team work together all year, sure, but team building and bonding events help reinforce those relationships in a light hearted and enjoyable way – not to mention they also help people visually see how others work in a way that they might not notice in a normal office setting. This can help your staff adapt their relationships and expectations of each other in the new year.

You learn a new skill together

What are your fondest memories as a child? Likely one of them is licking the cake batter from the bowl as a child. Learning a new skill together helps create new bonds as well as strengthening existing ones, and this is only reinforced when that skill results in the other best way to bond with people: over a delicious, home cooked meal. You might even find that staff members who might clash in the office suddenly find something in the other person that they almost like. That’s the power of food.

It doesn’t cost a fortune

Christmas parties are often incredibly costly exercises, as anything with the word “Christmas” in front of it, like the words “wedding” and “baby”, attract a higher fee. But cooking classes are offered year round by several companies, and prices tend to remain steady regardless of the time of year. You can also be sure that they won’t break the bank either, as many options start at $45 per person and cap out around the $110 mark. Far cheaper than a fancy dinner with an open bar tab!

A cooking party is the perfect length of time

Small business Christmas parties are usually suited to a slightly shorter events, as a smaller group of people will tire of one another faster than larger groups, where people can keep moving onto new conversations with other colleagues. Most cooking classes are between two and four hours, which allows staff to either just join in on the activity or continue their party at another venue later. (The pub, anyone?!)

You get to eat delicious food at the end of it all!

Obviously this is the best bit about having a cooking party is that you all get to sit down and enjoy a delicious meal at the end of it all, and what is better than eating? Nothing, obviously.

Is you’re a small business looking for a fantastic Christmas party option that won’t break the bank and can be customised to your staff? Contact us today about our Christmas party packages, starting at $45pp. (Average price is $65 a head.)