Christmas Party Menus: How to Book 40 Events Before December Starts

It's November 15th.

Sarah calls. She's organizing her company's Christmas party. Twenty-five people. Needs it for December 14th.

"Sorry, we're fully booked for December."

She's the seventh person you've turned away this week. Your function room is completely booked for the entire month. Good problem to have, right?

Except three of those bookings came in October. Two came in September.

Your competitors who waited until November to think about Christmas? They're scrambling to fill their December calendar. You're already looking at £15,000-20,000 profit locked in.

The difference? You created festive menus in August and started taking bookings in September.

The Christmas Booking Window (Most Venues Miss It)

Here's how most venues approach Christmas parties:

Early November: "We should probably think about Christmas menus."

Mid November: "Oh no, people are booking Christmas parties. Quick, what can we offer?"

Late November: Frantically taking bookings, figuring out menus on the fly

December: Fully booked (good) but could have booked 50% more events if you'd started earlier (missed opportunity)

Here's how smart venues do it:

September: Email past customers and local businesses: "Christmas party bookings now open"

October: Taking bookings steadily, calendar filling up

November: 70% of December slots already confirmed

December: Fully booked, executing events, already profitable

Same December. Different preparation. Way more bookings.

The Early Bird Numbers

Let me show you what "start in September" actually means financially.

• Start marketing: November 1st- Booking window: 7 weeks before Christmas- Events booked: 15-20 (whatever you can fit)- Average profit per event: £600- Total profit: £9,000-12,000

• Start marketing: September 15th- Booking window: 14 weeks before Christmas- Events booked: 35-40 (filled every available slot)- Average profit per event: £600- Total profit: £21,000-24,000

That's £9,000-12,000 MORE profit for Christmas month. Same venue. Same capacity. Just started earlier.

Create Your Festive Menu Library (Do This in August)

Don't wait until November to figure out what you're offering.

Spend 2-3 hours in August creating your Christmas menu templates. Then you're ready when bookings start.

Budget-Friendly Office Party (£25-30/person)

Perfect for small businesses, casual teams

• Starters: Winter soup or seasonal salad- Mains: Roast turkey, honey-glazed ham, or vegetarian Wellington- Sides: Roast potatoes, seasonal veg, stuffing- Dessert: Christmas pudding or mince pies- Drinks: Welcome prosecco, soft drinks

Target market: Teams of 15-30, small businesses

Premium Corporate Christmas (£40-50/person)

For companies wanting to impress

• Canapes: Arrival drinks with festive canapes- Starters: Smoked salmon or winter salad- Mains: Beef Wellington, sea bass, or wild mushroom risotto- Dessert: Chocolate yule log or festive tart- Drinks: Wine with meal, coffee service

Target market: Corporate clients 20-40 people, want premium feel

Festive Friends & Family (£28-35/person)

Personal celebrations, friend groups

• Starters: Prawn cocktail or soup- Mains: Traditional roast, salmon, or nut roast- Dessert: Christmas pudding with brandy sauce- Crackers and festive atmosphere included

Target market: Friend groups 20-50 people, milestone birthdays in December

Christmas Day Alternative (£45-60/person)

For people who want restaurant Christmas instead of cooking at home

• Full traditional Christmas dinner- Multiple courses- Premium ingredients- Special festive atmosphere

Target market: Families 8-20 people, elderly relatives, people who hate cooking

Create these ONCE in August. Use them 40 times in December.

The September Outreach Strategy

You've got your menus. Now book events before your competitors wake up.

Week 1 (Early September)

Email your existing customer database:

"Christmas Party Bookings Now Open at [Your Venue]

We know it's early, but December books up FAST. We're now taking Christmas party reservations for 2025.

Three festive menu options ready to view:

• Budget-Friendly Office Party (£25-30/person)- Premium Corporate Christmas (£40-50/person)- Festive Friends & Family (£28-35/person)

Book before September 30th and secure your preferred date."

This email alone will get you 5-10 early bookings from repeat customers.

Week 2-3 (Mid September)

Target local businesses for corporate parties:

Make a list of 50 companies within 3 miles (20-100 employees). Email office managers:

"[Your Venue] - Corporate Christmas Party Packages

December availability is already 30% booked. We have limited dates remaining for company Christmas parties.

Our Premium Corporate package (£40-50/person) includes..."

Corporate bookings in September = guaranteed revenue 3 months out.

Week 4 (Late September)

Social media push:

Post on Facebook/Instagram: "Christmas party bookings filling fast! Only 8 December dates remaining. Festive menus ready to view."

This creates urgency. People see your December is filling up and book faster.

October: The Sweet Spot

October is when most people START thinking about Christmas parties but haven't booked yet.

If you started in September, you're already 40% booked. This gives you massive advantage:

"Hi, I'm looking for a venue for our office Christmas party. December 14th. Twenty-five people."

"Great timing! December 14th is still available but we're down to just 4 remaining December dates. Let me send you our festive menu options within 2 hours and we can secure that date for you."

The scarcity is REAL (you actually are nearly booked) which accelerates Sarah's decision.

Compare that to November when you're saying "yes we have availability" but so does everyone else. No urgency. Sarah takes 2 weeks to decide.

Managing the December Rush

By mid-November, if you've followed this timeline, you should be:

• 80-90% booked for December- Cherry-picking premium bookings for remaining slots- Potentially raising prices for last-minute bookings

One pub in Surrey did this last year:

October bookings: £32/person average

November bookings: £35/person average (scarcity pricing)

Last-minute December bookings: £40/person (premium for short notice)

Same menus. Different booking timing = higher average price.

The Template Efficiency Play

Here's the real advantage of starting early:

When you create "Johnson & Co Christmas Party - Premium Package" in September, it takes 15 minutes (you're customizing your template).

When you're creating the same menu in late November while juggling 10 other bookings and regular service? Takes 45 minutes and you make mistakes.

September preparation = efficient execution in December.

You're not figuring out festive menus while trying to run service. You're just plugging company names into proven templates.

What About Southern Hemisphere?

Australia, New Zealand, South Africa - your Christmas is summer.

Same strategy, different angle:

• Start planning in April-May- Book June-July solid- Menus emphasize lighter summer fare- Outdoor/BBQ elements popular- Still call it Christmas (even though it's 30°C)

The timing shifts but the early preparation principle remains the same.

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Frequently Asked Questions#### Won't customers think it's too early if I email about Christmas in September?

Some will. Most won't. The ones who ARE ready to book will appreciate you're organized. You capture those early bookings your competitors miss. The customers who think it's too early? They'll come back in November. You haven't lost them.

What if we create menus in August and then food costs change by December?

Build 10-15% buffer into your August pricing. If costs increase slightly, you're covered. If they stay stable, you make better margin. Either way you're protected.

Should we offer early-bird discounts for September bookings?

You can, but not necessary. The advantage of booking early (securing preferred date) is usually enough incentive. If you want to incentivize, try "book before September 30th and get welcome prosecco included" rather than price discount.

How many Christmas events is too many? Won't we burn out staff?

This varies by venue. Most pubs/restaurants can handle 2-3 events per day in December (lunch slot, early evening, late evening) for 20-30 people each. That's 40-60 events total across December. Know your capacity and don't overbook.

What about Christmas Day itself? Should we open?

Separate decision. Christmas Day dining is different market (families not wanting to cook). If you do it, charge premium (£60-80/person) and book solid by October. But it's optional - many venues stay closed Christmas Day.

The Bottom Line

December is your highest-revenue month potential. But only if you book it solid BEFORE December starts.

Venues that wait until November get 15-20 bookings. Venues that start in September get 35-40 bookings.

Same calendar. Same capacity. Double the revenue.

The unlock is having festive menus ready in August so you can take bookings the moment customers start thinking about Christmas.

Create "Your Company Christmas Party - Festive Menu" once. Use it 40 times. Book your December solid by Halloween.

Related Articles

• Private Event Menus: Stop Losing $40K to Caterers - Christmas is your biggest month. But private events happen 12 months per year.- Corporate Lunch Catering: Undercut Hotels by 40% - Corporate clients who book Christmas parties often need quarterly meeting venues too.- Birthday Party Catering: The $800 You Give Away Weekly - December birthdays compete with Christmas parties. Book both early to maximize revenue.- Function Rooms Sitting Empty? Here's Why - Use the Christmas booking strategy for year-round function room utilization.

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