A party political broadcast

The workplace Christmas party is popular with some - less popular with others. How are channel companies celebrating this year?

One channel respondent we won't name tells us he might start his own company and was therefore going to go fishing on his own, bedecked in tinsel. However, most channel Christmas celebrations follow a familiar format - as you can read below, perhaps with a nice mug of mulled wine or cider.

Cameron Mitchell, managing director, Green Box Supplies
Are you having a Christmas party this year?
No, we haven't managed to hold one. As Green Box is a relatively new business, just one year old, we just simply didn't get round to organising one. I fly off to a wedding in Jamaica next week so I'm too late now.

We will still have a function but probably wait until January and get everybody together, more of a New Year kick-off dinner. I still want to say thanks to everyone for a great first year but that doesn't have to be Christmas.

Are Christmas parties a good investment?
I'm not a big fan of Christmas parties, to be honest. Alcohol and work colleagues sometimes don't mix well. We've all been there!

What is the best Christmas party you've ever been to? In a previous life I was a director of the Performing Right Society and we held one inside Tower Bridge. We had a quiet tower -- and a noisy tower!

Dave Helm, sales and marketing director, Blue Logic
Are you having a Christmas party this year?
This year we're having two Christmas parties. We had our first one on 12 December, and we'll have our second on 30 January.

Our pre-Christmas party was in Leeds City Centre; we started at The Wardrobe, which we followed with a delicious banquet at Aagrah's Indian restaurant, then continued the night with a bar crawl.

The second party in late January will be hosted at Bibi's Italian restaurant in Leeds, followed by a cocktail bar crawl. We have two parties as it means twice as much fun!

We love to celebrate Christmas as a company and join in the festive spirit -- as well as celebrate our financial results for the year in January, when it still has a Christmas feel to it. Plus no one misses out, if they can't attend one they can attend the other one or they can attend both.

Are Christmas parties a good investment?
Definitely, it's a great way for our staff to bond outside of work. After all, they are the driving force of Blue Logic so it's very important for us to say thank you to everyone for their hard work and make them feel appreciated.

It's a great way for everyone to let their hair down and have fun, build on relationships and to see people's personalities outside their normal working behaviours. The office banter -- and red faces -- on a Monday following the party is always something we look forward to as well.

What is the best Christmas party you've ever been to?
When I lived in Australia, the company I worked for at the time (many years ago) hired an outside area at Opera Bar underneath the Sydney Opera house. Christmas canapés and cocktails were served all night long, we had stunning views of Sydney Harbour Bridge and we danced the night away to live jazz.

The company also hired a magician dressed as Santa who mystified us all -- and it was a free bar all night long. Pièce de résistance was the fireworks -- that I don't even think the company organised - which totally topped the night. It was a truly unforgettable evening and one that I would love to reenact for all the staff at Blue Logic.

Kate O'Brien, group marketing director, Daisy Group
Are you having a Christmas party this year?
This year Daisy held 14 Christmas parties to say thank you to our teams based around the country. The main one was held in Nelson for the 500-plus staff we have here at our HQ.

For our main party we held an Oscars-themed party at the Fence Gate Inn, Fence, Lancashire. Everyone was dressed to the nines and the night featured an awards ceremony that recognised various achievements of the team.

These included Best Actor and Best Actress for outstanding male and female members of staff; Best Costume Design for the best dressed person; Best Documentary which rewarded staff members who had raised money for charity or achieved a challenge; and Best Director which was nominated and voted for by all staff. This was followed by a buffet and an evening of dancing.

Are Christmas parties a good investment?
I do think Christmas is a great time to bring people together to say thank you for all the hard work over the year. We invest in our staff all year round and Christmas is certainly a time of year when we really want to show how much we value them.

A party can be a great way for staff to bond, to talk to people they may not have met before, and to let their hair down a bit. The Christmas party doesn't just happen on one night either - it's something that staff will talk about before and after. We had a photographer at this year's event and have been able to share those memories of the night with the business as a reminder of what a great night it was.

What is the best Christmas party you've ever been to?
When I worked at Matalan, the team went to Harvey Nichols in Manchester for dinner and cocktails. As Christmas parties go it was a fairly sedate and sophisticated affair but it stands out in my mind as being a wonderful way to relax, be completely pampered and catch up with your colleagues in truly beautiful surroundings.

Kevin Bland, director of channels and alliances, Citrix
Are you having a Christmas party this year?
Yes -- absolutely!

There are lots of individual team lunches and dinners happening across the business throughout December but the highlight for me has to be the Citrix all-employee Christmas lunch. We are very lucky to have a catering firm which runs the Citrix on-site restaurant during the week - and they put on a fantastic traditional Christmas dinner every year.

Employees all get together for a pre-Christmas drink, then enjoy each other's company during a three-course meal, with coffee and mince pies. It's an amazing atmosphere -- as engineers, HR, finance and sales all come together and remind us that we are one massive team.

Are Christmas parties a good investment?
A company's most valuable asset is its people, so whether you view a Christmas party as an investment or a "thank you" doesn't matter, what's important is that it happens.

What is the best Christmas party you've ever been to?
Christmas is a time for family and friends so the best Christmas party for me is the one that happens on Christmas Day, when we get to sit down together and leave the pressures of work behind us as we remember what we all do it for.

Mark Starkey, managing director, Logicalis
Are you having a Christmas party this year?
Yes, of course!
The Christmas party is in a hotel in Windsor. The theme is A Night with the Stars - so it will be all posh frocks and a DJ.

Are Christmas parties a good investment?
Yes - it is a good investment in our staff, and for the staff, but more importantly we organise our Christmas party to raise money for charity.

Last year we raised £30,000 for Great Ormond Street Hospital at our Christmas party. It was great fun and we managed to give back to a fantastic organisation too. This is what the Christmas party should all be about in my opinion - giving back.

What is the best Christmas party you've ever been to?
Probably last year's Logicalis Christmas party actually! The party this year will also be for charity but I am not sure we will manage to beat the £30,000 we raised last year.

Steve Ackers, managing director, MendIT
Are you having a Christmas party this year?
MendIT are actually involved in two Christmas parties this year! In celebration of our best month ever we were part of a group party with over 100 people at Yu & You's Chinese restaurant on the outskirts of Blackburn on 9 December. But we also have our traditional MendIT Christmas do planned. This usually entails a post new-year curry night at Agra, an Indian restaurant just round the corner from MendIT HQ.
The theme is simple: lots of curry and beer!

Are Christmas parties a good investment?
I've always believed that Christmas parties are a great investment for a business. We work hard to make our office more than just a place of work, and the fun and staff bonding that takes place at a Christmas party really helps establish that atmosphere.

A happier and more cohesive team works for each other and supports one another, creating a better working environment and helping maintain the high standard we set for ourselves. And if our team is performing to its best tour customers are getting the best service.

Also, Christmas parties give us the chance each year to tell our team how grateful we are for the hard work they put in, day in, day ou,t through the year.

What is the best Christmas party you've ever been to?
The most memorable of our Christmas parties was about six years ago, hosted at Burnley Football Club. Ironically, it sticks in the memory because we don't remember most of the night. All I can recollect is getting in at close to five in the morning and thinking, "what a great do".