Corporate parties are leaving many Rotorua restaurants delighted Christmas is bringing in the business.
Every weekend right up until Christmas staff at Skyline have been busy with at least 300 people booked every Friday and Saturday night.
Skyline functions manager April Bersabe said they were fully booked for staff Christmas parties and Christmas Day was starting to fill already.
"We are fully booked right up until Christmas," she said.
Skyline general manager Bruce Thomasen said Christmas Day bookings were up this year as well, with more than 700 people already reserving tables.
They still had a few spaces left and would keep some free for international tourists who hadn't yet booked, Mr Thomasen said.
"It's filling up really quickly. Obviously you get people come in on the day and we keep a few spaces up our sleeve for international visitors."
He said the corporate function bookings were up markedly this year showing business confidence was improving.
"Bookings are up 150 per cent ... there is more confidence. That generally needed to improve. It may be a bit tight but people are realising there is still a need to celebrate with your team. That attitude is really coming through."
The Lakeland Queen has also been busy with staff parties and is totally booked out for Christmas dinner.
A spokeswoman for the company, who didn't want to be named, said it wasn't as busy as previous years with staff party bookings but it was slowly picking up for the three-hour cruises with a buffet meal and live entertainment.
"We're filling up one floor every weekend."
However, local people hoping to jump on board for Christmas won't get off the jetty.
Passengers from two cruise liners had booked out both sailings for Christmas Day, she said.
Valentine's owner operator Kake Kautai said things were about the same this year for both pre-Christmas functions and Christmas bookings.
"We always get about 90 to 95 per cent capacity full," he said.
WHAT NOT TO DO AT THE CHRISTMAS WORK DO:
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Don't take your clothes off. -
Don't drink too much and make inappropriate use of the photocopier. -
Don't kick around a wine casket. It might explode. -
Don't snog people you shouldn't. -
Don't down shots of tequila then suggest a karaoke competition. -
Don't kiss your boss or the boss' wife. -
Don't hold mistletoe above people then kiss them.
