Local businesses in mood to party this Christmas

CHEERS: Lorraine Morris (left) and Marion Clarricoats say it's certainly not the case that the more you spend on Christmas parties the more fun you will have. They say creativity is the key to having a good time.PHOTO/BEN FRASER

After some tough years, Rotorua businesses are getting in the festive spirit when it comes to staff Christmas parties this year.

Skyline Rotorua and Lakeland Queen are both reporting bumper business over the festive season with businesses in the mood to celebrate.

Rotorua Chamber of Commerce chief executive Roger Gordon said Christmas staff parties were one area where local businesses weren't cutting costs.

"There are many [businesses] that say, 'This is not an area where we're tightening our belt. Even if it's been a hard year ... now's the time to say thanks to our guys and girls for getting us there'."

Office Christmas parties weren't about how much the company spent, but the atmosphere they generated, he said.

Skyline Rotorua marketing manager David Blackmore said they were having a fantastic year of Christmas functions, something which he put down to increased business confidence.

He said they were achieving the same figures as before the global crisis of 2007/2008, which was up on previous years.

People were happier to spend a bit more money to reward their staff, he said.

Mr Blackmore also said that they were seeing larger groups coming through for Christmas functions and he was noticing more businesses were extending the party to family members, not just staff.

Lakeland Queen managing director Terry Hammond said they'd been "flat out" with Christmas parties.

He said people still wanted to get out and celebrate and were willing to spend if they thought they were getting value for money.

One of those who knows what works and what doesn't is Marion Clarricoats from Hayes International. She's been organising the Rotorua firm's office Christmas party for almost two decades and said it wasn't always a case of the more you spend, the more fun you have.

Some of the best parties she's arranged have been the cheapest.

She said having games to get the team interacting as well as variety in venues were important.

"So that people have something to take home, not just a hangover."

With about 80 people attending their Christmas function, Ms Clarricoats said they preferred venues where they were the only ones there.

"We like to have do's by ourselves, that way if we are silly and have a bit of fun its only in front of ourselves."

She said last year's party was one of the less expensive ones but had been raved about.

"It's nothing to do with money, purely to do with being creative."

Rotorua District Council communications manager Rex Moore said the council stopped holding a single staff Christmas function several years ago as part of a programme to reduce operational costs.

He said some staff organised their own Christmas get-togethers on a department basis or through social clubs, and the council made a token contribution of up to $15 a head.

Mr Moore said elected members were not holding a council-funded Christmas function.

Each year the Lakes District Health Board holds a staff barbecue at the Rotorua Hospital site for all employees.

The function was held at lunchtime and the barbecue lunch was cooked and served up by caterer, Spotless Services, aided by management staff.