Organising the work Christmas party usually lands on one person, and the brief is always the same: something everyone will enjoy, that does not blow the budget, on a date half the team can make. These Christmas work party ideas come from the questions we get asked every autumn at Lulu Wild, our Chinese restaurant and cocktail bar on the canal at Brindleyplace in Birmingham city centre.
Start with the team, not the venue
Before you look at a single venue, answer three questions. How many people are realistically coming? Do they want a daytime celebration or a proper night out? And who has a long journey home? A team of 12 with young families and a long commute wants something very different from a sales floor of 60 who will happily stay until the bar closes. Once you know that, the right format is usually obvious.
Idea 1: a long Christmas lunch
Lunch is the most underrated work Christmas party. Everyone can come, nobody misses the last train, and the afternoon can run on for as long as people want it to. Our Christmas set menu is served from 12pm every day from 21 November to 31 December: a starter, main and side for £60 a head, with dessert for £5 more. It has seafood, meat, vegetarian and vegan choices on every course, which matters when you are feeding a whole office rather than a group of friends.
Idea 2: a festive bottomless brunch
For a team that wants a celebration without a late night, a festive brunch is hard to beat. In December ours runs every day from 12pm to 4pm: two courses and bottomless drinks for £55 a head, with unlimited Prosecco, Pornstar Martinis, Lychee Martinis and mocktails, plus two cocktails made only for December. It has a fixed price per head, a fixed finish time and a lot of noise, which is exactly what most office parties need. See the festive brunch for the menu.
Idea 3: a private room for the evening
If you want the team to yourselves, hire a room. At Lulu Wild that means The Nest, which seats around 30, or The Hideout upstairs, which seats 56 or holds up to 80 standing and has its own private bar, stage and baby grand. A private room changes the feel of a Christmas party: the playlist is yours, the speeches do not have an audience of strangers, and nobody has to shout across a busy restaurant.
Idea 4: take over the whole venue
For bigger companies, an exclusive hire is simpler than it sounds. The whole of Lulu Wild holds up to 200 standing or about 102 seated, so it suits a company-wide party with food, a bar and room to move. Private hire is priced on a minimum spend that depends on the day of the week, your numbers and your timings, so a Monday to Wednesday date in early December can go a long way further than the last Friday before Christmas.
How to keep the budget under control
- Pick a quieter date. Weekday parties and lunchtime parties are where budgets stretch furthest.
- Fix the drinks. Arrival cocktails, a package per head or a bar tab with a limit all stop the bill running away from you.
- Use a set menu. A fixed price per head makes it easy to work out cost per person before anyone sits down.
- Count again in November. Numbers always move. Confirm with the team a couple of weeks before and tell the venue early.
Dates to know for Christmas 2026
The Christmas menu starts on 21 November and runs to 31 December, and on Fridays and Saturdays, and for tables of more than 5, it is the menu for the whole table. We are closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. December Fridays are the first dates to go every year, so if your team has its heart set on one, enquire as early as you can.
Make a night of it in the city centre
Brindleyplace is a short walk from Broad Street, Centenary Square and the Christmas market in the city centre, so it is easy to fold the party into a bigger evening: a wander round the market first, dinner on the canal, and cocktails afterwards in a bar that pours until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays. If people are travelling in, New Street station is about a ten-minute walk and the tram stops on Broad Street.
Christmas work party FAQs
How far ahead should we book a work Christmas party?
As early as you can. Friday and Saturday dates in December are the first to go, so if you need a weekend, start asking in September or October. Weekday and lunchtime dates are usually easier to find.
How much does a Christmas work party cost?
At Lulu Wild the Christmas set menu is £60 a head and festive brunch is £55 a head with bottomless drinks. Private rooms and exclusive hire are priced on a minimum spend that depends on the day, your group size and your timings, so ask the events team for a quote.
Can you cater for vegetarian and vegan colleagues?
Yes. The Christmas menu has vegetarian and vegan choices on every course. For any other dietary requirements, let us know when you book and speak to your server on the day.
How do we enquire about a private Christmas party?
Send your date, numbers and rough budget through the Christmas party enquiry form and the events team will come back to you with options.
