Andrea Michaels, president of Extraordinary Events in Sherman Oaks, CA, offers her take on the differences between employee-only holiday parties and parties for customers:
"Events that invite customers are usually far more formal," says Michaels. "They have better food and more spectacular entertainment—sometimes even headliner acts." A local hospital in Los Angeles, for instance, hosts an annual holiday soiree for its top donors, with entertainment from the likes of the Fifth Dimension and Marilyn McCoo. The hospital spends about $250,000 on the 600-attendee party, Michaels adds.
Employee-only parties are "all about mixing and mingling and having fun," says Michaels, whereas those for customers tend to be "more lavish and less interactive." The latter are usually attended by couples -- "the client and a guest" -- who enjoy a sit-down dinner or a cocktail reception featuring premium-brand liquor, as opposed to the beer and wine that might be served at an employee-only event.
"The environment is totally different," adds Michaels. "I find that executives get sillier and more playful at employee parties, like having people sit on Santa’s knee, for instance, whereas for a customer event it’d be a cocktail party with piano music -- something more formal and voyeuristic."
Any other differences? "At employee parties, you don’t necessarily have dancing because attendees are all singles," says Michaels. "But at a customer event attended by couples, you’d definitely have a dance band."