There are few better ways to celebrate the season than by throwing a holiday party at your dental practice. Whether it be open to the public/patients or closed and designed to boost staff morale, however, planning a holiday party can get expensive rather quickly—especially if you’re not careful throughout the process. Sticking to a budget doesn’t have to be impossible, however, and with a little creativity, you can throw the perfect party without breaking the bank.
Here are just a handful of ways to plan a great last-minute party while keeping your budget in mind the entire time.

Hold it At Your Practice

Renting out a posh venue for your holiday party can be a lot of fun, but it’s also one of the most expensive routes you can take. Instead of allocating hundreds if not thousands of dollars to a rental, you can put that money toward food, drink and entertainment by hosting the party at your practice’s location. It may not be quite the change of pace you’re looking for, but the cost savings will be worth keeping things “in-house.”

Stick to Buffet Dining

While there’s nothing better than bringing in a private chef to serve up a five-course meal to you and your guests, the price-tag doesn’t always justify the experience. Plus, hosting an event that’s potentially open to the public means taking into consideration allergies and dietary restrictions, which can be difficult if you’re attempting to serve a set menu. Instead, go with a buffet that offers up plenty of gluten-free/vegetarian/paleo options so that no one ends up getting stumped on what they can eat—you’ll save a sizeable amount of money in the process.

Skip the DJ

Hiring a DJ or a live band can be a great way to add an extra layer of fun to any party, but again—professionals cost money. Given how easy it is to set up a bluetooth speaker and steam music from a phone, tablet or laptop, your efforts (and cash) will be much better spent putting together a playlist before the event and setting it to run automatically throughout the evening.

Forgo Alcohol

While providing adult beverages to guests can be a nice gesture, alcohol can sometimes cause more harm than good at holiday parties and is expensive, too. Instead of throwing money away on an open bar, allocate these resources to serving the best canapes and appetizers you can. Most of your guests will prefer the good food over alcohol, anyway.
So don’t worry about spending an arm and a leg just to throw a holiday party for your dental practice. Be careful with your financial decisions, and the party will no doubt go off without a hitch.