Whats that you said Al? Christmas. Yes thats right Christmas.

The hidden christmas decoration

Driving around the City at the start of the year I couldn’t help but notice that several establishments( I will not name and shame them here) were still to be found festooned with banners encouraging the masses to ” BOOK NOW FOR XMAS” or “ENJOY OUR HOGMANAY FLING” Seeing Xmas up there on the side of the building reminded me of th time when we used to prowl the “Lion D’Or” with extended garden canes.Those fine pieces of bamboo lashed together with Gaffer tape, topped with blue tack and one of the housekeepers pins prooved to be just the job for pulling down the odd leftover bit of tinsel or bursting the helium filled ballon that got away and jammed itself in the ballroom chandelier. Note to everyone – I bet you can find a Christmas decoration that hasn’t been taken down somewhere in your establishment.

Sorry I drifted of there. Another thing that I was also reminded of was that after a few formative years of scratching about in October trying to lash together some sort of Christmas package we figured out that it was much easier to plan the forthcoming Christmas in January – or at least before the C&B department were rushing around like demented cherubs taking Valentines bookings. Do you remember Cheffy’s horror when he was asked to produce his menu ! Panic all round untl everyone figured out that when we had a successful package it didnt need re inventing every year just simple tweeks here and there based on customer feed back and the odd opertional issue.

Strike While the Pipe is Still Smoking
So get your team together now. Review what worked, what didnt work. What did the customers like, what didn’t they like. Get feed back from everyone and use it. Examine the evidence while it is still fresh in everyone’s mind. Its not difficult to plan ahead. Ask your gardener Al – but thats another story.

So come the end of the summer holidays when the phone starts ringing with the works party organisers asking for Christmas Party details instead of the annoying ” oh if you give us your details we send it out to you when we have the programme finalised” you’ll be ready to sell to then right away.

You see Al , not a three pipe proboem it’s elementary. Cheers.