Page 38 - BusinessWest November 11, 2024

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Holidays
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Slow Climb Back
The pandemic four years ago crushed the holiday-party season, and 2021 started a slow climb back, but a national survey conduct- ed toward the end of 2023 suggested that companies are clamoring once again to celebrate the holidays with their teams in-person.
According to survey results from global outplacement and busi- ness and executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc., 64.4% of companies reported having in-person holiday parties in 2023, up from 57% who reported the same in 2022 and 27% who held in-person parties in 2021. It marked the highest percent- age of companies holding in-person holiday parties since 75% of companies reported they held parties in 2019.
Local restaurant leaders like Corduff and Yee hope that trend continues, though only time will tell.
“We have quite a few that are post-holiday,” Corduff said. “It brightens up the winter. We see them probably until the end of Janu- ary, even.”
Such a choice makes sense for businesses with a heavy end-of- year load, but it makes life easier on many fronts regardless of the company, he pointed out.
“If you do it early or you do it late, you have a little bit more flex- ibility. Sometimes the space can be more grandiose, and usually other vendors are more available — a DJ is not as busy in late Janu- ary. So it’s not just us as a venue, but the availability of any vendor. A company can probably get a better deal and maybe do more for their customers or staff or whoever they’re trying to entertain.”
Yee said restaurant workers are among the groups who might want to get past the holidays to celebrate, adding that November and December are certainly much busier for parties across the Bean Group than January.
Corduff said the Log Cabin has found much success with large holiday parties that many small businesses attend, with a variety of price points.
“At the public holiday parties, you can have a hairdressing salon with a table of lawyers and a mechanic shop down the street, all intermingling and having a great time. It’s an economic way for businesses to take people out to a big Christmas party.
“Times are challenging now for restaurants. Food inflation and wage inflation and insurance costs have escalated. So it’s important to be on top of it.”
EDISON YEE
“You might have a small, more intimate event at the Delaney House, whether it’s 8, 10, 16, 20 people,” he went on. “Usually in that environment, it tends to be more about the dining experience, whereas, at some of the group holiday parties, we have the enter- tainment built in. Whether it’s comedy or a DJ and dancing, food and wine pairings, you have a wide variety of options there. We’re always trying to think outside the box to keep it fresh and stay cre- ative and have a good time with it.”
One trend Corduff has noticed is that people are going out to eat, and planning events, a little earlier in the evening than before.
“I think it’s not just a Western Mass. thing, but a lot of restaurants are seeing 9 o’clock at
Holidays
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Marriott Springfield Downtown
2 Boland Way Springfield, MA 01115 Hotel: 413-781-7111 Groups & Events: 413-251-6250 www.marriott.com/BDLMS
38 NOVEMBER 11, 2024
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