You may think it’s too early to think about Christmas dos – but, as Emma Pinch discovers, it’s time to start planning

OCTOBER – season of mists, Halloween, beer festivals and . . . Christmas. Yes, for the esteemed colleague tasked with organising the office’s annual orgy of regrettable behaviour, the C-word starts here.

Organising an event to suit the pockets and taste of a group of diverse tastes, income and social leaning is challenging – made especially so by the cloud of financial uncertainty hovering over so many at the moment.

But Christmas was always about a bit of light at the darkest time of the year, so arguably there’s more need for a festive bash than ever before – even if we’re all watching the pennies.

Cheshire-based party planner Nellie Shephard is deep into planning works Christmas functions at the more lavish end of the scale – she’s installing an ice-rink in one office, hiring some ice dancers to perform, and installing a gallery of ice sculptures.

But a key trend this year, she says, is staff rallying round to put together their own party in the office, as her partner’s company is doing.

“A good party is less about money spent, it’s about getting everyone involved,” she says. “A DIY party keeps down costs and introduces an element of creativity and you work as a team. It usually turns out that someone’s really great at cooking, someone might bring mulled wine and mince pies, and someone else likes decorating.”

Choosing a theme gives the event a little extra sparkle.

“You can have a Christmas theme like panto, or choose a colour like white. My themes for this year are based around white and Dr Zhivago.

“You can decorate incredibly cheaply using a wholesaler like Dreemway Ltd – they deliver a party pack and you save a fortune. You can get snowflakes and glitterballs and props from DZD, which specialises in big decorations.

“Companies are also throwing bash- es at a colleagues’s home, inspired by programmes like Come Dine With Me.

“Booking a DJ is a good idea. Vodka ice sculptures can be surprisingly economical and add a bit of fun. You can play traditional games or get in a murder mystery team,” says Nellie.

Many prefer to get a break from the office and delegate the catering. Shared parties are a cheaper option for smaller companies which want entertainment.

For parties of 10 or more Office Christmas (www.officechristmas.co.uk), offers a Venetian Mardi Gras masked ball in a marquee at Knowsley Park, including four-course dinner, entertainment, disco, casino and the chance to escape the familiar work faces as the night progresses.

Masked balls and discos might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but most people like a good spread. Going to a restaurant is a safe choice.

Peter King, chef at Living Room, on Victoria Street, advises choosing a menu offering a traditional Christmas dinner, without surprises, and one or two adventurous dishes, including a vegetarian platter which goes beyond the dreary vegetarian lasagne. He’s created a menu of traditional turkey roast with apricot and rosemary stuffing, courgette, mushroom stroganoff, salmon with paprika and cognac, salmon with mussel and leek cassoulet, and sirloin steak, with start- ers of gravadlax and smoked chicken.