So the burden of putting together the company Holiday or Christmas party has suddenly fallen upon you. You've been given few resources, a limited budget, and--worst of all--very little time to put it all together, and it still BETTER BE GOOD!

Take comfort in the fact that you're not alone. I know it actually ISN'T that comforting, but it really does happen to a lot of event planners every single year. Regardless of how and why it all came together this way, planning a fun and highly-successful holiday party is not as difficult as it seems. Just following some basic steps can help you put it all together quickly and easily.

While this is just a very basic checklist for event planning, following these simple steps provides a solid backbone to putting together a successful company holiday party even if it is late in year.

Important Tips for Hiring Corporate Holiday or Christmas Party Entertainment

When it comes to hiring corporate entertainment for your company Holiday party, it is highly recommended avoiding going "cheap." It is very true that "you get what you pay for" when it comes to holiday party entertainment! Stories abound of no-shows, late-arrivals, and even drunken entertainers--not to mention those who just do not have a professional show or who embarrass themselves and others during their performances. Don't trust your event, even with a limited budget, to the likes of an amateur.

A good, professional corporate entertainer will have the following:

• A good-looking, professional website that is easy to navigate and contains good information for contacting the performer.
• Quality promotional videos and/or audio--look for live video of the entertainer performing before crowds at LIVE events, and not just street performances or one-on-one video clips.
• REAL testimonials and reviews from actual clients (video, social media posts, written letters, etc).
• A good social media presence. Sometimes quality professionals may not have a website but will have an excellent social media presence with quality videos and client reviews. In today's world it is rare to find a quality performer without some form of social media presence.

If you have any doubts at all about an entertainer's credibility, ask them directly for references and then check them yourself! For more details and tips about ensuring that you are hiring quality, professional entertainment for your event, click here.

In today's world, an entertainer who cannot provide at least THREE good references, or is not plugged-in to social media with readily available info is likely not worth pursuing. Do not waste time chasing down those that don't return phone calls, emails, requests for quotes, etc. Most professionals should reply within 24 hours, even when they are busy.

Corporate mentalists and magicians are an excellent form of after-dinner entertainment for a company Holiday or Christmas party. But buyer beware to follow the above steps closely as there are many entertainers who have an excellent social media presence--short videos of them performing on the street for individuals or passers-by. This is no indication that these individual magicians or mentalists can entertain a banquet hall full of 300 company staff members, vendors, or clients with a 60-minute stage show. It is easy to become "internet famous" or "social media famous" these days, but that is often not the ideal indication that they can help you have a successful event. Make sure the magician or mentalist you are considering actually has real-world experience doing the very thing that you are looking to hire them to do.

The cost for hiring a magician or mentalist for your company Holiday or Christmas party, however, can vary greatly. For more details as to what you can expect to pay for such performers for your event, click here.