Whether it is an office party in a hotel ballroom or a family gathering in a rented hall, a holiday party usually happens after dark, in a room that was not built for celebrating. Good holiday party lighting fixes that fast. With color on the walls, a snowflake or tree in light, a starry ceiling and a few focused beams on the food, the room feels festive before the first song plays.

Plan the light for the party you are hosting

Start with the type of party and the room.

• Office parties often have a short program, such as a welcome, awards or a toast from leadership, followed by dinner and dancing. Plan a look for each part.
• Family and friends parties are more relaxed, with food, music and lots of photos. Focus on the food table, the dance floor and one spot for pictures.
• Hotel ballrooms and event halls usually have bright overhead lights. Ask the venue if they can be dimmed, because colored light shows best in a darker room.

The tradition of Christmas lights is all about glow and color, and the same idea works indoors with rental lighting.

Holiday party lighting for the walls

Uplights sit on the floor and wash the walls in color. Choose any color with the push of a button on a standard uplight, or use the remote that comes with wireless uplights. A few holiday palettes:

• Your holiday colors. Uplights let you choose any color with the push of a button, so the walls can match your theme.
• Your brand color for a company party, which ties the room to the business.

The uplighting page suggests placing uplights 10 feet apart for a beautiful look, or 5 feet apart for a dramatic look. Its cheat sheet suggests 16 uplights for 76 – 150 guests, 24 for 151 – 225 guests, 32 for 226 – 300 guests and 40 for 300+ guests. You can also use uplighting to highlight specific areas like a head table wall or a registration area.

Snowflakes, trees and logos in light

A monogram light uses a gobo projector to shine designs, like names, initials, logos or patterns, onto walls, floors, ceilings or backdrops. The monogram design catalog includes holiday designs such as single and multiple snowflakes, Christmas trees, ornaments and a sleigh, plus Hanukkah and New Year designs.

For an office party, upload your logo or artwork for a custom design. The team emails a preview before shipping, and the light arrives pre-loaded with your design, so you just plug it in. Our guide to corporate event lighting has more ideas for putting a brand in light.

A starry ceiling for a winter night

Starry night lighting turns any dark room into a star-filled sky with one compact projector. The special effects page says it is perfect for weddings, receptions, galas, corporate events, and any occasion where you want to create a unique and enchanting atmosphere. It is particularly popular for evening events, so it suits a December party.

Most customers use 2-3 starry night projectors, and the farther away the light is from the wall or ceiling, the larger the area it will cover. Just place the light on a table and aim it at the ceiling or wall.

Light the food, the gifts and the dance floor

Pin spots put a focused beam on one thing. The spotlights page suggests using them to light up sweet tables or dessert bars, and to draw attention to welcome signs, seating charts or guest books. Use 1-2 pin spots for each area that you want to highlight. A few holiday spots to light:

• The cookie table or the dessert bar.
• A gift table for a toy drive or a gift exchange.
• The sign at the entrance with the party name or the company logo.

When the program ends, turn on moving spotlights. Their beams of light move to the beat of the music, with 8 color options and 7 dynamic patterns. They arrive preset to a light show, and you can use the included remote to create your own custom light show.

Bundles, delivery and returns

For a bundle, the Ultimate Lighting Package on the packages page includes uplighting, a custom monogram light and spotlights, sized by guest count. There is no minimum rental order, so a small family party can rent just a few lights.

Your rental package will arrive at least two days before your event, and the standard rental period is 5 days. Each rental includes complete setup instructions, and 24/7 phone support is available. All prices include free shipping both ways within the continental U.S. You can schedule your rentals well ahead of time, so you can book early for a holiday party.

After the party, repack everything in the boxes it came in, attach the prepaid return labels and take them to a physical FedEx location within two days. Never leave them in a FedEx drop box. More answers are on the FAQs page.

Color on the walls, a design in light, stars overhead and a dance floor that moves with the music: that is holiday party lighting that guests will remember long after the last song.

FAQ

Does the monogram catalog include snowflakes or Christmas trees?

Yes. The monogram design catalog includes holiday designs such as single and multiple snowflakes, Christmas trees, ornaments and a sleigh, plus Hanukkah and New Year designs.

What lights work for an indoor Christmas party?

Uplights let you choose any color with the push of a button (wireless uplights come with a remote control to program colors), so they can match your holiday colors. A monogram light can project a design from the Holidays section of the monogram catalog, and moving spotlights will display the preset light show to the beat of the music. The monogram light works with a full lit room, but use in a dim lit room for best results.

Can we light the dessert table at the party?

Yes. The spotlights page suggests pin spots to light up sweet tables or dessert bars. Use 1-2 pin spots for each area that you want to highlight.

People Also Ask

What are good office holiday party ideas?

Popular ideas include a theme such as a winter wonderland, a cookie or dessert bar, a gift exchange, a toy drive, a short awards program and a dance floor with festive lighting.

What decorations work for an office holiday party?

Use color on the walls, a few centerpieces with greenery and lights, a decorated entrance sign and a dessert table. Keep decorations inclusive so every employee feels welcome.