Stress-free Christmas Party Ideas

It’s wonderful to look forward to a celebration at the end of the year.

The chance to get together with friends or colleagues, leave work and the busyness of life behind and enjoy a sophisticated soiree or private dining experience, but, Christmas party planning can be divisive and stressful.

For some, the spreadsheet-filled festivities are simply part of the fun whilst for others even the thought of organising the Christmas party, be it for friends, family, or colleagues, induces a cold sweat.

So, this year, we’re suggesting some stress-free Christmas party ideas for you, the appointed great organiser, so you can rest-assured that you’ll have our seasoned experts by your side to plan an unforgettable private dining experience and the alternative Christmas party you never knew you were missing until now.  

At our New Forest hotel, we offer the perfect alternative to the classic party; our Christmas centres around fine food, fine wine and the finest of company, inviting you and your guests to sit down to a delicious festive lunch or dinner in our elegant private dining rooms, an afternoon tea sprinkled with Christmas glitz or yuletide celebrations at Monty’s with a hearty feast and the comforts of a cosy country pub, the choice is yours…

Festive private dining

We invite you to experience a taste of tradition in the form of a private Christmas lunch or dinner in a beautiful location - our 18th century country house hotel in the heart of the New Forest National Park.

A stress-free Christmas party means trusting in our expertise; your Christmas lunch or dinner with colleagues, friends or family is a timeless choice and a wonderful way to bring people together during the festive season. We have two beautiful rooms available for private dining, the traditional panelled Oakwood Room seats up to 32 guests and overlooks our picturesque gardens, a delightful choice for festive banquets, or perhaps the Paris Room, a more intimate space, it can seat up to 10 people, it’s roaring open fire providing the country manor charm you’d hope for in winter.

Our Festive Lunch and Dinner menus expertly bringing together classic festive flavours and seasonal ingredients to create an unforgettable Christmas fine dining experience for you and your guests.

Festive afternoon tea

Perhaps you are looking for something truly alternative to the traditional Christmas party; an afternoon of indulgence for the sweet-toothed among you… In which case, a Festive Afternoon Tea sprinkled with plenty of Christmas glitz will create a merry celebration – especially if you choose to include a glass of Hattingley Valley sparkling wine!

Freshly baked scones, delicious finger sandwiches and an assortment of cakes perfectly paired with fine fairtrade tea or coffee. There’s something extra special about an afternoon tea in our lounge overlooking the gardens on a chilly winter’s day; the chance to chat, relax and sip tea in front of the fire and Christmas tree.

A Monty's Christmas

If it’s a fine Christmas feast in a quintessential British pub setting you have in mind, look no further than our very own Monty’s Inn. What could be more festive than a country wood-panelled pub, a roaring fire, and a twinkling Christmas tree.

Our New Forest pub boasts hearty dishes, heritage cooking and classic winter flavours. Our chefs have created a three course Christmas menu especially for the occasion, so you and your guests can look forward to a merry feast to mark the season.