How Much Does a Company Christmas Party Cost in Switzerland?

How much should a Christmas party cost? Publicly known budgets of large Swiss employers range between 30 and 80 francs per person. An off-site celebration with food and a programme costs, according to common planning guidelines, more like 80 to 150 francs per head. Between these two figures lies the decision about what kind of celebration is realistic. This article shows what you get in three budget categories and where the hidden costs lie.

Reliable current figures are scarce, but a few reference points are publicly available. The SBB workshop in Biel budgeted 30 francs per person in 2022, the Post 70 francs (Blick, 2022). Coop cited around 80 francs in 2015, Bernmobil 45 (Tages-Anzeiger, 2015). Planning guides for external celebrations put the figure at 80 to 150 francs per person. The rule of thumb: under 50 francs, you're looking at an apéro; from 80 francs, you can make an evening of it.

With a small budget, the setting matters more than the quantity. An apéro riche in your own meeting room, a group visit to the Christmas market, or mulled wine with chestnuts after work cost little per head and still make for a proper end-of-year gathering. A food truck outside the office also falls into this category depending on the provider. Don't forget to factor in drinks: with tight budgets, they are the item most often overlooked.

This category covers the classic Christmas dinner: a multi-course meal or a buffet, plus one programme item. Keeping the meal simple leaves room for entertainment, such as a comedian between the main course and dessert. A team event in the afternoon before dinner often also falls within this category. Fondue and raclette are the most price-stable option: minimal kitchen effort, high atmosphere value, and perfectly suited to winter.

From 100 francs per person, dinner becomes a full evening. Dinner shows, exclusively hired venues, winter wonderland formats with ice rinks or lights, or a celebration with an overnight stay, such as in an igloo. In this category, the programme and venue drive the price, not the menu. In return, the evening lives on as a memory throughout the year.

The per-head price of the venue is rarely the final price. Also budget for drinks (often charged separately), transport or a shuttle for remote venues, technical equipment and music, decorations, and tips. If you budget 80 francs per person for the meal, you can quickly end up at 110 to 120 once everything is included. Factor in the ancillary costs from the outset, and there will be no surprises on the invoice in January.

According to EventButler, over 2,000 Christmas booking enquiries are processed each year, the majority of them for Thursdays and Fridays between late November and mid-December. These few evenings are the first to go at venues. Anyone wanting one of them should enquire now. Why early planning also pays off in terms of budget is explained in the article Plan your 2026 Christmas party now. Those with flexibility (early November, January as a New Year's dinner, a Wednesday) will still find good options later on and can negotiate from a stronger position. How an enquiry through EventButler works and what happens next is explained in the Help Centre. All bookable offers can be found in the Christmas Special, filtered by city for Zurich, Winterthur, Lucerne, and Basel.

List your Christmas offer on EventButler and reach companies that are booking now: xmas.eventbutler.ch. All packages can be found in the offer overview.