Once a Christmas programme is live, the print requirement often grows beyond the menu. A venue may need to promote party nights, explain packages, update table material, advertise gift vouchers and support events around the building — all against fixed dates.

The easiest way to plan it is not to start with a list of products. Start with the customer journey: how will people discover the offer, what information do they need before booking, what will they see when they arrive, and what might you want them to buy while they are there?

1. Promotion before the visit

If the Christmas programme is already on the website and social media, think about where physical print still earns attention. Posters can work around the venue or in partner locations. Flyers or leaflets can support local promotion. Banners can make a larger statement outside or at an event. A brochure or folded leaflet can explain a fuller programme when there is too much information for one sheet.

The right combination depends on where the audience will actually encounter it. There is little value in ordering every format just because it exists.

2. Menus and table print

Festive menus need to work in the environment where they will be handled. A simple card menu, a folded menu, a laminated option or a multi-page format can all be appropriate depending on the amount of content and how often the menu will be reused.

Table cards or table talkers can support the menu without overcrowding it. They can highlight drinks packages, upgrades, gift vouchers, event information or another single message that deserves attention at the table.

3. Christmas party nights and event collateral

Party nights and private events can create their own print list. Directional signage, check-in information, table plans, posters, programmes and display material may all become relevant depending on the event.

Because these items share a fixed date, it is worth bringing them into one planning conversation. That makes it easier to spot missing items, align artwork and avoid discovering a separate print requirement after the main job has already gone to production.

4. Gift vouchers

For restaurants, hotels, attractions, beauty businesses and experience-led venues, Christmas is also a gifting period. Printed vouchers give customers something physical to present while allowing the business to sell a future visit, meal, treatment or experience.

If vouchers are part of the programme, think about how they will be presented and distributed. An envelope, label, tag or other presentation item may be useful, but it should support the actual sales process rather than become packaging for packaging’s sake.

5. Brochures, guides and programmes

A multi-page brochure or booklet makes sense when the Christmas offer is too complex for a single flyer. Hotels, venues and event operators may need to explain party packages, accommodation, menus, dates, private hire or several event types in one piece.

The important decision is the amount of content. Finalising the structure before choosing the page count usually avoids unnecessary pages and helps the designer work to a realistic format.

If you are planning a brochure, guide or programme and are unsure which format fits, send us the requirement for a quote.

6. Artwork and deadlines

Christmas print does not have one universal ordering deadline. Different products, quantities and finishes have different production windows. Start by identifying the date the print needs to be in use, then work backwards through artwork, approval, production and delivery.

If artwork is still changing, build that time into the plan. If several products are involved, do not assume they all have the same production time. Current turnaround should be confirmed against each actual specification.

A simple information list for your printer

When asking for a quote, send the information you already know: the items you need, approximate quantities, sizes or previous examples, whether artwork exists, the date the print needs to be in use, and where it needs to be delivered.

You do not need every detail finalised before starting the conversation. A good print supplier should be able to help narrow down the specification rather than forcing you to guess.

Planning a Christmas programme for a pub, restaurant, hotel or venue? View TW Printing’s Christmas Hospitality & Event Print page or send us your rough print list for a quote.