Christmas & Winter Party Marquees: Will It Be Warm Enough?

"Won't it be freezing?" is the first thing people ask when we mention a marquee for a Christmas party. Fair question. The honest answer is no — not if it's set up properly. A heated, lined marquee with proper flooring is a genuinely cosy place to spend a December evening, and it gives you something a function room can't: your own space, your own music and room for everyone.

Here's what actually goes into a winter marquee, and what to think about before you book.

Why a Marquee for Christmas?

December function rooms get snapped up early, and the ones that are left often come with a set menu, a finish time and someone else's playlist. A marquee in your garden, on your farm or at your business puts you in charge. Big family Christmas, a work do for the whole team, a Christmas Eve get-together, a New Year's Eve party — it all works, and nobody has to drive home from the other side of the county.

Keeping It Warm

Warmth comes from a few things working together, not just a heater in the corner:

• Heating sized to the marquee. We fit heaters matched to the size of your marquee and position them so the heat spreads evenly, rather than one end roasting and the other end freezing.
• Solid sidewalls all the way round. In winter you want the marquee fully closed, with the doorway kept to where people actually come in and out.
• Linings. Fabric linings on the roof and walls help hold the heat in, and they make the whole thing look finished rather than like a tent.
• Flooring. Cold comes up from the ground as much as anywhere, so a proper floor makes a big difference to how warm it feels.

Flooring Isn't Optional in Winter

A lot of the ground round here is clay, and by December it's usually been wet for weeks. Without a floor, a grass surface gets churned up fast once people start moving about — and it's dark by four o'clock, so nobody sees the mud until it's on the carpet at home. Flooring keeps everything level, dry and a lot safer underfoot. Our heating, lighting and flooring guide goes through the options in more detail.

Lighting for Dark Evenings

With the sun going down before most parties even start, lighting does a lot of the work. Warm festoon and fairy lights are the go-to for a Christmas feel, and chandeliers add a bit of sparkle if you want it dressier. Think about the walk from the house or car park to the marquee too — a few lights on the route makes a real difference in the dark.

What Size Do You Need?

Christmas parties tend to be more mingling than sit-down, so the standing figures are usually the ones to look at. As a rough guide from our size chart:

• 6m × 9m — up to around 75 standing, or 45 seated
• 6m × 12m — up to around 100 standing, or 60 seated
• 9m × 12m — up to around 125 standing, or 75 seated
• 9m × 18m — up to around 180 standing, or 100 seated

Leave some room for a bar, a buffet table and a bit of a dance floor. If you're in two minds, our marquee size guide walks through it properly — or just tell us your numbers and we'll work it out.

When to Book

December weekends are limited and they go quickly, so if you've got a date in mind, get in touch now rather than in late November. Weeknight parties are often easier to fit in at shorter notice. The same goes for the quieter months after Christmas — a January or February party for a team that was too busy in December is a lot easier to book.

Business Christmas Parties

If you've got a yard, car park or bit of land at work, a marquee can turn it into the venue for the whole team — no minibus, no booking deposit at a hotel. We'll fit the build and takedown around your working hours. Have a look at our corporate marquee hire page for more.

Frequently Asked Questions

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