ROMP A POM POM POM, BEAT GOES THE DRUM..... it's that time again kids!... and the team at Artisan are bracing themselves for the last minute mayhem that is characteristic of many studios and agencies around the city at Christmas time.

Like the formula to any successful Christmas dinner, catering your studio's break requires precision organistation by skilled enthusiasts, quality ingredients and good timing (NO ONE likes a flopped Pavlova...). In our busy modern society, the Christmas break seems to frequently be anything but! Lets face it, no one enjoys a curve ball or an unforeseen event – the clearer the expectation – the less chance there is for potential meltdown. We have devised a few pointers enabling you and your permanent team to relax over the seasonal break, making the most of any time off – with a little pre planning and forecasting, you can have your Christmas cake – and eat it too!

You'll be pleased to know the team here at Artisan have our metaphoric oven mitts locked and loaded, and the the "crème de la crème" ready to be whipped at the last minute. That's right, our skeleton staff (who may or may not be dressed as elves) will continue to function through the holiday period, with a solid team of freelance talent to save the day should your studio require last minute assistance. Additionally – we can organise replacements when your own staff take scheduled (or otherwise) annual leave – making it a seamless transition for your workflow.

As you might imagine, there are a lucky bunch of Artisan’s creatives that take an extended break over Christmas, taking time to be leisurely, festive – and more bluntly - thining down our talent pool for two or three weeks. If you have a particular candidate in mind, it is important for you to ask in advance should you have a project over the weeks if late December, early January. Your consultant will arrange suitable alternatives in the event that your favourite is unavailable and you can rest assured the job will be completed on time, to budget and to the required standard. Mission accomplished.

The next gold coin in the plum pudding, so to speak, is the old faithful Christmas visit that our team make to ensure your year has been a good one, you are happy with the relationship and to generally spread some festive cheer. This visit can be as strategic as you like, ideally using this opportunity to discuss the following year's potential requirements. Accept an offer for a Christmas visit, even if it is half an hour to recap on the year gone by, and catch up face to face – it is worth the time and effort, and helps you reconnect with your favourite Artisan Consultant – and pass over your wish list for the new year.

Most importantly, don't forget to spread some fun in the office place. If you do have to work over the break, 'secret Santa' or an activity that helps build the family vibe is a great way to keep the atmosphere light.

These little pointers are worth stashing in your Santa sack and throwing over your shoulder as we move into the last weeks of November. The thermometer is rising, party season is here – and lets be honest, you're all over the place – so let our team take some of the hard work off your hands and rest assured Artisan remains a shining star during dark nights.