Christmas and winter corporate hospitality 2026–27
Sources checked 3 October 2026 · 3 min read
Christmas is when many businesses thank their clients and their teams, and the winter calendar is shorter than the summer’s. Here is what is on from November 2026 to February 2027, each date taken from the organiser’s or venue’s own page on 3 October 2026, with what HMRC says about staff parties. Dates can move; your quote confirms the date in force when you book.
November: rugby, racing and the ATP Finals
The November rugby Tests now count towards the new Nations Championship. England play Australia, Japan and New Zealand at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, Scotland host the same three at Murrayfield, and the competition ends with a Finals Weekend in London.
7, 15 and 21 November 2026
- Where
- Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh
13–15 November 2026
- Event
- The November Meeting
- Where
- Cheltenham Racecourse
15–22 November 2026
- Event
- ATP Finals
- Where
- Inalpi Arena, Turin
27–29 November 2026
- Where
- Allianz Stadium, Twickenham
Scottish Rugby explains how the Finals Weekend works:
“Over three days of double-headers at Allianz Stadium (formerly Twickenham) the six teams of each hemisphere will play their correspondingly-placed counterpart, starting with 6th place v 6th place, and culminating in 1st place v 1st place to determine the Nations Championship winner.”
Source: England Rugby — fixtures and results (opens in a new tab)
December: Abu Dhabi, the darts and Kempton
4–6 December 2026
- Event
- Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
- Where
- Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi
11 December 2026 – 3 January 2027
- Where
- Alexandra Palace, London
26–27 December 2026
- Where
- Kempton Park Racecourse
The darts moves into Alexandra Palace’s Great Hall for the first time, and general tickets went by ballot, which has closed. The venue says any resold tickets must go through the event’s own fan-to-fan platform, so ask us about hospitality rather than tickets.
Kempton’s Christmas Festival has 12 races over two days, with the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day. Its hospitality runs from a panoramic restaurant to private boxes.
January and February: the Masters and the Six Nations
10–17 January 2027
- Where
- Alexandra Palace, London
5 February – 13 March 2027
- Event
- Men’s Six Nations
- Where
- Twickenham, Murrayfield, Cardiff, plus Ireland, France and Italy
“Steeped in history and prestige, the Masters is snooker’s greatest invitation event and a cornerstone of the sport’s iconic Triple Crown, alongside the World Championship and the UK Championship.”
It is played in Alexandra Palace’s West Hall. All ages are welcome, but under-16s must be with an adult over 21.
The Six Nations opens on Friday 5 February with Ireland v England in Dublin, and England’s first home match is against France on Sunday 14 February.
Staff Christmas parties: HMRC’s £150 rule
If the event is a party for your own staff rather than client entertaining, different rules apply. An annual party can be exempt from tax and National Insurance as an employee benefit. HMRC says that, to be exempt, the party or similar social function must:
- be open to all your employees
- be annual, such as a Christmas party or summer barbecue
- cost £150 or less per person
“If your business has more than one location, an annual event that’s open to all of your staff based at one location still counts as exempt.”
“As long as the combined cost of the events is no more than £150 per head, they’re still exempt.”
So a winter event for the whole team needs costing per head, including VAT, against that limit. Our quotes are always per guest including VAT, which makes the check straightforward.
Client entertaining and VAT
Hospitality for clients is treated differently. HMRC’s starting point for VAT-registered businesses is short:
“You cannot recover input tax incurred on the provision of business entertainment expenses.”
Our VAT and tax guide sets out the detail, and our Bribery Act guide covers what the Ministry of Justice says about reasonable and proportionate hospitality.
How to brief us
- The date, with a second choice if you have one.
- How many guests, and whether they’re clients, your team or both.
- The style you want: a private box or suite, a restaurant table or a shared lounge.
- A budget per guest, including VAT.
- The company name and address for the invoice.
Your host replies with a written quote that lists what’s included, priced per guest including VAT.
Sources
- Scottish Rugby — Nations Championship 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- England Rugby — fixtures and results (opens in a new tab)
- The Jockey Club — The November Meeting at Cheltenham (opens in a new tab)
- ATP Finals — Turin (opens in a new tab)
- Formula 1 — 2026 calendar (opens in a new tab)
- Alexandra Palace — World Darts Championship 2026/27 (opens in a new tab)
- The Jockey Club — Christmas Festival at Kempton Park (opens in a new tab)
- Alexandra Palace — Masters Snooker 2027 (opens in a new tab)
- Irish Rugby (IRFU) — 2027 men’s Six Nations fixtures confirmed (opens in a new tab)
- GOV.UK — Expenses and benefits: social functions and parties (opens in a new tab)
- HMRC VAT Notice 700/65: business entertainment and VAT (opens in a new tab)
Checked 3 October 2026. Venue rules, dates and guidance change; the version in force applies. The tax notes are general information from HMRC’s published guidance, not tax advice. Your accountant can confirm how they apply to your business. We’re not affiliated with the venues, organisers or bodies quoted. We source hospitality through venues, promoters and their appointed hospitality partners.