The holidays are some of the best, most joyous and fun times of the year. People are in good spirits and are looking forward to some quality time spent with friends and family. They’re also usually ready to have a good time at any holiday parties that are thrown during the season. Don’t let all of that festive holiday spirit come to a screeching halt by throwing a lacklustre holiday party.
If you’re in charge of the party planning this year, ensure your event is a success, with these four corporate event catering ideas for your holiday party:
1. Make the Food the Star of the Show
You can usually judge the success of your holiday party by observing the mood of your guests. One way to make sure that they get some entertainment into their evening is by making the food the star of the show.
There are a few ways to do this, one of them being the popular corporate event catering trend of chef stations, where the food is prepared right before the diners’ eyes, and often in dramatic fashion. This approach takes what could be a pretty ordinary meal and turns it into an exciting event that everyone can feel a part of. There’s just something about watching your food be prepared that makes it taste that much better.Consider hiring a caterer to cook for your guests, so you have a chance to socialize as well.
2. Do Away with Dinner
Well, not entirely. One of the best parts of attending any party or catered event is getting to sample all the appetizers and nibbles that are usually served at the beginning. Since this is such a popular part of the evening, why not make it the format for your dinner service at your holiday party?It also keeps your guests mingling and moving around the space instead of sticking in one corner.
When it comes to corporate event catering, the sky is the limit and no one says you have to serve a plated or buffet-style dinner. There are plenty of other ways to ensure your guests fill up on a good meal. Small bites mean that your guests can pick and choose the items that best satisfy their individual tastes and fit with their dietary needs, while still getting to try a variety of foods. Tapas, which means small plates in Spanish, is one example of this style of eating that has been popular in that country for centuries. It doesn’t necessarily have to be fancy cuisine either. Just consider how many of your guests would be ohh-ing and ahh-ing at the idea of items like mini mac and cheeses, cheeseburger sliders, or hand-cut fry cones?Small bites usually means less plates and wares, which leads to less clean up!
3. Choose a Theme
Generally speaking, most holiday parties’ just use the seasonal Christmas approach for their theme, or they may not have a theme at all. Choosing a theme for your event allows you to take the party to new heights and gives you a lot more options to work with for corporate event catering.
Santa’s Workshop, White Christmas, and The Night Before Christmas are all great places to start, or if you really want to think outside the box, think of The Nightmare Before Christmas, Tim Burton-style.Remember to keep your theme running through your menu, décor, and entertainment.
4. Go for Extra Indulgences
The holidays are an indulgent time of year and this is generally accepted by most people, so consider that going over the top might not be a bad thing when planning your corporate event catering.
Having a multi-course, sit-down dinner? Why not offer a carefully selected wine pairing for each course? Serving a late-night dessert buffet? Go all out with sinful selections like dark chocolate mousse and champagne dessert shooters.
