The office Christmas party is usually one of the highlights of the year on our work calendars.
Organising the perfect work Christmas party can be stressful and the one thing people will always talk about post-event is the food. Especially if it isn’t up to scratch or isn’t enough for everyone! Getting the office Christmas party menu right is an essential ingredient for a successful Christmas event!
You’ve got the date, the venue and guest list sorted but what about the catering? Catering options for office Christmas parties are endless and are becoming more creative each year; and you will find there is something to cater for every budget. Pardon the pun!
Once you’ve got all the key elements of your event confirmed, the next step is to really think about the menu; what style of catering will you have? How formal or informal will the event be? Most likely this has already been considered when selecting the venue (or deciding to host the function in-house) but now it’s time to really look at the Christmas party menu in detail and see what options your caterer can offer.
Here at Elizabeth Andrews, we love a traditional Christmas affair however there are plenty of alternatives to the traditional Christmas ham and turkey that will truly impress your co-workers and guests. So let’s get in the festive spirit and look at all things Christmas party menus!
The Ultimate Aussie Christmas – of course, we celebrate Christmas here in Australia in summer so if the wintery-Christmas classics aren’t your style then we are all for a summery Aussie Christmas affair. Think lots of seafood, salads and of course Christmas BBQ’s
Let’s Get Formal; Plated Christmas Lunches or Dinners – catering budgets throughout the year may be limited but when it comes to Christmas most companies really like to splash out and treat their staff so a sit down Christmas lunch or dinner is perfect if you are looking for something on the formal side! What should be on the menu? The team at Elizabeth Andrews loves seafood entrees, beautiful pork belly or slow cooked lamb for main and then classic, traditional Christmas desserts like puddings to finish.
Classy Christmas Canapes – cocktail style Christmas parties are perfect to get co-workers and guests mingling but your Christmas canapes should be a class above mini pies and pizzas! Think beautifully cooked tiger prawns; include other seafood like salmon and seared tuna in your canape selection. And items like charcoal buns or canapes served in spoons will make your platters look visually appealing and interesting. But of course, if you want a simple cocktail style Christmas party then pies, homemade sausage rolls and mini pizzas will always be a hit!
Corporate Christmas Lunches: With a Twist – sometimes our Christmas affair may be a simple working lunch with some key clients, but we need to incorporate some special touches to take that corporate Christmas lunch to the next level. Sandwich fillings like turkey and cranberry or smoked salmon are sure to be hit. Perhaps include some canapes to accompany your festive sandwiches and some Christmas petit fours to finish are bound to be a hit!
Alternative Christmas Food Themes – people love a themed party so if you are thinking of theming your Christmas party then select a theme which your catering can also tie into. The options are endless however some themes we are loving at the moment are Mexican fiestas, Summer in the Mediterranean with an Italian feast and lots of limoncello and Aperol Spritz or for something totally quirky why not revisit the 80’s – think prawn cocktails, prosciutto-wrapped rockmelon, roulades and vol au vents (all of which we still love today!).
Traditional Christmas Desserts and Sweets – Christmas really does bring out the best sweets. From traditional Christmas puddings, to the Aussie (or New Zealand!) classic pav, gingerbread men and gorgeous panettone. Christmas offers a variety of sweets that we don’t always see year-round so depending on your style of Christmas party you may want to go traditional or contemporary. Regardless of whether you are hosting a Christmas cocktail party, BBQ, buffet or anything in between we recommend that you incorporate some form of Christmas sweets in your menu.
The Traditional Christmas Carvery – yep, we can’t talk Christmas menus without talking about the all-time classic, Christmas ham. We truly believe you can’t go wrong with a traditional Christmas carvery of ham; add some turkey, roasted vegetables and lots of cranberry sauce and you have the ultimate Christmas feast. And best of all, if you want to move away from the traditional winter-Christmas hot carvery then cold ham and roasted chicken pieces can be served with healthy and delicious summer salads to give your carvery a truly Aussie Christmas feel.
Our team loves Christmas, designing our Christmas menu is one of the highlights of the year and each festive season our menu changes. Our Christmas menu is available year-round to view online here however our options aren’t limited to what is available on our annual Christmas menu and we are always happy to work with you to tailor the perfect Christmas menu to your Christmas party theme and budget.
In addition to the support our team can provide you in designing your Christmas menu, our blog ’12 Easy Steps to Organising a Successful Office Christmas Party’ is a must read for anyone who has been designated with organising a Christmas party and doesn’t know where to start! And other resources like the A List Guide have a ton of ideas and advice to assist you in planning the ultimate Christmas affair.
Regardless of what you choose to do, it’s important not to lose sight of the fact that the festive season is a time to get together with work colleagues and clients, reflect on the year that’s been and look forward to the year ahead. If you need further assistance planning your work Christmas party our team at Elizabeth Andrews is always here to help on 03 9670 4361.