Ah, yes. The dreaded corporate holiday party is just around the corner. We know you simply can’t wait for the awkward small talk, horrible choice in music and the stale finger food. But what if there were steps you could take to make this year… different? What if there was a way you could have great tasting food, riveting entertainment and become closer with your team members? No, it’s not too good to be true. The first step in making your holiday wishes come true is by hiring the right caterer. Here are six easy steps to transforming your corporate holiday party.
Step 1: Get to Know Your Guests
Always keep in mind that you are planning this party for everyone, not just yourself! Everyone has different tastes and preferences. The key to this is understanding your company’s culture. Will it be a formal event? Informal? Will the staff be bringing guests? How about bringing their families and kids? This will help you set the tone of the event.
Step 2: Create a Unique Theme
This may sound odd, but not every year needs to be about Santa Claus and candy canes! After all, most people can get their fill of Old Saint Nick at home or over the holidays with family and friends. You can create an unforgettable party by switching it up. As an example, maybe you could transport your staff to Hawaii with a luau theme.
Step 3: Surprise!
Think of a way you can incorporate an element of surprise into your holiday party. This creates buzz and genuine excitement. Staff will actually look forward to coming in just to find out what the big secret is. Hire surprise performers, or organize some door crashers.
Step 4: Entertainment
Instead of just focusing on one form of entertainment, like a DJ, try and set up different stations around the party where people can freely go to or have teams in rotation. This is great because it gives variety and it’s different. You can set up a photo booth, hire a caricature artist or even set up casino tables; whatever you think fits the tone of the party and suits the taste of your staff.
Step 5: Drinks
Consider having a theme to your drinks to match your party, and integrate it into your drinks. Maybe think of a few signature cocktails and mocktails (not everyone drinks alcohol).
Step 6: Food
We may be biased, but we consider food one of the most important aspects of any successful event. Ditch the finger foods and hire the right caterer for your needs. Be sure to take into account food restrictions or food allergies before planning out your menu. Just because it’s Christmas doesn’t mean you have to go with turkey.
Freshly Made Catering proudly serves the Mississauga and GTA areas. We believe hiring a caterer that is responsive to your needs and able to deliver great quality and great tasting food is one of the most important details when planning an event. Call us today for all your catering needs.