Catering Ideas for Your Company’s Holiday Party

The upcoming holidays offer the prime opportunity to celebrate the year’s successes and how hard your staff has worked.  By fostering team spirit, having a memorable holiday party also sets the tone for the upcoming year.  The following will cover the best catering ideas for your company’s holiday party to ensure the entire staff enjoys their holiday meal (as they deserve)!

Why Catering Matters for Holiday Parties

Whether it is a party for a large company or a smaller-scale business, professional corporate catering services offers several benefits.  Corporate Caterers will ensure that the event offers the highest quality, variety, and customization.  Thus, making it a party to remember.

Not only is it incredibly convenient but it also allows everyone to enjoy the event.  This includes the event’s organizers!  Rather than constantly ensuring that the event’s components are running smoothly, they can join in on the fun, distraction-free.  

Types of Holiday Party Catering Ideas

Let’s leave the cookie cutters for the holiday cookies!  To host a holiday party far from an event that has been done a hundred times over, these holiday party catering ideas will make this year’s company holiday party unique and memorable.

Themed Menus

Themed menus add a fun and thoughtful touch to each course served.  There are many different themes to choose from depending on the style of the event as a whole.  Whether it is a more traditional event style such as a Classic Christmas or Winter Wonderland, or a more inclusive theme such as Global Holiday Traditions, there is the perfect option for every party. Themes allow you to tailor the menu to your company’s culture, preferences, or even the event’s décor. By working closely with your caterer, you can design a cohesive culinary journey that enhances the festive atmosphere and leaves a lasting impression on your team.

Small Bites and Appetizers

Small bites and appetizers can be uncomplicated while remaining visually appealing and delicious.  They are the perfect foods to serve at the start of the evening.  This is due to being easy to eat and in most cases, not requiring cutlery or for guests to remain seated.  The most popular go-to’s for holiday parties include finger foods like canapés, bruschetta, and sliders.  

Appetizers such as spinach and artichoke dip served with garlic toast points facilitate mingling and encourage interactions between guests.  However, there are also options for those who desire to sit and relax.  Roasted pumpkin and goat cheese risotto with cinnamon may be exactly what the meal needs to start on the right foot.

Buffet-Style Catering

Buffet-style catering is advantageous for many reasons.  One of which is that it offers a variety of dishes.  Buffets tend to include a pasta bar, a salad station, a carving station, and a dessert station.  Others may also offer a soup and snack station. 

The main advantage is that they can center around one type of cuisine or several, depending on the needs of the holiday party.  This ensures a meal suitable for everyone in attendance is available (including those with dietary preferences).  

Salad Stations

Individuals rarely think of salads as being the highlight of the meal.  By choosing a caterer that offers a variety of different options, this may change!  Salads are not merely leafy greens and thick dressing- they can be one of the best parts of the buffet.

A salad station can offer an assortment of options that cater to everyone’s palettes.  Some salads are even more festive than others.  This includes salads with honey-scented roasted sweet potato or quinoa with dried cranberries.  Many salads highlight Winter ingredients, making them perfect for a holiday party. 

Plated Dinners

As part of a sit-down meal, plated dinners create a more formal atmosphere which elevates the event.  For example, start with a holiday cocktail and a hot item from the Birch Hill Luxury Bistro.  

Follow this with the dinner selection of your choice served with freshly baked breads, rolls, and butter, a salad, two entrees, and the chef’s choice of starch and vegetable accompaniment.  And, last but not least, end the meal with your choice of dessert.

Beverage Options

The food served at any event is rightfully placed in the spotlight.  However, we can’t neglect the beverages!  Every holiday offers the opportunity to serve fun, themed drinks with an added holiday twist. 

For example, holiday-inspired cocktails or mocktails can bring a bit more fun to an already enjoyable evening.  Spiced clementine mulled whisky, rum and ginger punch, mulled wine, or a classic snowball are all festive and delicious options!  Alongside their non-alcoholic alternatives, every guest will be able to enjoy beverages that will heighten their holiday spirit.  

Dessert Stations

After a delicious meal, the best way to close the dining portion of the event is to enjoy warm beverages and desserts.  For holiday company parties, seasonal treats such as holiday cookies and ice cream sundaes tie in perfectly with the rest of the evening’s offerings.

Interactive DIY dessert stations where guests can decorate holiday cookies can add even more fun!  Would it really be the holidays without gingerbread men?  Decorating them with the help of frosting, sprinkles, and toppings like whipped cream and maraschino cherries can bring the end of the night to a close with creativity and laughter.  

For those who may not enjoy gingerbread men, an ice cream sundae bar is another delicious option.  With chocolate sauce, fudge, and sprinkles, every serving of ice cream can taste even better.  An even fancier dessert station option is vanilla chai or pumpkin spice crème brûlée flambée.  

Hot chocolate and coffee bars that include beverages topped with marshmallows, whipped cream, and chocolate shavings complement all the desserts served at any winter-themed event. 

Hot cheese fondue stations with crisp baguettes is recommended for those hoping to have less sugar-filled options. This will ensure that those lacking a sweet tooth or with dietary restrictions will still enjoy this part of the night.

This holiday season, celebrate the year’s many highlights and the milestones that have been reached.  

With the talented local catering services in Albany, this year’s holiday parties are bound to be remembered for years to come.  Elevate the celebrations by prioritizing the catering of your next holiday event by contacting Birch Hill catering service.   

With Birch Hill Catering, we take the stress out of company holiday parties.  Our holiday menu ensures that every guest will enjoy their meal and overall experience.  We strive to have every aspect of the gathering go as smoothly as possible so that everyone maximizes the holiday fun.