The end of 2017 is fast approaching. And who can wait? Most of us have probably already begun thinking about how we’ll unwind, take time off and what we’re going to do with our friends and family.
Unless you’re the one planning the company end-of-year party!
To the employee responsible for organising the company party: we feel for you. Not only is the pressure for arranging a fun event for everyone entirely on your shoulders, but it has to impress your higher ups – your reputation is on the line!
And then there’s the question of how your party might impact your team – does your event bring your co-workers closer together and improve team dynamics going forward?
Yes, worrying about your company party could start your break off on the completely wrong foot. Good thing we’re here to help!
Your Private Chef takes care of all your Christmas party catering, promising fun and frivolity this silly season!
And if your problem runs deeper than just food? What if you genuinely have no idea how to make your end-of-year celebration stand out?
We’re glad you asked.
1. For the traditionalists, centre your event around food
Enjoy a quintessential Christmas feast
Of course, you can’t go past the classics.
While we Aussies may not be lucky enough to have a winter wonderland Christmas like our friends in the northern hemisphere, that doesn’t mean we can’t try!
Your Private Chef’s hot food platters and Christmas carvery menu are perfect for capturing the magi of a white Christmas. Complete with roast turkey, a whole leg ham, and even a spit roast, as well as our succulent hot and cold platter, our packages are perfect if you want to bring a bit of that winter magic down south.
BBQ Christmas catering
Alternatively, we also have a variety of BBQ packages if you settle on the decidedly Aussie tradition of the Christmas barbecue. Our range goes far beyond your run-of-the-mill supermarket sausages; however: there’s a whole world of sausages, skewers and other grilled meats to put a bit of a different spin on your end-of-the-year barbecue.
So we’ve got the food sorted, what about the rest of the celebrations?
2. Dress up!
If you’re looking for an opportunity to encourage some creativity in your co-workers, you can’t go past a well-organised costume party.
Dressing up – or down – is a fantastic way to end your year. After all, the end-of-year party is about more than just Christmas – it’s an opportunity for you and your team to unwind after a solid year of (hopefully) hard work. Not to mention the ways that a costume party can strengthen your team!
- They’re a welcome change in scenery for your co-workers and a much-needed break from the routine
- Costumes break barriers within your team – your manager isn’t the manager any more, they’re a man of the Night’s Watch!
- A costume party can improve the staff morale and bring everybody together
- Most of all, they’re just good fun!
And if your workplace is already fairly casual, how about going in the opposite direction?
Inject a bit of glamour into your end-of-year celebrations by considering a masquerade ball for your company event! While this old Venetian tradition is much more elaborate in terms of preparation, masquerade balls are a much classier and more memorable event than your stock-standard company function.
If you are thinking of a masquerade ball, here are some things to consider:
- Venue – masquerades are characterised by ball-style dancing, so a suitable venue is a must
- Time – your co-workers need time to track down masquerade masks and costumes, so make sure you give plenty of notice
- Food and drink – masquerades are traditionally formal events, so you’ll want the catering to fit! How about a decadent 3 course seated menu or the fabulous dining style, the banquet?
3. Embrace the dagginess, we say!
Christmas has a reputation for being decidedly daggy.
You know what we mean: the decorations can look tacky, the clothing would land you on the faux pas pages of any celeb magazine, and Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas would be on repeat (not that I am complaining).
Yes, all semblance of taste flies out of the window when December rolls around! But that’s all part of the charm, isn’t it? Cringe all you want at the Christmas kitsch, it just wouldn’t be Christmas without the innocent – and ever so slightly embarrassing – cheesiness.
So why shy away from it?
Ugly sweater parties have taken off in recent years as celebrations of all things eye-poppingly awful. And that’s why hosting one of these events is great for getting a bit of a laugh out of your staff – after all, isn’t that what Christmas is all about?
Here are just a handful of (questionable) choices you can make:
Set up a tacky, Charlie Brown-style aluminium Christmas tree (yes, they really existed!)
Encourage your team to wear the ugliest home-knitted jumper they can find
For something more summer appropriate, the most tasteless novelty T-shirt will do excellently
Congratulations… you’ve reached peak Christmas dag!
Top off your event with hot and cold sharing platters as well as some delicious and indulgent Christmas desserts.
4. Explore Santa’s workshop
Here’s something a little unconventional: how about a Santa’s workshop-themed Christmas event? While it may sound silly, setting up your party room to look like Santa’s workshop is surprisingly good fun!
Each “workstation” in the “workshop” has a different activity that tests your co-workers’ creativity and teamwork – it’s more than just a bit of fun! Workshops are a great way to strengthen the bonds that hold your team together and improve staff performance.
So why not combine the team-building power of a workshop with the amazing power of food to bring people together?
Talk to Your Private Chef about your team-building functions. Using the challenges of the kitchen to improve valuable workplace skills such as communication, teamwork an maybe a little bit of friendly competition, our cook-off events are a great choice for fostering connections and cohesion within your staff. Add a Christmas twist, and you’ve got a truly unique end-of-year corporate activity.
You can even appoint one staff member to oversee everything as Santa (while everyone else dons their best elf costumes – pointy ears encouraged!)
5. Around the world
Not every culture celebrates Christmas. Many observe their own end-of-year celebrations. In fact, even amongst countries that do celebrate Christmas, they way they go about it can be vastly different.
So why not celebrate this diversity with an Around the World themed party?
This is an especially suitable idea if your team is highly diverse. You might encourage all your staff to turn up in national or traditional clothing or to share their own traditional festivities for other to experience. There’s no better way to break down barriers an build understanding and cohesion within your staff.
At Your Private Chef, we are big believers in the power of good food to bring people together, so of course having a menu that reflects your workplace diversity is a must!
Get in touch with us today to explore how we can help create a menu that suits your style and your Christmas party theme.
Need catering that suits your company function?
Call Your Private Chef!
Your company’s end-of-year party can be so much more than just sandwiches and some awkward “thanks-for-all-your-hard-work” speeches. These are just some of the more interesting ideas we’ve seen in our years of catering functions of all sizes.
Whatever theme you settle on, listed here or otherwise, get in touch with Your Private Chef for all your catering needs.
To start laying the ground for your company’s Christmas or end of year function, call Ana now for the perfect culinary experience to cap off another successful year! Alternatively, you can fill in this form and we will be in touch!
At Your Private Chef, we’ve also catered to countless Christmas and end-of-year functions. And if you’re ripping hair out trying to think of a good theme, we’re here to share some of the more interesting ideas we’ve seen people pull off for their functions over the years.
