Christmas Party Catering Checklist for Los Angeles Businesses

The holidays are just around the corner, and for those of us who work a 9 to 5, that means Christmas office parties! It’s fun to think about all the food and festivities of an given holiday party, but for those who are responsible for putting the party together, it’s important to stay organized and mindful. The following checklist will assist you getting your office party together efficiently, ensuring that everyone (including the party planners) can enjoy and have fun!

1. Set & Follow a Budget for your Christmas Party

Before even beginning to make plans for your office Christmas party, a budget needs to be set to make sure that all the planning is done within means, avoiding a budget crisis in the future. Setting a budget means knowing the number of employees attending and figuring out an affordable price per person. The banquet hall for the party, entertainment, beverages, and food will determine a large a portion of your budget. It’s important to be generous with your budget within limits, because the office Christmas party is about more than celebrating the holidays – it’s also about showing your appreciation to your employees and co-workers.

2. Pick a Banquet Hall in Los Angeles

If you’re considering holding your workplace Christmas party on your company’s property, it could save you money and be more convenient for the employees. If you’re considering holding your Christmas party offsite, you might be surprised to find that a spacious banquet hall could actually make for easier planning and organization. An offsite banquet hall also means that your employees will feel more inclined to relax and enjoy themselves in a new, fresh space outside of the work environment.

When choosing a banquet hall for your office Christmas party, it’s important to consider its location and parking. You don’t want your relaxing offsite party to be many miles away and with inconvenient parking, because that would defeat the purpose of holding an office party offsite. The banquet hall should be at an easily accessible location for all of your employees and provide enough parking to ensure peace of mind.

The type of banquet hall that you choose will determine the general feel and look of your party. A banquet hall is ideal for an elegant, sophisticated Christmas party. Many banquet halls offer rooms of different sizes according to your budget and number of guests attending, while also providing the tables, chairs, tableware, and waiting staff for the party. Catering is usually provided in-house by many banquet halls as well, allowing you to choose from a sample menu instead of trying to figure out what food to bring and where to hire a caterer. Some may even provide the décor, although many banquet halls are already decorated beautifully in their structure and layout. An outdoor space such as a garden or park will make for a more relaxing and casual atmosphere for your office Christmas party. In these cases, you should consider the cost of getting equipment, decorations, and food for the space, which may actually be less expensive for parties with a shorter guest list.

3. A Festive Feast

Once the banquet hall for your office Christmas party has been chosen, you can start looking for a caterer. As mentioned in step two, many banquet halls can provide their own in-house catering services, but whether or not you choose their services or an offsite caterer depends on your budget, the type of food you and your guests prefer, and the theme of the party.

A good catering service should offer you a range of different choices in terms of food and types of service. If your party is about having fun and celebrating, you might prefer a cocktail menu and buffet instead of a seated meal service. A good catering service should also take into consideration any dietary requirements that your or your guests may have in their menu, such as allergies to specific foods. You may want to prepare a list of such requirements and discuss them with potential caterers to see what choices and options they have according to your needs.

Don’t forget to speak to your caterer regarding refreshments and beverages for your office Christmas party. You might even be able to provide an open bar for your guests, depending on your budget and what you feel is more important for a successful office Christmas party. Keep in mind that the banquet hall providing this service should hold a valid license for serving alcohol.

Finally, you should provide a copy of your guest list to your caterer so they can be mindful about the amount of food they provide as well as how large the waiting staff should be, if you’re using their waiting staff. Your goal should be to create an environment that is enjoyable, relaxing, festive, and most importantly, without complication. You want to avoid running out of food, receiving poor service, or any other complication that would put a damper on the fun atmosphere.

To sum up, an office Christmas party is a simple and thoughtful way to thank your employees for all the work that they’ve done during the previous year. It also provides an environment where you and your employees can enjoy each other’s company without worrying about work-related issues. With smart planning, the perfect banquet hall, and a good catering service, you can put together an office Christmas party that will be talked about until the next party!