The office Christmas party is a highlight of the year. It’s important for office morale, for celebrating achievements and making sure your team have fun together. This means that everything has to be just right. You will need to make sure you sort your food options in plenty of time, giving everybody something delicious to eat and something to look forward to. Here are some important things to think about:

• Decide what type of food you want to serve. Will it be a sit-down meal or a buffet? This could also affect your choice of venue, as some will already have their own in-house caterers who have their individual specialities.
• Cater for everyone. Make sure there are options for everyone in your company, and that the caterers know about dietary requirements in advance. If you don’t have everyone’s dietary requirements on file, it may be worth getting them to fill in a form or send an email detailing their needs.
• Take suggestions on board. Members of staff will usually have strong ideas about what they want from their Christmas party. After all, it is for them, so try to listen carefully to what they would enjoy.
• Make sure there is a good selection of drinks. At the Christmas party, it is usually assumed that the drinks will be flowing. Not everyone will be drinking alcohol though, so ensure there is a good range available.
• Have an organised approach to your catering. Work closely with the catering company you are using to make sure they are fully aware of your requirements. Communication is everything in these situations – if everyone knows exactly what is happening, and when, you will end up with a highly organised catering experience that everyone is delighted with.