Five tips for planning the perfect office holiday party in Czechia

There’s nothing like Christmas for bringing people together. For many offices, the annual Christmas party is a time when employees can go beyond their everyday working relationships, turning colleagues into friends.

Perhaps the most important aspect of throwing a great Christmas party is having the right catering. Food and drink putting people in a festive mood takes careful preparation, so companies both large and small find it worthwhile to turn to a professional catering company for help.

Prague Catering has almost two decades’ experience in supplying Christmas parties as well as a wide range of the other events. From weddings and birthday parties, to gala dinners and significant occasions such as the dinner for the funeral of former President Václav Havel, the company knows how to supply food and drink that’s perfectly suited to the occasion.

Plan your party now

The festive season may not have started just yet, but for that very reason, now is the best time to plan your Christmas party. Arranging a venue, program and catering now will save major headaches down the line; many venues and services will be fully booked weeks in advance of Christmas.

Prague Catering can help you make sure that everything runs smoothly. “As well as catering services, we can also suggest venues where we are general catering partners: Černá labuť and Bobová dráha Prosek. We can help organize team buildings and other events at these venues, including live music and festive decoration,” said Prague Catering’s Zuzana Kazdová.

Bobová dráha Prosek has a restaurant and even a bobsleigh course, which can be used if the weather is suitable. Černá labuť is located in the city center; the venue on the eighth floor has a terrace with stunning views of Prague, and can host parties for 30-150 people.

According to Prague Catering, the sooner you plan your Christmas party the better, even though planning now tends to take place later in the year than it did before the pandemic.

Prague Catering offers a wide range of catering choices cooked up by its expert team following the latest food and drink trends.

“Our catering options are created by our excellent executive chef, ranging from Czech specialties to global cuisines including Indian, Mexican and Italian options. Right now, a big trend is food to boost health and fitness; heavy Czech cuisine is often replaced by fusion options.”

The company takes you through the entire catering process, from fleshing out an initial idea to creating a full catering concept and providing impeccable service leaving everyone satisfied.

There are as many kinds of Christmas parties as there are people arranging them. But following a few basic rules should make sure your party goes off without a hitch and that everyone attending has a great time.

When the party is for colleagues who work with each other every day, or with clients who you know well, it’s best to keep things informal. “People are moving away from formal parties. If it’s a party with people who already know each other, it’s much better to make it more of a ‘family style’ gathering,” says Kazdová.

There’s a temptation to come up with a strict program of events, especially if your party is for a large group of people. This is understandable, but not a good idea. “One of the worst things you can do is to try to have something really organized. It’s best to let people decide how they want to spend their time.

And if you do have some specific events or attractions, like a festive photo booth, for example, let people take pictures anytime they want.” Whatever you do, don’t push people into joining in with certain activities.

“It’s great to provide opportunities for people, but let them choose when and how to take part,” says Kazdová.

“From our experience, the most important thing is to have enough free drinks and enough food,” says Kazdová. “It’s also great to have some kind of surprise during the evening, for example, a live entertainment element. Keep it secret; don’t give away everything about the event beforehand.”

Themed parties can help make everyone feel involved in the event. According to Kazdová, such parties are usually the ones that get the best feedback from attendees.

“Whether it’s a casino theme, a roaring ‘20s style, a gangster style, or some other theme, these parties tend to be the best attended and the most enjoyable. The invitation should clearly state the dress code, and it’s great if you can also arrange some props to make the role play even more realistic; for a casino theme you might get some casino tables, for example.”

There’s no need to throw a lavishly expensive Christmas party; employees appreciate the gesture and the occasion no matter how expensive you make it. And with help from Prague Catering, there are plenty of options to ensure a good time on a limited budget.

“If you don’t have the budget to hire a venue, you can host the party on your own premises. Instead of a DJ, you can just make your own festive playlist to get everyone in the Christmas spirit. And as far as the catering is concerned, it doesn’t have to be a huge buffet table for the event to be great fun,” says Kazdová.