11/4/15 11/4/15

BG's in Catersource Magazine!

The International Catering Association (ICA) featured BG Events and Catering’s 2015 holiday party themes!You can find both of our glamorous holiday themes for the season, “Snowball” and “Sparkle,” in the September/October issue of Catersource Magazine. In fact, each one is accompanied by descriptions and images in the article entitled, “Holiday Parties of 2015.” Check out page 52 and 53!It is our honor to receive recognition from an organization that aims to inspire creativity within the catering community. We would also like to send a big thank you to Catersource for publishing our holiday party theme ideas.We will continue to push the limits of possibility in innovative Boston catering. Keep an eye out for our fabulous cuisine and décor at weddings, private, social or corporate events!

10/27/15 10/27/15

Holiday Party Décor Ideas

Soon, Boston will be a city bright with the holiday spirit. We can help you bring that charm into your holiday party venue, creating a scene that is uniquely yours with gorgeous décor. After all, what is a party without some decoration?This year’s trends served as the source of inspiration for our list of ideas. Each section has décor ideas for both a vintage and a modern look. However, our expert event planners can help you design any style that speaks to you!

Lighting

Lighting sets the ambiance in any party, but for the holidays we suggest either a cozy vintage feeling or a modern, city chic look.Hang pendant lamps with Edison-style antique bulbs over the dining areas or cocktail tables and accent with vintage candelabras or chandeliers. Finish the look with soft white string lights.Include a modern lighting setup with brightly colored pipe and drape uplighting – one color or many. Our dependable lighting vendors could also flood the ceiling with small snowflakes or sparkling evening stars. Set up a monogram of your company’s name, party theme or a familiar quote for the holidays like, “Joy to the World.”

Furniture

Chic lounge furniture is all the rage this year. It offers a cozy place for intimate conversations and adds a luxurious tone to the entire event. Use a carpet to square off space and always have a table for drinks or appetizers.We love adding red plaid flannel or creamy white cotton pillows to a comfortable couch. Finish the look by adding a large holiday votive, a small bouquet of poinsettias or a dish of delectable holiday cookies on rustic wooden tables.A modern lounge would have sleek lines and a shiny surface potentially paired with geometric pillows. Set up a light wood table near the couches and use metallic holiday decorations to give it some flair. Your guests will love the simplicity amid the craziness of the season!

Bartop Décor

Make your bar so enticing that everyone who attends cannot resist splurging on a cocktail. Offer several varieties of signature drinks, local brews and nonalcoholic drinks. Here are some ideas to draw your guests’ attention:

Dress up the description of your signature cocktail with a metallic wooden frame or consider writing drink items on a chalkboard, like the super hipster trend popular in restaurants.
Hang flowers or a wreath along the wall as a backdrop to the bartenders to add a delicate touch.
Use gold or copper-colored cocktail shakers and finish the drink with a red and white candy-cane colored straw (or any color you’d like!).

Tabletop Décor

If you are having a plated dinner for your guests, bring their eyes to the gorgeous table setting while they enjoy delicious, innovative entrees from our topnotch catering team. We like these décor ideas:

For a vintage touch, place various sized candles in the center of the table to bring out the rustic white linen table runners.
Include place settings with vintage print name cards to make each guest feel extra special.
Arrange fresh holly branches or evergreen garlands down the center of the table to add a woodsy touch, not to mention the delightful smell of the outdoors!
Consider using contemporary glass vases to add holiday items, such as fresh cranberries, sparking ornaments, metallic-painted pinecones or a traditional bouquet from one of our trusted florists. This look works for both modern cocktail tables and a formal dinner setup.

Take these ideas and make the magic of the holiday season come alive at your next Boston holiday party. Just give us a call or drop an email and we’ll be happy to help you every step of the way.

Our Favorite Boston Holiday Venues & Décor

If you are going to host a beautiful holiday party, be glad you are in a city as beautiful as Boston. With its wide array of both modern and historic venues, one of them will certainly fulfill your vision for the ultimate holiday party. Our website has an easy-to-use venue selector application to start the process. We also thought it would be useful to highlight some of our favorite venues and give you ideas for holiday themes and décor that would harmonize well with each space.

Three Boston Party Venues and

Ideas for Matching Holiday Décor

90FS

Burr! Don’t let the cold winter air deter you from enjoying a night out on the town at 9OFS. As the sophisticated space whisks you away with its elegant touch, you can glance out the window at the snow and ice on the building’s garden terrace. Located on One Federal Street in the Financial District, this calm space can accommodate up to 110 guests seated and up to 200 for a cocktail reception. Choose either the gallery or the loft, as each provides a warm setting with a view of the sparkling city lights downtown. 90FS Boston Venue

9OFS Holiday Décor Ideas:

We think a “White Winter Wonderland” theme would complement the chic feeling inside 9OFS. You can line the wall-sized windows with LED lights and use large dazzling white floral arrangements on each of the cocktail tables, sitting areas, and bar and food stations to draw the theme into circles of conversation.Hang silver snowflakes from the ceiling or project snowflake images on the walls and floors with help from one of our recommended lighting vendors. Blue uplighting, a glistening evergreen tree and modern white lounge furniture will brighten the moods of everyone attending. And who knows? Maybe Mother Nature will add to the theme with a dusting of snow on the terrace!

9OFS Holiday Menu Package:

Cocktail ideas to complement your “White Winter Wonderland” include a white cosmopolitan or bubbly prosecco. We can customize a dinner menu or an appetizer menu depending on the type and scale of your party. We think an all-white dessert table that includes decorated sugar cookies would be a perfect end to a stunning evening at 9OFS!

Cyclorama

Located in the Boston Center for the Arts, this historic space was built in 1884 in Boston’s South End neighborhood. It is the home to the largest collection of historic Victorian brownstones in all of New England, and can serve as a gorgeous versatile space for parties hosting up to 1,000 guests! Brick walls and its distinctive copper dome accent the grandiose vibe of Cyclorama’s 23,000-square-foot space. Cyclorama at Boston Center for the Arts

Cyclorama Holiday Décor Ideas

Playing to the historic look of Cyclorama, we envision the theme as “Old-Fashioned Winter.” As this space was originally built to display large panoramic scenes, we envision this holiday party would have a beautiful winter scene acting as its backdrop.This view could include a scene with sturdy Belgian horses pulling a red sleigh dressed in holly leaves. There could be a couple bundled together smiling as they’re being pulled along through the snowy night sky. Next to that scene could be an ice skating rink full of people who are dressed in old-fashioned clothing and bonnets, gliding along near snow-covered trees.Complementing the panoramic scene would be old-fashioned décor like hand-knit stockings to hang from the bar, pinecone arrangements, strings of popcorn to hang along the evergreens and vintage chandeliers above classic lounge furniture. The ceiling height in Cyclorama is something worth noting when considering decorating ideas. You could either place a tall decorated holiday tree in the center of the room to act as a beautiful focal point or hang a collection of LED lights from the ceiling in a dazzling spectacle of soft light.

Cyclorama Holiday Menu Package:

Going along with our old-fashioned theme, you could offer classic eggnog to your guests or the old-fashioned classic bourbon cocktail! Again, we can customize a menu based on your preferences, but we suggest offering an old-fashioned holiday meal such as chicken potpie with homemade stuffing and roasted vegetables. And for dessert, no one would turn down small bites of fudge or traditional holiday cookies!

BSA Space

Guests will love the clean, modern lines and the wide, airy feeling of the Boston Society of Architects (BSA) space. You can host up to 300 people in the rooms overlooking Fort Point Channel and the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway. This LEED Platinum-certified building has all the updated technology in each of the multiple galleries and small rooms totaling 6,800 square feet. Boston Society of Architects

BSA Space Holiday Décor Ideas:

The Pearl Street, Harbor, Channel and Congress rooms are intimate settings for small holiday parties, but if you can rent multiple spaces, each room can be a different part of your theme! The “Colorful Christmas” theme would allow you to decorate each room in a different color with modern décor to match the lines in the building’s architecture.Speaking of décor, we love the look of brightly colored geometric-shaped ornaments on the limbs of bare, white trees. Adding ombre color table runners and simple flower arrangements with glass vases adds a nice touch to this holiday theme. You could stack various sizes of gift boxes with solid-colored, striped, or polka-dotted wrapping paper along the edges of the walking space.

BSA Space Menu Package:

A signature cocktail at this party should be colorful, maybe a Cranberry Mojito! Our event planning team and chefs can also help create a colorful array of food to serve your guests. As for desserts, maybe consider the light taste of macaroons, especially since you can make these little tasty desserts in multiple different colors!Whichever venue you choose in Boston, we know our catering team can help you design a theme to suit your vision. We will make sure your holiday party is the best evening ever!

10 Tips for Planning an 'After-Work' Holiday Cocktail Party

After a long day at work, the last thing any of us want is more stress. However, you would probably welcome a chance to relax after work with a nice cocktail and delicious food! Getting together for an evening in Boston should be fun and easy and we have some tips to help make that possible.

Why You Should Host a Holiday Cocktail Party

A relaxing place can lead to other enjoyable conversation and may even help spark fresh ideas for work or life outside of work.
Giving co-workers an opportunity to bond builds community. And what better time for community than during the holidays?
Getting to know the people you see every day can enhance everyone’s sense of trust and respect for each other.
Cocktails, appetizers, community – a winning combination for a successful after work holiday party!

Send out invitations. Everyone should know to pencil the party into their calendars. This gives them a chance to find babysitters or rearrange other plans as necessary. These invitations can be sent through email or internal memos. Also mention that this is an informal party, where people can come and go as they please.
Encourage leadership to attend. Staff is more likely to pop in for a drink if their boss will be there. Again, this type of party isn’t meant to have a “you must attend!” feeling, but instead, to serve as a place for people to get to know each other better. Casual conversation amid the holiday atmosphere can only lead to a positive experience for all!
Make the location easily accessible. Our Boston catering team can help host the party somewhere in the office or at a reserved venue nearby. Don’t make attendees stress over getting there. If employees have to take a short walk to the location, that’s ideal. A little fresh air on their way to a nice warm, welcoming destination will put them in the perfect mood to celebrate. Ideally, guests can leave whenever they like and take their normal commute home afterward!
Set up an open concept venue space. We would recommend using high boys to accommodate people standing and talking. Scaling back on formal seating lets everyone know it’s ok to just stop in to say hi. If you do prefer to offer seating, think about using chic lounge furniture. Guests would feel very special sitting and sipping their signature cocktail while talking with a co-worker in the bright holiday vibe.
Serve hors d’oeuvres only. Make sure guests are aware that our Boston catering team will only be serving small bites. That way, they can plan to eat before coming or to a share a meal with others afterward. Certainly though, they can look forward to delighting in the comforting tastes of the holiday season.
Expand the bartending. If the party lasts only a couple of hours, do not make your guests spend 20 of those precious minutes standing in line at the bar. Instead, have your catering team set out a premixed signature drink on trays for attendees to take as they come in the door. You could also have multiple bar setups throughout the venue, including our trendy Lucite bar carts. If you only have room for one bar, have three bartenders there to move the line quickly as they serve cocktails, beer, wine or nonalcoholic drinks.
Offer a small momento of the party. Guests would love to get a cool decoration for their office desk, maybe an ornament with the company logo. Maybe you could offer them a delicious Artisan holiday cookie to take home to their kids or spouse. The idea here is to offer a thank you to those who took the time to attend and share in building the work community.
Have the corporate mascot join the party. This will keep the party low-key and fun. Guests will probably take a few selfies with your energetic mascot, and there’s nothing wrong with employees who offer free marketing through their personal social media platforms.
Have an after work holiday party hashtag. You could even stream the hashtag Twitter feed on a blank wall of the venue using a rented projector. This would encourage conversation and help people find their creative holiday spirit.
Ask the CEO of the company to write a small thank you note for attending. Employees will feel appreciated for their contributions inside and outside the office. It’s also a nice gesture to encourage holiday cheer.

We would love to talk with you about other ideas you have for your after work holiday party. We can customize appetizer menus and signature drinks and can coordinate with our partners to create the informal evening you envision. Please call or email us – we are happy to help!

2 Holiday Party Themes We Absolutely Adore

The fall season only means one thing: the holidays will be here in a blink of an eye! If you are a Boston company with a budget to host a holiday party, you should already have a set date, venue and a premier catering company. If not, get on it! Or maybe you are so organized that you coordinated the major items, have finished picking your theme and associated decor. To you, kudos!For those who need some help in the creative department, we would like to introduce you to two of our favorite holiday party themes: “Winter Woodland” and “Make Merry.” Both are neutral, in that guests from any cultural or religious background can appreciate the wintry joy associated with each of the themes. Of course neutral doesn’t mean boring. We are always pushing the limits of possibility in catering, and holiday party features are limitless!If you choose one of these themes, your guests will be stepping out of the wintry mix on the streets of Boston and into a lively scene of a rich, glamorous celebration.

Winter Woodland Holiday Party Theme

Rustic chic — that trendy design phrase you’ve heard all year. Well, it has been popular because it’s, well, gorgeous! When paired with elements of wood, organic linens, industrial pieces and even small animals as décor, your Winter Woodland will come alive. We have matched simple, elegant décor with our suggested signature drinks and activities to give you examples of how to personalize your holiday party.

Glowing Walk in the Woods

Imagine welcoming guests to your party by way of a snowy walk through an evergreen forest. We can help you decorate as you envision, but we would suggest the following additions that have made an appearance in the latest holiday couture:

Scatter small woodland creatures about the entrance – in trees and behind rocks. These charming little guys will light up the faces of your guests of all ages as they begin to feel like they are in a holiday storybook!
Hang soft white branches over the copper-colored runway that flows between your woodland setup, completely immersing your guests into your theme.

Rustic Signature Drinks

As guests wander to the bar, we will be waiting there to help them get their party started. Adorn rustic evergreen, pinecones and tousles of baby’s breath to brighten up strings of beautiful LED lights so that your bar will be a fun place to stop over and over. Our specialty is our customizable signature drink menu but here are a few suggestions to go along with your Winter Woodland theme:

Mulled wine with cranberries and rosemary
Maple-bourbon Chai tea toddy

Note: We always serve nonalcoholic drinks as well for those driving or underage.*Custom Menus: To go along with our signature drinks, we will have a set menu coordinated perfectly to your theme. Of course, our catering team will work directly with you to ensure they accommodate for any dietary needs or specific tastes in food.

’Tis the Season for Giving:

If you have asked guests to bring a charitable donation in the form of money or gifts, may we suggest having a gift-wrapping station! Of course, the wrapping will be burlap and the bows made of colorful soft twine. Guests could drop their rustic chic package in our life-size woodland sleigh and admire the pile of gifts that will continue to grow as the night progresses.

Memories to Take Home:

If your guest list is large enough, it might be fun to set up a backdrop of a cozy cabin scene where guests can pose for pictures! Our event planning team can help you choose a photographer who can help guests pose in their new rustic home in the woods. It might be fun to have props on hand as well. Small woodland animals like a fox, squirrels and owls could be a great feature to some entertaining photos!

Make Merry Holiday Party Theme

The chic look of this holiday party includes warm shades of white, a variety of metallic accents, snowy or frosted décor and beautiful lights. They are not only traditional holiday decorations, but also happen to be a current design trend, as LED lights are so simple to hang from ceilings, beneath bar tables, around DJ stands or wherever you can imagine. So, we’ll go along with that and create a space so inviting that guests will not want to leave at the end of the night!

All-White Holiday Party

As guests enter your party, we imagine they will smile as Bing Crosby’s booming voice sings his classic carols. If you plan for an intimate party with a small guest list, we think it would be cool to have a record player adorned with small pea-sized LED lights! It is a true meeting of vintage and contemporary style. As always, playing music that makes your guests sing-along will put everyone in the holiday spirit.

Industrial Look, Warm Feelings

The theme will have décor that looks handmade, using aged metals, metallic accents and various shades of white linens and other natural materials. We will write our place settings and cuisine descriptions in flowing cursive print as well as life-size copper letters glowing with antique light bulbs, possibly spelling “Make Merry” or whatever else you would like!

White Signature Drinks

Elegant and soft, our Make Merry theme would only be complete with a delicious signature drink made especially by our catering team. We suggest the following choices:

Bubbly Champagne with a toss of fresh berries at the bottom of the glass
White Cranberry Martini

A Snowy Lounge

Guests can share a drink and some hors d’oeuvres with old or new friends at our snowy lounge! Our furniture rental partners can bring in soft white couches embellished with rustic linen pillows and plush white blankets. To make it a more intimate area, we envision beaded lamps set on the side table near the couches and, of course, a handcrafted wood table on which to set your drinks.This blog offers only a small peak into the possibilities for these two holiday party themes. Most likely, we have stirred your interest enough that you may want to speak with one of our event planning professionals. Please call or email us, as we are happy to help you with all the steps to make your holiday party unforgettable!

Holiday Party Entertainment Ideas

Thinking back to memorable parties you’ve attended, what do you remember the most? Chances are you will remember the little things that made that party unique.Whether you are planning an intimate holiday gathering or a bustling corporate event, our recommendations for holiday party entertainment will surely leave a lasting impression on all of your guests. So, ignite the holiday spirit early and plan to put a few of these ideas into action this season.

Fun Food Stations

guests enjoy Interactive liquid nitrogen station

Let your premier Boston catering company wiggle their way into the night’s entertainment. Wow your guests with one of these featured activities:Decorate holiday cookies: Ask your catering company to bake sugar cookies or gingerbread men that guests can decorate with icing, sprinkles and other candies. Guests can choose to beautify their cookies and then eat them, or maybe they will choose to take them home for a dessert the next day.Interactive liquid nitrogen station: Old Man Winter enters your holiday party in the form of frozen desserts! Guests can freeze treats in liquid nitrogen at our interactive station! A favorite is the frozen popcorn ball called Dragon’s Breath that casts a large puff of smoke into the air.Gingerbread house: Family, friends or colleagues can join the kids at the party to build their own unique gingerbread houses. Your Boston catering company can provide all of the delicious, edible supplies to make these take-home creations. This is a fun activity sure to be a hit among the young guests.

Capture the Moment

Photo booths: The ever-popular photo booth never seems to get old. Dress up in holiday garb and carry your silly props in the booth to create lasting memories you can take home with you.Walk the red carpet: The entertainment can begin as soon as your guests enter the door. They’ll feel like superstars walking down the red carpet setup into your Boston holiday party. Guests can strike a post as the photographer captures the moments in front of your corporate banner or gorgeous holiday backdrop.

Get the Party Started With Music

Pianist: Maybe you hope for a joyful night with a smaller group of guests, possibly close family and friends or a core group of employees. Hire a pianist to fill the room with familiar carols where guests may be so inclined to sing-along.Music ensemble: For intimate gatherings, you may prefer three or four instrumentalists who specialize in classical rhythms or an upbeat jazz sound. Filling the room with beautiful sound will create holiday memories for all who attend.Live band: Maybe you have a corporate culture for the young at heart. This holiday season, entertain your large group of 200 or more with a band that can get the crowd dancing all night!DJ: Plan the music for your event with a DJ and make sure he is one who can feel the vibe of the guests. Look for someone who can play music that keeps everyone engaged. We recommend playing hip holiday music from modern artists. Maybe handout holiday accessories like Santa hats, glow stick bracelets or brightly colored sunglasses to everyone on the dance floor to wear. Make sure the photographer is present when the dancing begins. Talk about cool pictures!Karaoke: Oh the infamous karaoke night! If you are having an informal holiday party, this form of entertainment can be a blast. It is ideal if you have a venue with more than one room, giving guests a chance to participate or mingle in another room instead.Give Back: Hire a local children's choir or non-profit musical entertainment group and offer their organization a nice donation as a "thank you" for performing at your holiday event. It's a nice way to give back this season, plus it's a great way to discover and enjoy local musical talents!

Performers Who Steal the Show

Tight Rope Walkers Entertainment for party

Dancers: Office parties can get quite exciting when employees see professional dancers enter the room. Opt for a dancing duo who ignites the holiday spirit by engaging guests to try out their own moves.Tight Rope Walkers: Clear the room after everyone had some delicious food and drink. Make way for acrobatic pros who can walk the tight rope. Your Boston catering company is happy to arrange these entertainers for your hit party.Magicians: Everyone will feel like a kid again as they enjoy some holiday magic tricks! In fact, this is a great entertainment idea if guests are bringing children along for the fun.Costumed actors: Have Santa Clause visit early this year, as the main actor at your holiday party. Make it even more fun by having your company’s CEO dress up as Santa. If your CEO is female, maybe she can disguise herself at Mrs. Clause!Carolers: Greet guests at the door with a group of delightful carolers! What a way to get the party started.Stilt walkers: Costumed stilt walkers will make a normal holiday party feel very posh. Imagine the amount of photos uploaded to Instagram that evening – what a way to bring awareness to your company or cause, depending on the goals of your holiday party.

Virtual and Competitive Games

Alpine snowboard stimulator entertainment and games at holiday party

Alpine snowboard stimulator: Let guests take a ride – literally – on the slopes of our virtual mountain. It’s exciting entertainment for large groups of friends, co-workers or parents with daredevil kids.Shuffleboard: Encourage the competitive spirit by hosting rounds of shuffleboard. It’s also a great way for guests to take a break from mingling and indulging in holiday foods at the annual party.We believe in putting that special touch on your Boston holiday party. Big and small, these ideas will leave a lasting impression on everyone in attendance. So, give us a call to brainstorm ways that will give your guests the gift of entertainment this season.

Which Type of Holiday Party Should You Host?

It will soon be that time of year where your calendar explodes with holiday activities. As the list of family, friends and work parties grows, we just accept that our next free weekend won’t be until January 2016!In fact, you’ve probably already started thinking about what kind of holiday party you’re going to host this year, whether you’re in charge of hosting your company’s holiday party and/or your family and friends holiday gathering.Decide which type of holiday party to host by considering the pros and cons of each type. There is something for everyone out there!

Formal Dinner Party: The black tie, little black dress event

Pros:

You can dress up! Maybe it’s a chance to break out of the big sweater, yoga pants routine. Or maybe getting dressed up gives you a reason to invite that special someone to join you for a night out.
The food and drinks are usually amazing. If someone is throwing a formal party, they typically want to treat their guests to an exquisite evening. You can be that person (or company!) that indulges in fabulous tastes and shares a delectable meal in style!

Cons:

If this formal evening includes a plated meal, you may be seating guests next to someone they don’t know. Social butterflies may consider this a “pro” but introverts might be intimidated.
If this is a company party, the cost of a formal event may override the company’s budget for series of employee appreciation events throughout the year. Or, it might set the bar pretty high for the rest of the events your company might host (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing!).

Informal Potluck: Everyone brings a dish to share

Pros:

There are so many food choices at a potluck that you are bound to find something (or many things!) you love.
Everyone contributing to the meal makes the host’s life much easier.
Personalized dishes can show a little of everyone’s personality, or at least show if they have any real talent in the kitchen.

Cons:

You have to plan extra time before the event to make your dish.
You’re asking your guests to help host, in essence. This isn’t always a bad thing, but as the host, you should be aware that you should have some extra responsibilities.
Too many choices of delicious food can often make us eat until we are beyond full. We recommend sipping on some sparkling water after eating your fair portion. That will give you something to do while socializing and preventing you from feeling too guilty about trying every single thing!

Cocktail Hour: Socialize, drink and graze, but not for too long

Pros:

Typically an “easier” holiday event to plan, your biggest conundrums include choosing between yummy cocktails for your cocktail menu and deciding on stationary or passed hors d’oeuvres.
Cocktail hours usually take place after work hours, so attendance is usually great. Plus, as the host, you can still get to bed at a decent hour.
The layout of a cocktail hour encourages guests to walk around and talk with old friends as well as make new ones. The cocktails may help you spark up conversations with new people, and making new connections is never a bad thing!

Cons:

Cocktail hours never seem to last long enough. Just as you are getting into the festivities, people start to leave. Bah, humbug.

Themed Holiday Parties: Unleash guests' creative side

Pros:

Challenge your creative side (and those of your holiday party guests!) to dress as instructed, whether it is with an ugly sweater or as a character in the selected party theme.
All the guests can guarantee the activities will cause lots of laughing – snag an espresso before it begins because it’s bound to be a wild evening!

Cons:

Lots of planning goes into these events. Don’t bite off more than you can chew – or, better yet, partner with a professional company (caterers included!) that can really help walk you through this process. We’re creative people by nature, after all and love, love, love these kind of intricate party ideas.
Often these kinds of parties can be more inclusive, meaning between entertainment, costumes, décor, prizes, etc., things can add up. While there are ways to be budget-conscious, consider how “big” you want to go with this party idea with the costs of decorations, outfits, themed foods, catering and more.

Charity Event: ‘Tis the season for giving

Pros:

Giving to a charitable cause will put you in the holiday spirit. You’ll leave this party knowing you made an impact, and so will your guests.
Often these become a bit of a “Who’s Who” event. This may be a great opportunity to network, as well as get those VIPs, to finally attend your holiday party over someone else’s on that same night.

Cons:

On the flipside, charity events in the form of a holiday party are often networking events. If that isn’t your goal, perhaps you can simply add a charitable element to your other holiday party idea.

This holiday season, we are all blessed to enjoy time with family, friends and co-workers. We hope this will help you decide how to make the most out of your holiday party this year.

The Puzzle of Planning a Holiday Party

It’s never too late to start thinking about the holiday season. Those cherished moments with family and friends are priceless and always seem to end too quickly!What activities do you have planned for this year? Are you tasked with planning the annual company holiday party? Has your family passed you the baton to host Thanksgiving dinner or the annual Christmas party?If so, we are here to help you make that planning process as easy as possible at work and at home because being the host doesn’t mean you have to miss all the fun!

Don’t Procrastinate

It’s normal to delay planning your big bash. Don’t fall into that trap. Last minute planning adds unnecessary stress and expense that could potentially ruin the joy of treating your guests to a wonderful evening. Here are some tasks to do 3-4 months before your holiday party:

Build a Budget

Consider the cost (if any) of the venue, the quality and quantity of food and cocktails, special entertainment and holiday decorations. Creating line items is easy and creates a step-by-step approach to budgeting all the necessary pieces of the party puzzle.

Make a Guest List

Based on the budget you created, how many people could you invite? First, write down all the must-have guests – immediate family and close friends — and then include the other guests whom you would like to invite — new friends, friends with kids, co-workers and extended family — if the budget still allows. Same plan goes for a corporate holiday party. Invite key players in your department and then allow them to bring a “plus one” if the budget can account for those additional people. Do the work to create a Google doc or Excel spreadsheet with everyone’s current mailing and email addresses because that will make the next step much easier.

Send Savvy Invitations

Take advantage of what the tech world has to offer and send your invitations through Punchbowl, Evite or Paperless Post. It’s easier, more efficient and often cheaper than the traditional snail mail. And for those office parties, it’s more festive than any memo or Outlook invite. The sooner your guests know about your party, the greater the chance they will pencil your big night into their calendar.

Book a Venue

Considering your budget, take the time to search for the best venue. You know what they say, “Location, location, location.” Pick a spot that has plenty of room for some guests to sit down to eat while others walk around to mingle. A gorgeous holiday party can take place at a private residence, in a portion of a restaurant or even a cozy part of a corporate office (if it’s a party for your co-workers). During your search, try to envision the space as a cheery, warm gathering place, or whatever mood you hope to inspire at your holiday party.

Consider Catering

holiday catering zilli hospitality group

If you aren’t a cook, and you don’t want to ask each of your guests to bring a dish, consider hiring a catering company. Boston catering companies are the busiest during the holiday season — so the earlier you talk to one, the better! Now that you have planned a budget, know approximately how many people you’ll be feeding and even decided on a venue, don’t delay in calling the company that can best suit your needs. A trendy option is serving a family-style meal, as it encourages guests to mingle amongst each other as they kindly pass food selections to those sitting next to them at the table. Also, remember to mention any special dietary needs when planning with your catering company. Guests will forever remember that delicious, traditional holiday meal they enjoyed together with loved ones or new acquaintances.

Dazzle Guests with Details and Décor

Now that the big part of the planning is complete, have some fun with the final pieces of the project. Here are some things to consider during the month leading into your holiday party:

Accessorize With Light

Decorations for the holidays fill up every store as early as November, just begging you to buy them. But we encourage you to keep it simple. If you can buy candles in bulk, decorate them with pieces of holly or add festive fruit, like cranberry or dried orange slices, to large votives. Having warm light on the tables will set a relaxing mood for all of your guests.

Pump Up the Jam

No party is complete without music. If your budget does not include a live band or a disk jockey, there’s no reason to worry. Use your speakers or borrow a friend’s stereo system to connect to your source of live stream music. Internet music sites like Spotify let you customize a playlist while services, like 8tracks and Pandora, let you pick a genre from which it plays music you will most likely enjoy. Mellow music is nice for the hours around cocktails and dinner, but maybe your guests are the type who would appreciate some upbeat tunes towards the end of the evening. Take the chance and see who is in the mood to break it down!

Hire Entertainment

If you are looking for additional ways to entertain your guests, set aside some time for group activities. December holiday parties at a private residence are the perfect place to do a Chinese gift exchange – a relatively free and fun game. You could even ask your guests to bring prank gifts for additional laughs. Corporate party activities could include a photo booth, an interactive dessert table or a company mascot to entertain guests. BG is known for its creative party ideas as long as you are willing to try it out!

Shop for Your Party Outfit

As the host, you’ll be busy visiting with everyone at the party. Be sure to treat yourself to an outfit that shows everyone that even hosts can have a great time. Find a glamorous dress or a pair of heels to make you feel fabulous! If you are a male host, visit that favorite store of yours to buy the trendy button-down you’ve been ogling online.

Check in with Your Party Partners

To alleviate last-minute stress, call your catering company, venue manager, or any important guests to ensure everyone is on task for the party. Answer last minute questions or help them with any projects they are trying to finish in time. Keeping open communication with everyone helping you with your party will only lead to a delightful event for all.We hope our brief guideline to planning the perfect holiday party will encourage you to give it a try this year. Whether you are a first-time host or a seasoned veteran, planning well ahead of time and being a little creative with the smaller details will ensure a successful holiday party. And don’t forget to have fun with the process!

Top 6 Benefits of Hosting a Holiday Party

Ah, the holiday party.Perhaps you have memories of finally meeting co-workers and their significant others in a more casual environment. Or maybe you remember the fancy passed hors d’oeuvres unlike anything you have ever tasted.Holiday parties are an American pastime for both family members and co-workers alike, a break from the daily grind and an opportunity to treat oneself to fun conversation, delectable cuisine and a splurge cocktail.With the holiday season quickly approaching, we made a list of six reasons to host a holiday party for your employees, business partners or both.

Reasons to Host a Holiday Party

Build Community.
In a corporate sense, a community does not have to center around daily coffee break gossip. Having casual conversation at a holiday party gives co-workers a chance to talk about their interests outside of their jobs. Finding commonalities can strengthen an office relationship and lead to better work productivity. A party atmosphere is also a platform for executives and employees to enjoy memorable moments of laughter together, potentially inspiring promotions in the future. We even suggest arranging for a photographer who can capture the moments!
Try New Food and Wine.
Providing an interesting food selection is the best way to start conversation among your guests. For example, an entrée selection could be duck confit finished with a divine dessert such as a salted caramel cupcake. Everyone will feel special when treated to something out of ordinary. In fact, some guests may attend a company party specifically for the free meal.
Have an Opportunity to Dress Up.
Let’s be honest, ladies. That fancy dress you bought on a whim is still hanging in the closet. Attending your company’s holiday party is the perfect opportunity to wear it with some new high heels!
Recognize Employees for Their Hard Work.
If you are an owner or a CEO of a company, you could take the stage at your holiday party to say a few words to honor your employees. This could be less than a five-minute speech ending with a toast to all those who make the business hum. This increases employee moral going into the upcoming year.
Show Off the Office.
Host a holiday party that doubles as a grand opening of a new part of the office. Or maybe you have a delightful courtyard that could be transformed into a whimsical evening venue. Hosting an event on-site could save some cash as well. Whatever you choose, we can bring the flowers, décor and lighting to make it a holiday party your guests will not soon forget.
Experience a Night on the Town.
A holiday party is the perfect excuse to give your employees a night out on the town. In fact, Boston is known for some of the most unique venue spaces in the Northeast—for example, the Cyclorama at Boston Center for the Arts and the Frost Ice Loft (made entirely of ice!). We work with a whole bunch of amazing venues, and you can learn about your Boston holiday party venue opportunities in our featured corporate event venues and on our Boston venues page.

We provide all the tools to ensure your holiday party is a blast! So go ahead and have some fun this holiday season hosting an unforgettable event.

Event Spotlight: Boston Holiday Party at Royale

Winter 2014 was a great winter for holiday parties, and the snowball spectacular at Royale was definitely one of our favorites.The Royale evening was a multi-act, multilevel affair with dining, entertainment and festive décor throughout the entire venue. As per the snowball theme, we turned Royale into a true winter wonderland—there was no escaping the cool, consistent and cohesive event décor, which blended seamlessly into the evening’s entertainment and culinary creations.

The Opening Act

As guests walked down the snowy-white carpet, which was lined with realistic-looking rocks and LED trees and other North Woods-like natural décor, they passed a vintage sleigh and a few scattered reindeer as they entered the club.Carolers welcomed the entrants to a night of wintery fun.The snowy forest hosted the client’s slow-motion photography station, large snowflakes covered the dance floor, and a lighted Yeti stood in the background.In contrast to the stark white of the main floor décor, there were natural décor elements, wooden accents and even a human tree walking around, branches in the air, greeting and interacting with guests.Seating took the form of gorgeous all-white lounge furniture with highboy dining tables and clear stools—adding shimmery practicality and a place for guests to congregate and eat.

Act I

The Royale stage housed the gaming center, including an Alpine snowboard simulator and other winter carnival games provided by the client.Our staff kicked off the interactive event by offering passed hors d’oeuvres throughout the first act.As guests settled into the scene of a frozen wood scene, they sipped cocktails and watched as the carolers moved onto the dance floor to serenade them with a classic holiday cocktail music performance.

Act II

Act II welcomed our staff, who served the short-plate restaurant experience, opened the winter savory pie station, began baking the crispy flatbreads and offered the international rice bar.

Act III

Drinking and feasting turned into dancing as the DJ began to play lively music, and the lights were dropped for a more inviting atmosphere.

The Closing Act

As dancing continued into the night, we rolled out two large sleighs filled with our signature dessert items and led them throughout the venue. The “restaurant” portion of the dinner service was transformed into a liquid nitrogen experience, which was one of the most interactive and successful elements of the entire party.

Boston Holiday Event Menu

Our team worked from our “snowball” holiday menu to perfect the best menu for our client. Guests enjoyed several courses, including the following:Passed Hors d’Oeuvres—small bites to entice and appease the appetite

Duck confit cone
Chicken tamale cup
Korean short rib mini tacos
Fried goat cheese
Scallion pancake with vegetables
Pulled BBQ pork quesadilla

Short-Plate Restaurant Experience—a contemporary display filled with mini dishes

Salmon Wellington
Seared scallop
Ginger roasted pumpkin
Truffle and porcini flan
Tuscan chicken
Curried duck breast
Crispy pork belly
Tournedos of beef

Winter Pies—a collection of individual casseroles topped with flaky pastry shapes

Seafood
Turkey
Beef
Vegetable

Flatbread Carvery—crispy flatbreads, each freshly baked and uniquely garnished

Portobello
Smoked salmon
Pepperoni
Winter vegetable
Tomato and basil
Prosciutto
Roasted apple
Spinach and artichoke
Smoked duck

Rice Bar—an elegant display of toppings to accompany warm rice timbales

Coconut curry chicken
Moroccan vegetable tagine
Eggplant
North African braised beef

Interactive Liquid Nitrogen Station—frozen in front of guests with liquid nitrogen

Dragon’s breath frozen meringues
Ice cream pops

!ndulge—the finest selection of petite pastries

Snow cones
French macaroons
Coconut meringue
White cake pops
Assorted mini cupcakes

How to Host a Holiday Cookie Decorating Party

Boston companies and organizations understand the importance of fun activities at their holiday parties. This classic holiday party favorite is sure to please the masses—and it’s simple for you to do!Decorating holiday cookies at your company holiday party will be fun for all ages, genders, job levels, religious or political beliefs, artistic skill levels and more. Below you will find a how-to guide perfect to help you host a fun, festive holiday cookie decorating activity.

Boston Holiday Party Cookie Decorating

Here’s what you will need:

Cookies—sugar cookies, chocolate peppermint cookies, ginger or gingerbread cookies, cinnamon cookies (flat, round or shaped)
Specialty cookies—gluten-free cookies, sugar-free cookies
Vanilla or white frostings (include a sugar-free option)
Food colorings—red, green, blue, yellow
Bowls for mixing frostings and food colorings
Flavorings—spearmint, peppermint, maple, etc. (to flavor the frostings)
Sprinkles—red, green, holiday, etc. (plus sugar-free options)
Colored decorative icing tubes—red, green, blue, yellow, light blue, etc. (plus sugar-free options)
Red Hots, York Peppermint Patties, Hershey Kisses, candy canes and other candies (plus sugar-free options)
Crushed peppermint pieces (plus sugar-free options)
Chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, white chocolate chips (plus sugar-free options)
Plates, plastic knives and plastic spoons in red and green
Holiday-themed napkins

Special safety note for planners: Not everyone can eat sugar these days. For those who need sugar-free options in life, providing sugar-free frostings, candies, cookies and more will allow those individuals to enjoy the decorating process as well. Including gluten-free cookies in the mix will allow gluten-intolerant folks to indulge as well. Lastly, do your best to avoid products with nuts in them, ensuring that those with nut allergies are not exposed directly or indirectly to nut products. Be sure to label all of your cookies, candies, frostings, etc. to make sure that each guest knows what he or she is selecting and whether it is sugar, gluten or nut-free.Here’s what to do:Set up various stations for decorating, giving your guests plenty of room to create their edible masterpieces. Have the decorative items set up buffet-style on a couple of long tables, making sure that both tables, covered in holiday-themed tablecloths. Put plenty of each type of cookie, frosting, decorative item, candy variety, etc., on each table, and plenty of plastic ware, napkins and plates.Guests decorate the cookies with their favorite combinations of colored or flavored frostings, candies and more. Once guests finish decorating, set the cookies aside and allow the decorations to set.What to do with the cookies:

Each cookie creation should be entered into a contest. Give out prizes for some of these types of contest categories:

Best holiday theme
Most creative decoration
Most festive
Funniest
Best ornament-style décor
Most piled-high-with-sweets
Cutest decorations
Crowd favorite

Guests have three options when it comes to what to do with their finished cookie products. They can take them home to eat later, swap them with coworkers and other party guests as a type of edible gift or enjoy them on the spot. It will be a fun, interactive and simple corporate holiday party activity sure to bring smiles to your holiday party guests’ faces.

8 Company Holiday Party Activities for Boston Events

If you are planning a company holiday party and want a few ideas for how to engage your holiday party guests, we’ve put together a list for you!Here are 8 holiday party activities for your Boston holiday party.

Holiday Party Activity: Holiday Gift Swap

Everyone loves a holiday gift swap, whether it goes by the name of “White Elephant” or another. Set a dollar limit for gifts ($25 - $35 usually works best). Then have each guest participating in the corporate holiday party gift swap purchase a gift within that limit. Wrap it up (with no name on it) and place it under the holiday tree or on a holiday gift table. The game begins when one person selects a gift, opens it, then sits back and waits. The next person has the option to open a new gift or steal the gift of the person before him or her. If a gift is stolen, the person who has lost their gift gets to choose a new one, and then the next person in line selects a gift or steals an open gift. The corporate holiday party will be exciting and energized through this festive take on the gifting experience.

Holiday Party Activity: Cocktail Hour and Hors d’ Oeuvres

Turn your corporate holiday party into a fancy, upscale soiree with just one small addition: host a holiday-themed cocktail hour with passed or stationary hors d’ oeuvres and a signature drink. Incorporate cocktails in holiday-inspired flavors like cinnamon, cranberry, maple, pumpkin, ginger, allspice, eggnog and more, and serve hors d’ oeuvres that pair well with those flavors. Don’t forget about those who don’t drink alcohol beverages. Virgin versions of any cocktail can be just as festive and enjoyable.

Holiday Party Activity: Traditional Dancing

Hire a dance troupe to come and entertain your guests at your holiday party event, and make sure to hire a group that is completely immersed in holiday traditions. Work to incorporate traditional holiday dances from around the world to keep your guests entertained with all of the different cultural influences present in the holiday season. Better yet, see if the dance troupe can take a little time and teach the holiday party group a little bit of a traditional dance, allowing guests to become more engaged in the holiday party activity. It will be fun for the whole group!

Holiday Party Activity: Holiday Sing-a-Long

What’s spreads holiday spirit and cheer more than a holiday tune? Take time to design a book of lyrics for your group’s favorite holiday jingles, jams and melodies, then distribute a book to each of the guests as they enter the party. Be sure to include festive tunes from all over the world, incorporating all cultures’ holiday traditions so that there truly is something for everyone. The book of lyrics doubles as a neat party favor.

Holiday Party Activity: Show and Tell

Sticking with the idea of keeping something for everyone, ask each guest to bring something that represents his or her cultural or family holiday tradition. Let guests share what makes the holiday season so special to him or her. This fun activity will bring an international element to your holiday party, adding a festive dimension that the corporate holiday party group might otherwise not have gotten to enjoy. It also personalizes the party experience for corporate holiday party guests, making your holiday party one they are sure to remember.

Holiday Party Activity: Decorate an Ornament and a Tree

Trees have become an international system of the holiday season, regardless of whether Christmas is celebrated or not. Have an empty tree ready for ornaments at your corporate holiday party with nothing but a strand of lights to decorate it. Then, allow guests to decorate ornaments with their favorite holiday symbols and words using art supplies provided by the party planning committee. Make available glue, glitter, permanent markers, sequins, paint, ribbon, pinecones and other holiday-themed decorations for guests to coat their ornaments. Then have them hang their completed, dried ornaments on the holiday party tree. Let them take their ornaments home at the end of the night as a memento.

Holiday Party Activity: Gift Box for the Less Fortunate

Give your corporate holiday party a give-back feel by incorporating a philanthropic effort. Collect gently used or new items to donate to the less fortunate during this holiday season, including toys and clothes for children, clothes and business items for adults and nonperishable goods to give to soup kitchens or to the hungry. Create a donations goal before the party and rally the team to try to exceed the goal. Tally up all of the goods collected at the end of the night and announce if the goal was met. Either way, plenty of people will be thrilled with the donated goods, and your holiday party guests will feel great about giving back this holiday season.

Holiday Party Activity: Cookie Decorating and Swapping

Decorating holiday cookies is fun for the whole family and is perfect for all types of familiar and casual holiday parties. Provide your guests with a variety of flat, round or shaped cookies including sugar, chocolate peppermint, ginger and cinnamon. Offer plenty of vanilla or white frostings, food coloring (and bowls for mixing the white frosting with the food coloring), sprinkles, colored decorative icing tubes, Red Hots and other candies, peppermint pieces, chocolate chips and more. Guests decorate the cookies, and then take them home to eat later, swap them with coworkers and other party guests or enjoy them on the spot. It will be a fun and interactive corporate holiday party activity sure to bring smiles to your holiday party guests’ faces.

Planning a 12/13/14 Holiday Party

The stars have aligned and given us the perfect day of the year for a holiday celebration: 12/13/14.This once-in-a-lifetime holiday date is the last sequenced date this millennium—the next date with consecutive values won’t happen again until January 2, 3003!12/13/14 Corporate Holiday PartyWe’re not telling you that you have to host your corporate party on 12/13/14. We’re simply suggesting that this final consecutive date is the perfect date to host your biggest holiday event for many reasons. Mostly, however, because the luckiest day of the year just so happens to fall on a Saturday night, smack dab in the prime of the holiday party season!View Splendor, Snowball and Sparkle menus and event concepts for incredible holiday party ideas to transform your 12/13/14 event into a unique holiday party.The Perfect Venue for Your 12/13/14 Holiday PartyThis red-hot holiday party date needs a red-hot holiday party venue, and our favorite this year is the Boston Center for the Arts’ Cyclorama. After a last-minute cancelation, this incredible venue is available on 12/13/14, which is a rare opportunity on such a hot, and approaching, date.Take a look at some of these event photos from this awesome holiday party venue:Call us to talk more about hosting your holiday party on the luckiest day of the year. We are happy to help you with all aspects of your event, from finding a venue and creating menus/signature drinks to providing a theme and figuring out all your décor.Planning a 12/13/14 party is easy when you have the right partner. Let the countdown to the coolest party date of the year begin!

10/10/14 10/10/14

Preview Party for Winter Boston Holiday Events

There were so many wonderful photos from out 2014 Holiday Preview Party featuring this year's signature SNOWBALL, SPARKLE and SPLENDOR themes that we wanted to share with you! The icy, cool ambiance made possible by expert lighting and spot on decor blended seamlessly with the deliciously sleek, yet comfortable catering and ultra-modern bar.New to our holiday concepts this year is the Dragon's Breath nitrogen feature. Think you can spot which photo represents this super trendy 2014 holiday party aspect?Our Preview Party was wonderful, and we are excited to transform other Boston holiday parties into winter wonderlands like this. Our Boston holiday party ideas have even more great resources and options for your holiday parties in Boston. We invite you to check these great holiday menus and party ideas out!