Christmas Party Tip No 3!

"On the third day of Christmas my true love sent to me three french hens, two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree!"






Here goes our third tip - choosing the food!

Once you have decided on whether or not to have a sit down meal or to go with a more simple (and cost effective) drinks and canapes, you need to think about choosing the actual food.

If it's informal drinks and canapes, I recommend you do the following:

• Have substantial canapes or bowl food - this will help soak up at least some of that alcohol!
• If you are having canapes - split them between hot and cold ones
  
• Ensure you have a good selection of vegetarian, meat and fish so that you cater for all eventualities! Anyone who has any particular dietary requirement out of the ordinary will hopefully have told you beforehand so that you can cater for this in advance. The last thing you want on the evening is to find out you have a kosher dietary request!
• Perhaps spread out the food - have some canapes in the first hour and then some a little later on. Or if you are having desert canapes, bring them out a bit later.
• Make certain that any canapes you have are easy for people to eat - if you do a tasting you can check all this then. At the very least ensure there are some napkins around for people to wipe their hands. This sounds obvious, but it's very often forgotten.
• Depending on your budget, I would allocate between 4 and 6 canapes per person. This normally averages out between those men who take a lot to fill up, and the ladies that don't eat as much!
  
• If you decide to go for more substantial bowl food, thai curries always go down well. Alternatively you could keep the food in-keeping with any overall theme you may have.

If the chosen option is a sit down meal:

• Always do a tasting beforehand! You will then be able to check the presentation, portion size and of course the taste.
• Avoid pork - this will ensure you don't offend anyone who has certain religious beliefs.
• Remember to always have a vegetarian option. I try and make this as interesting as possible so that it doesn't look like a second best option.
• Depending on the particular group of people I usually avoid fish for the main course because there are many non-fish eaters out there.
  
• Chicken and beef are the favourite dishes for the majority of people.
• Collate your dietary requirements list well in advance so that you can warn the caterers of any particular allergies or requests.
• Try to choose a balanced meal and not make it too heavy - your caterers will be able to advise you on this.
• If there are any speeches, advise the host that these should be after main course and before desert or during coffee. Do not do them at the start of the meal. If the speaker overruns, the main course could be ruined.

There are many more ways in which you can make your evening extra special. If you would like any advice on any of the above or more, please do not hesitate to give us a call.

Charlotte Aikman Marketing & Events
T: 07958 734383
E: charlotte@charlotteaikman.com

Theming an event

Are you struggling to come up with a theme for your event? Whether it be for your Christmas party or another event, here are a few ideas.....

Country specific theme-I recently organised a Brazilian themed event, which allowed for lots of creativity, but was surprisingly easy to achieve. For entertainment we had Vincent and Flavia (celebrities from Strictly Come Dancing) and The London School of Samba.




Madame Butterfly - where East meets West …an Oriental inspired garden theme incorporating elegant blossom trees, pergolas, colourful butterflies and a taste of the exotic.

Contemporary Christmas - use silver, navy and white to give it a contemporary and stylish feel!

Diamonds and Pearls - A decadent and shimmering atmosphere with a multitude of pea lights and gems intertwined throughout. This theme could also be incorporated with a black and white theme (see A Touch of Colour below).

A touch of Colour - Often the simplest themes are the most successful. Whether it is the classic and elegant black and white mix or something a little sassier such as shocking pink, a colour scheme always works. The colour can be incorporated into everything – invitations, dress code, drinks, décor, and lighting ensuring continuity throughout.

Grease is the Word- For all Pink Ladies and T Birds, this retro theme would work particularly well at the All Lanes bowling venues which already incorporate a diner and full American cocktail bar.

James Bond, 007 - this is easy for both the organiser to theme and the guests to come suitably attired!

Vintage Hollywood - The glamour of 1950s Hollywood which could also be tied in with an Oscars theme, should your event be taking place in February/March which is close to the Oscars ceremony. Guests can make their entrance up a red carpet, with snapping paparazzi, and enter a world of glitz, elegance and untouchable glamour.

Other ideas include:

• Gangsters and Molls
• Fire and Ice
• 1920s High Society
• Cool Britannia/Best of British

These are just a few ideas, there are many many more! If you would like some inspiration, why not contact us?

Charlotte Aikman
charlotte@charlotteaikman.com
07958 734383
www.charlotteaikman.com