In short
- December evenings are the most contested of the year for companies and groups: move early.
- A seated dinner for speeches and formal greetings, an aperitivo or apericena to get people mingling.
- The winter menu can rely on hot dishes, citrus, chestnuts, Romanesco broccoli, puntarelle and festive desserts.
- Collect confirmations, diets and allergies with the invitation, not in the last week.
The Christmas party is often the only time in the year when the whole company gets together. It needs to be easy to reach and enjoyable both for someone who has worked in Rome for twenty years and for someone who arrived in September. Here you will find the formats, the timetable of decisions, the seasonal menu and the questions to ask the caterer.
When to get started
December is a full month. Companies ask for the same evenings, the Thursdays and Fridays before the holidays, and there are few venues with large capacity.
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| September-October | Date, budget, indicative number of people, first quote requests |
| October-early November | Choice of venue and caterer, site visit, signing and deposit |
| November | Invitation collecting confirmations, diets and allergies; draft menu |
| 2 weeks before | Final numbers (check the deadline in the contract), running order |
| Week of the party | Confirm times, access, plan B for outdoor spaces |
Indicative timetable: with small groups and in the office the timings can be shorter; with many people and a large venue you need more months.
An alternative worth considering: move the party to January, as a New Year party. The dates are less contested and the message changes, from wrapping up to starting again. Bear in mind, though, that in Rome the new year really begins after Epiphany (la Befana, 6 January): before 7 January many people are still on holiday, and some caterers and venues reopen later too. Ask when you collect the quotes.
The formats
| Format | Atmosphere | Suited to | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Served dinner | Formal, seated at tables | Leadership speech, awards, greetings | Longer timings, more staff |
| Buffet apericena | Informal, standing with some seating | Teams who want to mix | Needs plenty of hot dishes |
| Aperitivo | Short, after work | Offices, quick greetings | Does not replace dinner: say so in the invitation |
| Lunch | Daytime, even in the office | Shifts, sites with different hours | Easier for everyone to get to |
| Dinners at several sites | One party per office or city | Companies with several sites | Same menu, different caterers |
The apericena (an aperitivo generous enough to replace dinner) is widely used in Rome for company Christmas parties: finger food, a pasta station, a few hot dishes and desserts. If the evening lasts three hours, there must be enough food to replace dinner: tell the caterer.
The menu: winter and Christmas
For Christmas, caterers in Rome offer meat, seafood, international or Roman menus. Whatever the style, winter produce makes the menu recognisable and often better value.
Aperitivo and apericena
- Pumpkin or chestnut soup in cups, meatballs in tomato sauce
- Crostini with salmon, raw fish or oysters for a seafood menu
- Puntarelle with anchovy dressing in small glasses, a vegetable typical of the Roman winter
- Cheeses with honey and walnuts, including pecorino romano
- Seasonal fried food: Romanesco broccoli in batter, artichokes, which according to Turismo Roma, the city's tourism board, arrive from January, mini supplì (fried rice balls)
First courses
- Radicchio or mushroom risotto, tortellini in broth
- Paccheri with seafood ragù, for a seafood menu
- A lasagne or baked pasta for buffets, which holds up over time
- If you choose Roman cooking: broccoli and skate soup (minestra di broccoli e arzilla), a traditional festive dish, or gricia in a tasting portion
Mains
- A roast or braise with potatoes for the served dinner
- Salt cod or baked fish, linked to Christmas Eve in many Italian traditions
- A complete vegetarian main, not just side dishes
Desserts
- Roman pangiallo, the Christmas sweet with nuts, dried fruit and honey, if you want a local touch
- Torrone, panettone or pandoro with creams, dried fruit and nuts
- Sparkling wine or a sweet wine from Lazio for the toast
If you have guests who keep kosher or follow other diets, read the guide to special diets. More examples are in the corporate event menu examples; for an all-Roman menu there is the guide to the Roman cuisine catering menu.
Drinks
- A white from the Castelli Romani and a red from Lazio for dinner.
- Sparkling wine for the season's greetings toast.
- Proper soft drinks, not just water: drivers and non-drinkers need a choice.
- If there is an open bar after dinner, ask about included hours and the cost of each extra hour.
- For a party that finishes late, think about getting home: a shuttle service or an arrangement with taxis is more useful than an extra drink.
Venues and logistics in Rome
- Office: convenient and with no hire costs. Check access, building hours, power, space for the buffet and rubbish disposal.
- Private restaurant booking: simple, but in December restaurants already have many bookings.
- Event room, covered terrace, palazzo in the centre: more striking. Ask whether there is an exclusive caterer.
- Out of town: a farmhouse in the Castelli or the Roman countryside has space, but you need a plan to get everyone home, for example a coach.
In the historic centre, consider the ZTL (limited traffic zones) for the caterer and for guests arriving by car. The rules change often: check the current hours on the Roma Mobilità website. In the days before Christmas traffic in the centre is heavy: allow more time for loading and unloading.
Prices
A company Christmas party is priced by quote. As orders of magnitude, industry estimates give national averages of €15-20 per person for an aperitivo, €20-50 for a simple lunch or dinner and €40-60 and more for a served dinner with elaborate dishes. In Rome, in December and at popular venues, the quote may differ.
The items to ask for separately: food, drinks, staff, hire, set-up, transport, extra hours, VAT. To compare formats, read the guide to corporate catering prices.
Questions to ask the caterer
- Are you available on our date? Do you have other events the same evening?
- Which format would you suggest for our number of people and the space?
- Is the apericena enough to replace dinner? How many pieces and hot dishes per person?
- Does the menu use winter produce? Which Christmas dishes do you offer?
- How many staff do you plan and until what time?
- What is included in the drinks? Is the open bar separate?
- How do you handle diets and allergies by name?
- Have you already worked at this venue or in this building?
- What is the deadline for final numbers and what happens if someone does not come?
- What details do you need for the invoice? Is the price inclusive of VAT?
To close
A company Christmas party works when people stay on after the toast. Choose the date and format early, then give the caterer time to build a seasonal menu. You will find suppliers in the corporate catering section and, for an apericena, the one dedicated to apericena catering. When you have a date, numbers and a venue, request a quote from several caterers.
Sources
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, EUR-Lex: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/IT/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32011R1169
- Turismo Roma, "I prodotti della campagna romana: le verdure romanesche protagoniste in cucina" (Roman countryside produce: Roman vegetables in the kitchen): https://turismoroma.it/it/node/127323
- Roma Mobilità, ZTL section: https://romamobilita.it/it/servizi/ztl
