Restrictions are not making it easy and, once again this year, we are seeing how Christmas parties are affected. So as not to give up the chance to get together with work colleagues, we bring you original ideas for company Christmas lunches, despite the pandemic.

It has been two years since we have practically lost, with social restrictions, redundancy plans, teleworking, online meetings… These have not been easy years for companies, and the effort, both for companies and workers, to adapt continues to be a challenge. For all these reasons, it is more important than ever to slow down and celebrate or, at the very least, to take a break and recover the spirit of togetherness that is so lacking in all environments.

In this spirit, corporate Christmas lunches and dinners are back and, for yet another year, they have reinvented themselves to offer a range of proposals that take us out of our comfort zone and away from the typical restaurant dinners and dressing up in suits and smart shoes. From dinners at home to experiences you would never have imagined, these are some of the most original proposals for your company dinner.

The company dinner, from home

Dining in a restaurant, but without leaving home, doesn’t sound bad, does it? This is the proposal that, since last year, catering and events companies have been launching. This is the case of the Catalan start-up Meet En Casa, a convenient and safe alternative so that neither the pandemic nor social distance can prevent us from enjoying group meals.

The way it works is simple: you choose the menu, preferably made with local ingredients and without artificial preservatives, and they send it to your home a few days in advance. When it’s time for lunch or dinner, all you have to do is click to meet up virtually. An hour of food, followed by a monologue or show, also virtual, and ending, if you wish, with an invisible friend. All facilities are provided, you just have to sit back and enjoy the show! 

Open-air meetings

It is a more celebrated alternative in summer than in winter, but meeting outdoors is still a key measure to fight against social distance. Although you have to be very attentive to weather conditions, there are many proposals: a vermouth on the high seas, a tasting in the garden of a restaurant, a wine tasting in a wine cellar among vineyards, a ‘calçotada’ or a lunch on a terrace with a view. There are many restaurants and even food trucks that offer this service, whether cooked in the restaurant or delivered to your door. And remember, being outdoors does not exempt you from wearing a mask as long as you can’t keep your social distance.

For those of you who do not have enough with a meal, or for those who want to make up for last year’s celebration, you can choose to rent a rural house for a weekend. This way you can extend your visit to nature and enjoy more activities, always in accordance with medical restrictions.

Who said eating?

We have so idealised the company lunch that tradition itself does not allow us to contemplate alternatives. But what if we didn’t have to put food in the middle to spend time with colleagues? A pandemic-proof idea that can even boost creativity and teamwork. Or, at the very least, it will allow you to have a good time. It could be cultural activities, such as visiting a characteristic building or taking a guided tour; sporting activities, such as hiking or snowshoeing (propose alternatives that are accessible to everyone); or going to see a show or hiring one to liven up your celebration.

Music, magic, comedy monologues, karaoke or theatre… There are many options, you just have to find the one that suits your needs and budget. Another proposal is the escape rooms, an idea that has triumphed in recent years and consists of an enclosed space, usually a room, where you and your team have to get out through the clues that you will find. 

At Christmas, less is more

If you don’t want to make a big event, or circumstances don’t allow it, we have some minimalist proposals: change the lunch for a toast. It is easier to organise than a lunch and can be done either at the company, on a terrace or virtually by sending the products to your home. You can also choose to make a hamper of local products or, in keeping with the Christmas spirit, you can choose to allocate part of your holiday budget to help organisations or groups in need. 

Not forgetting Secret Santa, an activity that you can adapt to your taste with a limited budget, the type of product, the theme, whether they are serious or humorous gifts… You can even set up games to decide who gets each gift. In the face of difficulties: imagination!

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