At a Glance: The holiday season can bring lots of new groups together, and preparing the right type and amount of food for each guest can get confusing fast. When hosting a group of people just getting to know each other, focus the food around handhelds and hor d’oeuvres so no one is stuck at a table. For a large family gathering, a buffet helps everyone get their fill. Amici’s offers a variety of holiday menus and catering menus, so you can find an option that meets your needs.
The holiday season moves fast. Calendars fill up, venues book early, and the date of the party sneaks up on the host. Different holiday parties call for different services, styles and amounts of food. The food is usually the part of the night guests remember most, so it helps to have a plan.
Amici’s Catered Cuisine has provided holiday party catering across Tampa Bay for over four decades. These are the ideas our clients come back to year after year.
Before you pick dishes, decide how guests will eat. The format shapes the whole menu, the staffing, and the budget.
If you are unsure which style fits your group, our team can help you match the format to your guest count, venue, and schedule.
A cocktail-style menu is one of the easiest ways to cater for a group who may not know each other well. People can eat while they talk, and no one is stuck at a table all night. The Amici’s holiday hors d’oeuvres menu mixes classic party bites with a few festive touches, including:
The carved turkey with cranberry sauce brings the flavor of a Christmas dinner to the party. Heartier items like scalloped potatoes and ham keep guests full through a longer evening.
Want more variety? Upgrades on the holiday menu include cocktail shrimp with cocktail sauce and tortellini pasta with spinach, prosciutto, and Alfredo sauce. Both are easy crowd-pleasers that make the spread feel more generous.
For a family get-together or a neighborhood block party, a buffet gives your group a complete holiday meal. The Create Your Own Buffet on our holiday menu lets you choose a salad, an entrée, two sides, dinner rolls with butter, a dessert, and a beverage.
Start with Amici’s Harvest Salad. It combines mixed field greens, crumbled bleu cheese, candied walnuts, and dried cranberries with a balsamic vinaigrette. A Caesar salad and a Greek salad are also available for guests who prefer something more familiar.
The entrée list covers classic holiday dinner choices and a few lighter options.
If your group has mixed tastes, you can add multiple entrées. Turkey and ham feel like a traditional Christmas meal. Grilled cobia with pineapple salsa adds a tropical touch to the table. Pairing a meat option with a seafood option is a simple way to please more guests.
Sides are where holiday favorites really shine. Options include garlic mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, roasted root vegetables, shredded parmesan brussels sprouts, roasted redskin potatoes, rice pilaf, and ratatouille.
A good rule is to pick one comfort side and one vegetable. Garlic mashed potatoes pair well with Brussels sprouts, and sweet potato casserole pairs well with roasted root vegetables.
Sweet treats give guests a reason to linger after the meal. The holiday dessert station includes Christmas and holiday cookies, assorted petite fours, and chef’s choice dessert shooters. Small, bite-sized desserts are easy to grab while mingling, which makes them a smart pick for a large group. For a buffet dinner, you can also choose pecan pie, apple pie, or pumpkin pie.
For drinks, hot chocolate is a festive choice that fits the holiday spirit. Lemonade, sweetened and unsweetened iced tea, and coffee are also on the menu. If your party calls for something stronger, our bar and beverage services include certified bartenders, hosted bar packages, and signature cocktail creation. A custom holiday cocktail is a fun way to make the night feel special.
Food stations give a holiday party energy. Guests walk up, watch their food being served, and come back for seconds.
A carving station is one of the most impressive options for corporate events. The Amici’s holiday menu offers a sous vide prime rib carving station with rolls, rosemary-infused au jus, and horseradish. It is served by a carving chef, which gives the evening a polished feel and leaves a lasting impression on clients and employees.
Holiday celebrations and activities often happen at night, but not every group wants an evening party. A daytime brunch is another easy way to celebrate.
The Fresh & Fruitful brunch on the Amici’s holiday menu includes Belgian waffles or French toast with fresh berries, maple syrup, and whipped cream. It also comes with crispy bacon and sausage links, a fresh fruit bowl, and orange juice. You can round it out with cinnamon rolls, scones, assorted Danish, home fried potatoes, or a sliced fruit display with yogurt dip.
The easiest way to make sure every guest has a great experience is to ask about dietary preferences early. Add a question about allergies and dietary restrictions to your RSVP form, then share the results with your caterer.
A varied menu also helps. Offering both a meat and a seafood entrée, along with vegetable sides like ratatouille or roasted root vegetables, gives guests more choices. The Amici’s team will cater to dietary restrictions and special requirements when you share them during planning.
A great menu is one part of a successful holiday party. These tips help hosts stay organized:
You can learn more about how we support office parties and client events on our corporate catering page.
These menu ideas are great fits for a Christmas dinner at home, an office party, a church celebration, or a New Year’s Eve party. Visit our corporate catering and social event catering page to see how we support different types of celebrations.
Looking to take something off your holiday celebration to do list? Amici’s offers a catered meal on Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve serving up to 20 people. You can have a high quality meal for a holiday celebration and only need to remember the pick-up.
The best holiday parties start with a plan and a catering service you can count on. Amici’s Catered Cuisine serves offices, families, and event planners across Tampa Bay and the surrounding areas. We will help you build a menu that fits your group, your venue, and your schedule.
Ready to start? Contact us online and select Holiday Party as your service, call us, or email us. You can also view the full holiday menu to start picking your favorites.
For those who aren’t a huge fan of holiday taste and flavors, consider other Amici’s catering menus such as the Pasta Bar. It works well for mixed crowds and gives everyone a say in what lands on their plate.
Hosting a casual gathering outdoors? Our BBQ selections bring slow-smoked meats, savory sides, and classic cookout favorites to the table.
It is best to book as soon as you have your holiday dates and a rough guest count. December weekends and the weeks leading up to Christmas fill quickly for caterers and venues alike. Reaching out early gives you more date options and more time for menu planning. You can start the process by contacting Amici’s and selecting Holiday Party as your service.
For our day of Thanksgiving and Christmas Catering, orders need to be placed a week before pick-up. For Thanksgiving, the order-by date is November 19th and for Christmas Eve, the order-by date is December 17th.
Yes. Amici’s caters to dietary restrictions and special requirements for holiday events. The easiest way to plan for this is to ask guests about allergies and dietary preferences on your RSVP, then share those details with our team during planning. A menu with a mix of meat, seafood, and vegetable dishes also gives guests more choices.
Both options are available. For a simple office party or holiday lunch, our delivery and take-out service brings the food directly to your workplace. Disposable plates, utensils, and chafing dishes are available for purchase with delivery orders. For a larger celebration, staff, linens, and chafing dishes can be added to your order for a full-service experience.
