Christmas Catering NYC

How to Build a Christmas Catering Menu That Impresses Every Guest

Let’s be honest — your December event is competing with every other holiday party your guests attend that month. The ones they remember are the ones where the food felt special, not the ones with the same cheese-and-cracker spread they’ve seen at every office lobby since November. Christmas catering should feel like a celebration, not a corporate obligation.

For 30 years, Urban Affairs has delivered Christmas catering for holiday events across New York City — from executive team dinners to company-wide celebrations.

Christmas Catering Menu

Holiday Corporate & Social Event Catering in NYC

Celebrate the season with Urban Affairs Catering Christmas Menu, designed for elegant corporate parties, holiday receptions, and festive gatherings across New York City. This menu blends classic holiday flavors with modern culinary presentation, creating a warm and memorable dining experience perfect for winter celebrations.

$44.95 per guest – One Entrée
$49.95 per guest – Two Entrées
$54.95 per guest – Three Entrées
Includes one starter, two sides, one salad, artisan bread, dessert, and buffet setup.

Holiday Starters

• Mini Crab Cakes with lemon herb aioli
• Stuffed Mushrooms with spinach, herbs, and parmesan
• Brie & cranberry puff pastry bites
• Holiday antipasto skewers with mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, olives, and basil
• Roasted butternut squash soup shooters

Entrées

• Herb Roasted Prime Rib with red wine jus
• Roasted Turkey Breast with traditional gravy and cranberry sauce
• Honey Glazed Holiday Ham with brown sugar and mustard glaze
• Chicken Marsala with mushrooms and thyme
• Grilled Atlantic Salmon with lemon dill butter
• Vegetable Wellington with roasted seasonal vegetables (Vegetarian)

Seasonal Sides

• Garlic mashed potatoes
• Maple roasted carrots
• Green beans almondine
• Herb roasted baby potatoes
• Wild rice with cranberries and toasted almonds
• Classic holiday stuffing

Salads

• Winter greens with apples, candied pecans, and champagne vinaigrette
• Classic Caesar salad with parmesan and garlic croutons
• Roasted beet salad with goat cheese and arugula

Artisan Breads

• Warm dinner rolls with whipped butter
• Rustic artisan bread assortment

Holiday Desserts

• Mini Christmas cheesecakes
• Chocolate yule log cake slices
• Assorted holiday cookies and biscotti
• Peppermint chocolate brownies
• Mini cannoli with chocolate chip ricotta

Beverage Add-Ons

• Hot chocolate station with marshmallows and peppermint – $7.95 per guest
• Hot apple cider with cinnamon sticks – $6.95 per guest
• Freshly brewed coffee and tea service – $6.95 per guest
• Sparkling water and bottled water – $3.25 per guest

Service Options

• Corporate drop-off holiday catering
• Full-service buffet with professional staff
• Chef-attended carving stations available

Customization & Dietary Notes

• Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options available
• Menus can be customized for corporate holiday parties and private celebrations
• Minimum order: 25 guests

Christmas Menu Formats for Office Parties and Private Dinners

The right Christmas menu format depends on whether your event is a 90-minute cocktail reception or a 3-hour seated dinner. Each requires a different food strategy.

• Cocktail reception (60–120 min) — tray-passed hors d’oeuvres, carving station, dessert display. Guests eat standing, circulate freely. Best for 50–300 guests.
• Buffet dinner (2–3 hours) — prime rib carving station, glazed ham, holiday sides, full dessert table. Self-serve with attended stations. Best for 80–500 guests.
• Seated dinner (2–4 hours) — plated courses with wine pairings. Formal, structured. Best for 20–150 guests where conversation and intimacy matter.

Here’s what most caterers won’t tell you: the cocktail reception format actually costs less per head than seated dinner while delivering a more memorable experience. Guests eat more variety, network more freely, and leave feeling like they attended a party — not a meeting with food.

Signature Christmas Menu Items

Urban Affairs builds Christmas menus around three anchor proteins that signal “this isn’t a regular Tuesday lunch”:

• Slow-roasted prime rib — carved to order with horseradish cream and au jus
• Honey-glazed spiral ham — brown sugar and Dijon crust, served with pineapple chutney
• Herb-crusted beef tenderloin — whole roasted, sliced to order for the premium tier

Holiday sides include roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon, truffle mac and cheese, garlic mashed potatoes, cranberry-walnut salad, and dinner rolls. Dessert features a Yule log (bûche de Noël), gingerbread cookies, peppermint bark, and a hot chocolate station with marshmallows and whipped cream. For events where alcohol is served, our beverage team builds seasonal cocktail menus featuring mulled wine, spiked eggnog, and cranberry spritzers that pair with the food stations.

Planning Around the December Calendar Crunch

The risk with December events is availability. The first two weeks of December are the most booked catering weeks of the entire year in New York City. Urban Affairs books out completely for prime December dates by mid-October — which means the best menus, the best staff, and the best time slots go to clients who plan early.

For companies running multiple December events (team dinners, client appreciation, company-wide party), Urban Affairs offers a consolidated holiday package — one planning session, one event captain, and consistent quality across all three events at a reduced per-head rate. Pair with Hanukkah menu options for inclusive end-of-year celebrations that respect multiple traditions.

Add passed hors d’oeuvres during the first 30 minutes while guests arrive and coat check lines clear — it fills the gap before the main stations open.

Urban Affairs has handled holiday catering across all five boroughs since 1995. For companies with employees who observe multiple December traditions, we build menus that pair Christmas favorites with kosher-style Hanukkah dishes and other seasonal options — so no one at the table feels like an afterthought at a party that’s supposed to celebrate everyone.

Get a Custom Catering Quote for Your Event

Urban Affairs Catering & Events has been catering Christmas parties and holiday dinners across New York City since 1995 — from executive team dinners to company-wide celebrations for hundreds. If you’re planning a Christmas event, request a catering quote here and we’ll get back to you within one business day.

Frequently Asked Questions