Corporate Christmas Eve – Table Manners

The company Christmas Eve dinner, known as the Christmas wafer meeting, is a great opportunity for team bonding. Here are a few etiquette tips that might come in handy:

1. Communication – Preparing for the Event

Information about the upcoming Christmas Eve dinner should reach employees well in advance. The invitation should also specify whether the event is just for employees or if their families and close ones are invited as well. Allowing plus-ones can be well received – it shows that family values are important to the employer too. However, all this depends on the budget the company has.

The dinner should ideally be organized at the end of the workday or just after it, in a rented venue or the company’s building. If we decide to host it off-site and far from the workplace, transport should be provided to take employees to where they can easily get home.

If we are providing refreshments, we should think about the format – either a sit-down dinner or a buffet. In both cases, let's remember to decorate the table and room for the holidays.

Dress code is important – elegant attire, cocktail or formal, is preferred.

2. Company Christmas Eve

Let’s remember to be punctual. If we’re organizing a meeting at a restaurant, we should arrive at least 15 minutes early to take off our coats, fix our hair or touch up our makeup.

According to good manners, the boss should start the meeting by wishing the employees well and thanking them for their work over the year, possibly summarizing the past year and mentioning plans for the future.

Should we break the wafer? That's probably a question all guests at the company Christmas Eve dinner are asking themselves. If the format of the meeting allows for it, then we should share the wafer, even if it feels awkward. It all depends on the relationships between the employees.

While exchanging wishes, remember to keep them not too personal or embarrassing.

During the company Christmas Eve dinner, it's best to avoid topics and jokes about politics, religion, and anything that might cause disagreements among participants. Also, let's refrain from making negative comments about colleagues or supervisors, and avoid discussing overly personal matters.

Let’s be moderate in eating and drinking alcohol. It can be perceived the wrong way.

Finally, it’s nice to give all employees holiday gifts, no matter how small, and especially to thank the people who organized the event.