Hit the Employee Appreciation Jackpot With a St. Patrick’s Day Office Party

St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Monday this year, which makes it a great opportunity to show your employees how much you value them with a festive holiday party. A St. Patrick’s Day celebration is the perfect way to boost morale, foster team spirit, and show employee appreciation. Plus, with delivery and catering options provided by Waiter.com, you can easily create a memorable and delicious event that the whole office will love. 

Employee appreciation is a key factor in job satisfaction and workplace morale. By hosting a St. Patrick’s Day office party, you can celebrate the holiday while showing your team they’re valued members of a fun and supportive workplace. In this blog, we’ll explore the different food, activities, and decoration options for hosting a St. Patrick’s Day employee appreciation celebration.

10 St. Patrick’s Day Office Food Ideas

When it comes to planning an office party there may be no aspect as crucial as the food. You want to serve delicious dishes that are on the theme of the holiday. Here are some St. Patrick’s Day office food ideas to impress your team: 

1. Irish Soda Bread with Spinach Artichoke Dip: A classic St. Patrick’s Day bread that pairs perfectly with the green spinach artichoke dip. While the fruit-studded version of soda bread is more American than Irish, both types are crowd-pleasers. This appetizer is easy to serve and eat in between meetings. 
2. Corned Beef and Cabbage: This St. Patrick’s Day staple was popularized by Irish immigrants in New York. Its hearty hunks of salty corned beef, piles of stewed cabbage, and root vegetables are just what the doctor ordered after a weekend of celebrating. This dish is perfect for a Monday celebration and will satisfy even the hungriest employees.
3. Irish Stew: This classic comfort food is perfect for a St. Patrick’s Day celebration. Traditionally the dish is made with lamb or mutton, potatoes, carrots, onions, and herbs. It’s filling and warm for those cold office days in March. 
4. Shepherd’s Pie: Consider serving shepherd’s pie for your St. Patrick’s Day celebration. This comforting and filling option can easily be transformed into a vegetarian-friendly meal with faux meat crumbles or extra veggie filling. Either way, this dish is a hearty and delicious way to celebrate the holiday. 
5. Colcannon: Like many Irish dishes, Colcannon is made with potatoes and cabbage. It’s simple, flavorful, and vegetarian-friendly. This earthy side dish will go well with any of the main dishes mentioned in this list.
6. Boxty: This traditional Irish potato pancake can be served as a main course or a side dish. Boxty is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside and is made from grated potatoes, flour, and buttermilk. It can be served plain or filled with savory ingredients like smoked salmon, bacon, or cheese. 
7. Dublin Coddle: This comforting dish originated in Dublin and is made with layers of sausages, bacon, potatoes, and onions all simmered together. This one-pot meal is perfect for catering a large office event like a holiday party and will satisfy the hungriest office. 
8. Beer Cheese Soup: Rich Irish cheddar and a hearty splash of a pale ale pair deliciously in this creamy soup. Serve alone or with fresh bread to soak up the flavor of the soup. 
9. Barmbrack: A traditional Irish sweet bread filled with dried fruits. It’s often served toasted with butter and paired with tea or coffee. Barmbrack could be a good mid-morning office treat before the festivities truly begin later in the day.
10. Guinness Chocolate Cake: It’s not St. Patrick’s Day without a little Guinness. The velvety rich chocolate and roasted stout flavors of Guinness create a decadent dessert that your team will love.

Online catering and delivery services like Waiter.com make it easy to order everything you need for your St. Patrick’s Day party. You can choose to cater custom dishes or order from a local Irish restaurant to celebrate the holiday. Get started today. 

5 St. Patrick’s Day Activities for the Office

Once you’ve decided on the food, you’ll want to plan a few activities to make the party memorable. Here are some fun St. Patrick’s Day activities that will keep your team engaged and entertained: 

1. Trivia: Test your team’s knowledge of Irish culture, a new product feature, or fun facts about teammates. Tap one of your outgoing teammates to lead or hire an outside consultant to amp up the fun. Offer small prizes for the winners, like gift cards or St. Patrick’s Day-themed treats. 
2. Leprechaun Scavenger Hunt: Hide small themed items like gold coins or shamrocks around the office and have your team find them. Hints can related to the business or facts about the holiday. Offer prizes for the winner or winners. 
3. Photo Booth: Set up a photo booth with St. Patrick’s Day props like shamrock glasses, green boas, and leprechaun hats for the team to take silly pictures together. This will allow your team to capture memories from the day and share how much they love their job on social media. 
4. Irish Dance-Off: Watch a tutorial on traditional Irish dance with your team—or have an Irish dance teacher host a dance lesson for the office. Play traditional Irish music and see who has the best moves. This will get everyone moving and laughing in no time. 
5. Costume Contest: Encourage employees to dress up in their best St. Patrick’s Day attire. Create a judges panel and award prizes for categories like “Best Dressed” and “Most Creative.” 

Decorate for St. Patrick’s Day at the Office

Now it’s time to transform the office into a festive, green-themed wonderland. Consider a few of these options to boost office morale: 

• Encourage teammates to wear green 
• Decorate with green balloons, streamers, and tablecloths 
• Lay gold coins, leprechaun hats, rainbows, and shamrocks around the office
• Host a contest for the best-decorated workspace 

Holidays are a great opportunity to show your employees how much you appreciate them and their hard work. With the right food, activities, and decor you can create a festive office party that your team will love. If you’d rather focus on showing appreciation instead of party planning, let the office catering experts at Waiter.com do the heavy lifting. Our online ordering and prompt delivery make it easy to paint the office green on St. Patrick’s Day!