Christmas is on the way and this year it is going to be a special one, a holiday to share with loved ones and friends. Here Elena Spadaro, deputy manager of the Grand Hotel Majestic “già Baglioni”, tells readers how to organise a perfect Christmas with family, friends and colleagues.

Lets’ start with families: Christmas is, by tradition, a holiday in which relatives gather round sumptuously laid tables. What are the advantages of spending Christmas at the hotel, and how do you make it memorable?

In general, the winter holidays have two purposes: they are a chance to see your relatives and also to relax after months of hard work. Spending Christmas at the hotel allows you to live both in the best way possible, treating yourself to a brief holiday with the important people in your life, who may live far away, and chilling out with them. The hotel sees to all the rest: the organisation, preparation, shopping for the ingredients for the dinner or lunch, the menu and the decorations. And Christmas can also be a perfect excuse to meet up in a different city and opt to stay there for a few days. Bologna is the ideal place, partly because of its great gastronomic culture.

More and more people like to celebrate Christmas with friends and colleagues. It’s a formula based on the desire to meet to exchange presents before returning to their cities of origin for the holidays. What do you suggest?

We’ve come up with a set of proposals for every need: from “simple” exchanges of greetings to formal dinners, from informal drinks and aperitifs to cocktail parties and buffets. all made to measure. What is important is to treat yourself to an experience different from any other to create unique memories. We offer a choice of menus and ideas, and we decorate the rooms to conjure up a special atmosphere. We take care of every detail, starting from lavish Christmas decorations with the classic colour palette of green, red and gold, symbols not only of the festive season but also of luxury, pleasure and hospitality.

How would you organize and decorate an office Christmas party? How would it differ from a family party?

This type of event helps to forge relations with colleagues, to create a positive climate and to consolidate the bond with the company. One thing is for sure; it has to be organised well in advance. It may take only a few days for a lunch for 20 people, but it takes weeks for more complex celebrations. According to type of event, it’s possible to book the foyer, the ’800 and ‘900 rooms, or the Enoteca Morandi. Each space has a special atmosphere of its own and, according to size and context, can also stage live music and performances. Food-wise, we offer an array of solutions and compositions: fish, meat, traditional, you name it. When people book, we ask them to inform us of any intolerances, allergies, special diets and so on, so that we can adapt to the most diverse requirements. And we always offer to print the menu with the logos and headings requested clients in order to turn it into a souvenir of a memorable celebration.

Speaking of which, a last piece of advice. Some companies like to give their employees Christmas presents. Which, in your opinion, are the most suitable?

I don’t believe the perfect present actually exists, but with a bit of creativity it’s possible to choose the most appropriate for the context. The best gifts, in my opinion, are nice, personalised and original, maybe connected with the place and the occasion. Here in Bologna, we have food, cars and towers, all symbols of the Emilia region that can be used as a source of inspiration. A characteristic gift might be a tortellino-shaped leather keyring. Just like mine!