Born on January 25, 1759, Robert “Robbie” Burns, also known as the Ploughman Poet, the Bard of Ayrshire and, in Scotland, simply “The Bard,” was Scotland’s greatest poet and favourite son. Although he died more than 200 years ago, he is still considered the Greatest Scot. The first Burns observance wasn’t held on his birthday, as it is now, but actually upon the fifth anniversary of his death. So in your face, Sir Sean Connery. You too Alexander Graham Bell. After all, you didn’t pen the song that opens every new year and closes the classic Christmas movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Nope. “Auld Lang Syne” is all Burns.

Intrepid Scots brought their love of Robert Burns with them when they settled in many countries worldwide. There are so many Scottish Canadians, they are considered Canada’s third largest ethnic group – and Gaelic is still taught and spoken in some parts of Cape Breton. In fact, wherever you are in Canada, chances are good you won’t have to look far to celebrate Robbie Burns Day.

Calgary was originally named ‘Calgarraidh’ by Col. James Macleod Haggis and it ranks as being one of the most Scottish cities in Western Canada demonstrated in our many subdivisions such as McKenzie Towne, Braeside and Douglasdale. Robbie Burns Day celebrations this year will include The Calgary Burns Club 36th Anniversary Burns Dinner to be held on Friday, January 20 at the Calgary Telus Convention Centre. And many Calgary offices will be ordering from our Weekly Specials Menu, themed appropriately with Scottish delights. You too can celebrate to the sound of a piper playing bagpipes. Nominate the office manager or CEO to “Address to a
Haggis” – an ode that Robert Burns wrote to the infamous Scottish dish. Once done, simply ceremonially sliced the haggis into two pieces and the meal begins!

The traditional Robbie Burns menu would include”Cock-a-leekie” Soup,(an old Scottish recipe); The main course of “Haggis wi bashit neeps an’ champit tatties” ( Haggis, mashed turnip/swede and mashed potatoes); Sweet course of “Clootie Dumplin” (Dumpling pudding prepared in a linen cloth or “cloot”) or Scottish trifle; Final course of “Bannocks an Cheese” (Traditional Scottish Oatcakes and cheese board) finishing off with Coffee or Tea.

The Haggis, truth be told, is actually nothing more than a type of large sausage. So of course, we’ve provided you with the perfect recipe to make your very own Haggis to celebrate Robbie Burns Day with friends and family at home or at the office (minus the sheep’s stomach). Grab your woolen kilt and daggers, throw on a bagpipe band CD to pipe in the Haggis while you recite Burns’ Address to the Haggis for a memorable and fun celebration of Scotland’s most beloved poet.

Then serve a dram of Scotland’s equally famous drink– whiskey for all!

A corporate event is a chance to send your company message out to the world. It may signal that you are ready to do business. It can galvanize your employees, engage new customers, reward your existing clients, launch new products and grow your bottom line.

Your company message may say “hire us,” “buy from us,” “thank you,” “you are awesome,” and “we are worthy of you.”

If corporate events are not done correctly, however, the company message could be “leave us alone,” “you still here?” “we’re better than you,” and “your job is hanging by a thread; by the way, so is the company.”

The fact is, no matter how big or small your corporate event is, it is actually the forum for a very important conversation you are having with your target audience. Before you make any decisions around your event, you need to be very clear on who you are trying to reach and the company messages you want to leave with them.

A good Corporate Events company can help you through this process but it’s something you can begin on your own as well. A productive place to start is by determining who you want your corporate event to engage. Who your event is for will determine how you communicate with them through your event, both directly (demonstrations, shows, announcements, speeches, invitations, brochures, website, etc.) and through subtle choices like colours, themes, staging and food, if that is part of your equation.

When you have a good sense of who you are talking to, you need to think through what you would like them to do as the result of your corporate event. In other words, what are the goals of your event and what is the company message?

Far too many businesses undertake corporate events for vague reasons: they’ve done them before, their competitors are doing them, they feel they should do them…. Unspecific reasons lead to unspecific results. Successful corporate events come from setting specific goals you want your target audience to do, feel or think.

• Are you rallying existing customers around a new product or service?
• Are you winning back clients who have left you for competitors?
• Are you establishing your position in the marketplace?
• Are you mitigating the delivery of bad news to stakeholders?
• Are you helping your workforce redefine itself after restructuring or downsizing?

The more you understand about your audience, the more successful your event is likely to be.

Once you know who you are talking to and what the goal of your event is, you need to think about what your company message(s) will be to your target audience through your corporate event.

The questions you need to answer depend on the circumstances but, at the very least, you need to think through the basics on the members of your target audience, including:

• How old are they?
• What do they do?
• How familiar are they with your company, product or service?
• How far have they had to travel?
• What is their income bracket?
• How educated are they?
• Are they predominantly Female? Male?
• And what time will they be eating?

An event with a message that says “your business will improve by joining our exclusive club” looks very different than “we have reinvented ourselves to be immediately relevant to you and responsive to your needs” which looks different again to “you are the staff that are the lifeblood of our company and we value you.”

Your company message will be as unique as you are and the people you are trying to connect with. No matter what else is going on, corporate events are about connection and about people. Everything you do at your corporate event sends a subtle message, from the colour of the draping to the type and quantity of food (if any) you serve.

The point is to make all of your corporate events work for you and not against you. And yes they can work against you. With advance thought, clear objectives and an understanding about who you are targeting and what you want to say to them, however, your corporate events can be an effective tool to for your company message to connect more resonantly with those you need to reach.

Congratulations to our Weekly Special contest winner, Eva Marjanovac at McCarthy Tetrault for winning last month’s cookbook contest! Order a weekly special this month and your name will be entered to win “Jamie Oliver’s Meals in Minutes.”Bon Appetit!

Why the turkey and Cornucopia? There are many Thanksgiving customs and traditions that have become synonymous with this holiday that families have embraced as their family ritual. But just how did these customs get started?

Delicious Turkey
No one can dispute that a big roasted and stuffed bird is the main Thanksgiving event for 91% of all households. However, historians tell us that this was not the case at the first Thanksgiving, back in 1621. The feast shared by the Pilgrims and Native Americans most likely consisted of venison, various wild fowl and seafood, along with grains and vegetables of the local harvest. While wild turkey was likely among the wild fowl that was served, it was not the focus of the meal. So how did this tradition begin? It is speculated that the large amount of wild turkeys wandering around in colonial America made the bird a popular choice for subsequent harvest feasts.

Colourful Cornucopia
The Cornucopia, a horn-shaped basket overflowing with vegetables and grains, is a popular Thanksgiving image. Many homes use cornucopias as table decor on their Thanksgiving dining table. But where did it come from? Rooted in Greek mythology, the “Horn of Plenty” was a magical horn that filled itself with whatever food or drinks its owner desired. Later, the overflowing horn-shaped basket became a symbol of a rural bountiful autumn harvest. This bounty is the large part of why the pilgrims celebrated that first Thanksgiving.

American Football
What would Thanksgiving be without American football. The tradition began in 1934, with a game between the Lions and the Bears in Detroit, although there were games played on
Thanksgiving as early as 1902. The first televised Thanksgiving game aired in 1956, but prior to this, the games were broadcast on the radio.

Traditions of family togetherness and thankfulness survived intact for hundreds of years, and remain the key themes of the Thanksgiving holiday. Enjoy!

Bon Appetit!

Date Availability
It is never too early to start organizing your venue. Stampede, Christmas, conferences and graduation are peak times for booking venues while weddings book all types of venues up to a year in advance. April to October are the busy months for weddings so keep that in mind for pre-booking the more popular venues. Private residential facilities book members first and then first come for all outside potential clients. if you are booking one or two years in advance – don’t forget to inquire about pre-scheduled construction booked for that time.

Number of Guests
Match the facility to your guest numbers and remember to allow extra floor space for the band stage plus dance floor, audio visual screens and equipment, entertainment areas for entertainments such as photo booths or areas for silent auctions, etc. The larger the number of guests, the less the number of local facilities are available. If the facility does not have kitchen facilities, make extra room for a pipe and drape area for food staging and storage.

Area and Location
Why not look at unique locations such as an acreage, plane hanger, museum, garden or cultural centres. The location environment creates the base decor and give a refreshing feel to the your festivities. Outdoor wedding should always have a rain backup and remember that June and July have been Calgary’s rainy/mosquito months for the last few years. Make sure you have parking available or organize alternative transportation for the out of way locations. Reconsider asking your guests to drive more than a half hour, especially if your ceremony is at one once location and the reception at another – especially if you have an open bar.

Tents
Have your site examined by the tent supplier to ensure that the property is match for your required tent size plus whether you need to organize a city building permit or not? Don’t forget to have Alberta One stake your gas lines ahead of time or your tent company will not be able to install the tent. All Calgary city park rentals requires pre-organized permits.

Balancing Budgets
Successful wedding and events create a common thread that tie everything together using the real budget as your guide. You may save money by choosing an older community hall for your wedding reception but you may want to rent replacement chairs or chair covers which increases your budget again. Research a truthful budget and remember that sit down dinner cost are at least double to triple the price of a buffet meal for your guests.

Decor Considerations
Elegant facilities such as an art gallery or historical venues such as the Lougheed House requires little decor. Booking a facility that requires a face lift will sometimes required an extra day rental for a large decor job that involves ceiling and wall decor. Lighting and is an excellent, inexpensive way of mood decorating any location. AV wall painting is more expensive but a gorgeous, memorable way to decorate large venues with tall ceilings. Ask the facility what table and linen sizes are available included in the rental cost.

Location Over Selling
Check to make sure there is not a conflict of another event right before or after your event, especially if you have a big decor set up. Most weddings can rehearse in a different location but if you have a technical ceremony including music and other entertainment, you may want to consider booking your wedding rehearsal if your location is busy one.

Food and Beverage Services
Ensure you are able to get catering to your location, especially if it in an out of th e way location. The farther any supplier travel, the more costly it will be for transportation fees to your location. Each venue has their own liquor, liability (PalCanada) and bartending policies. Always read the fine print on noise by-laws plus the garbage/floor cleaning policies as many smaller halls make you responsible for this when you sing their agreement.

Special considerations
Is the location friendly for your disabled and elderly guest? The facility must be able to accommodate all of the aspects of your event. If you do not have power, think of using a power generators if your wedding tent is in your fathers hay field. Most Calgary venues have a no fire or water policy.

Drinking and Driving in far out Locations: New Years Eve, Christmas and bad weather limits plus handicaps transportation services. Consider alternative forms of transportation such as the designated driver concept. Let’s face it – drinking and driving never mix. Offer a variety of non-alcoholic beverages for the designated driver and others who prefer not to drink alcohol. Provide for alternative modes of transportation from shuttle, limousine service and passenger vans plus taxi fare for the end of the evening.

Call Simply Elegant if you need assistance in your venue section or all of planning. It’s what we do best. From planning, to decor, to entertainment, to catering, we work hard to ensure that every facet of your special day is what you want it to be.



A corporate event is a chance to send your company message out to the world. It may signal that you are ready to do business. It can galvanize your employees, engage new customers, reward your existing clients, launch new products and grow your bottom line.

Your company message may say “hire us,” “buy from us,” “thank you,” “you are awesome,” and “we are worthy of you.”

If corporate events are not done correctly, however, the company message could be “leave us alone,” “you still here?” “we’re better than you,” and “your job is hanging by a thread; by the way, so is the company.”

The fact is, no matter how big or small your corporate event is, it is actually the forum for a very important conversation you are having with your target audience. Before you make any decisions around your event, you need to be very clear on who you are trying to reach and the company messages you want to leave with them.

A good Corporate Events company can help you through this process but it’s something you can begin on your own as well. A productive place to start is by determining who you want your corporate event to engage.  Who your event is for will determine how you communicate with them through your event, both directly (demonstrations, shows, announcements, speeches, invitations, brochures, website, etc.) and through subtle choices like colours, themes, staging and food, if that is part of your equation.

The questions you need to answer depend on the circumstances but, at the very least, you need to think through the basics on the members of your target audience, including:

• How old are they?

• What do they do?

• How familiar are they with your company, product or service?

• How far have they had to travel?

• What is their income bracket?

• How educated are they?

• Are they predominantly female? Male?

• And what time will they be eating?

When you have a good sense of who you are talking to, you need to think through what you would like them to do as the result of your corporate event. In other words, what are the goals of your event and what is the company message?

Far too many businesses undertake corporate events for vague reasons: they’ve done them before, their competitors are doing them, they feel they should do them…. Unspecific reasons lead to unspecific results. Successful corporate events come from setting specific goals you want your target audience to do, feel or think.

• Are you rallying existing customers around a new product or service?

• Are you winning back clients who have left you for competitors?

• Are you establishing your position in the marketplace?

• Are you mitigating the delivery of bad news to stakeholders?

• Are you helping your workforce redefine itself after restructuring or downsizing?

The more you understand about your audience, the more successful your event is likely to be.

Once you know who you are talking to and what the goal of your event is, you need to think about what your company message(s) will be to your target audience through your corporate event.

An event with a message that says “your business will improve by joining our exclusive club” looks very different than “we have reinvented ourselves to be immediately relevant to you and responsive to your needs” which looks different again to “you are the staff that are the lifeblood of our company and we value you.”

Your company message will be as unique as you are and the people you are trying to connect with. No matter what else is going on, corporate events are about connection and about people.  Everything you do at your corporate event sends a subtle message, from the colour of the drapings to the type and quantity of food (if any) you serve.

The point is to make all of your corporate events work for you and not against you. And yes they can work against you. With advance thought, clear objectives and an understanding about who you are targeting and what you want to say to them, however, your corporate events can be an effective tool to for your company message to connect more resonantly with those you need to reach.

Choose a catering company that takes the time to listen to your needs. Your caterer should deliver the highest quality of service throughout the year including peak seasons and be committed to pride in food presentation to keep it fun and varied.

Reasons for Catering Hiccups: Did you confirm both eating and delivery times? Is the meeting a different address from your billing address? Is your loading dock difficult? Are you having a fire drill today? Let the caterer know if you only have stairs. Deliveries are affected by Calgary blizzards, infamous road construction and special events like Stampede.  Inform the office of the food delivery if you will not be present to receive it. Never assume – always ask your caterer questions. Don’t forget drinks and disposables and ask about potential food allergies. Food expectations vary greatly from one company to another so be mindful of food styles – healthy  vs. comfort food; sit down hot lunch vs easy to eat for Lunch and Learn’s. Your budget is proportional to food quantity, quality and style so utilize Simply Elegant Catering our Weekly Specials for variety and greater savings. Discuss platter pick up when ordering as it is usually the next working day after food deliveries. Manage your sandwich variety by changing up the type of breads and fillings for your staff.

Vegetarian Menu Ideas

• Baked summer fruits served with a of plain very low-fat fromage frais, followed by a slice of sesame Ryvita topped sliced apple and lemon curd. For the summer fruits, bake raspberries, peaches, strawberries and blackberries.
• Pea and pumpkin curry with steamed Thai fragrant rice.
• Vegetable moussaka

Lactose Intolerant Menu Ideas

• Orange juice, calcium fortified
• Turkey on Italian bread with Mayonnaise
• Roast beef with Noodles and Broccoli

Celiac Menu Ideas

• Eggs, Canadian bacon or turkey bacon
• Stir-fry with meat, poultry, seafood and chopped vegetables served over brown rice
• Pudding, ice cream or yogurt topped with berries and whipped topping

Peanut Allergy Menu Ideas

• Order simple dishes with only a few recipe ingredients.
• Avoid sauces unless you’re sure they don’t contain nuts.
• Confirm with kitchen that food processors, cutting boards, pans, knives, or other food preparation equipment have not been used for nuts.

Fish Allergy Menu Ideas

• Aerosolized fish proteins inhalation causes allergic reactions so people with fish allergies should avoid hibachi-style communal grill menus.
• Sushi offers high risk for cross-contamination due to the close proximity of fish and non-fish items.
• People with fish allergies should avoid eating any other food fried in the same oil.

Low Sodium Menu Ideas

• Avoid instant rice, pasta, and other pre-packaged foods, since they often have a high salt content.
• Choose raw nuts over salted, roasted nuts, unsalted nuts or seeds, dried beans, peas and lentils unsalted popcorn or fresh fruit instead.
• Choose any menu that is created using fresh, frozen or canned food items that are processed without added salts.

Muslim Food Restrictions

• Avoid any pork dishes at a banquet when Muslims are in attendance because the other dishes might become contaminated in preparation or serving.
• Do not serve alcohol in the presence of guests, especially government or religious officials, from the more fundamentalist Muslim countries like Saudi Arabia or Kuwait; even if you know that the individual may drink in private. Many Muslims, Muslims fast until sundown during the month of Ramadan.

Don’t shoot the messenger! Now that we have our gorgeous spring weather, of course we have to remind you to plan for your Christmas party.

Event planning. Say those two words and see how fast your coworkers run for the door. But you’re game. And fortunately, you’ve come to the right place. We are award-winning, event
planning experts. We plan all aspects of any kind of event, no matter the size or circumstance. From extremely small to a cast of thousands, we’ll keep our eye on the details so you don’t have
to. Simply Elegant – Event planning that makes you look good.

Party Planning
You’re thinking: great friends, great time, great party. We’re thinking: great parties come out of great party planning. It’s hard to believe that something as fun as a party can take so much work. But it does… Always. Of course, great hosts make it look easy. Great hosts rely on great people. We’re your people. Your party planning people. We’ll do the planning. You have the fun.

The rewards of a successful Christmas party will carry on throughout the year. There are many steps to planning leaving it to the demands and challenges of the holiday season is a recipe for headaches. Here are some tips to lighten the burden in planning this years parties:

Things to think about in planning this year’s Christmas party:

Use task lists and schedule deadlines to complete all your planning on time. If it’s an office party, then the location, budget, and date all three are usually determined by management so you’re working within limits already. Be mindful of your corporate culture in planning on food and entertainment. (IE food restrictions due to religion)

It is never too early to start organizing. In fact, numerous 500 guests or more companies have completed this planning already. Many of the large facilities are pre-booked on an annual basis with first come first served for the smaller ones.

Book your facility now. The larger the number of guests, the less number of local facilities are available. Why not look at unique locations such as a museum, garden or cultural centre. The environment in these locations create the base decor and give a refreshing feel to the festivities.

Re-think your theme. Successful parties create a common thread that tie everything together using the budget as your guide. Coordinating the entire Christmas program with the menu, decor and entertainment allows for a memorable celebration. An example of this is an international Christmas theme with world food/action stations with matching decor and entertainment.

Poll your employees as to what type of theme and entertainment they would like this year? You could make it a competition! Instead of the comedy show, perhaps they would like to experience a cirque show or a Christmas themed murder mystery? Focus the opportunity for an engaging and interactive party this year.

Guests love to take the dinner table centrepiece home. Why not set up a centrepiece creation competition between departments where the pieces are raffled off to generate money for your favourite charity. Remember to make a note in the invitation that there will be a prize for the department that decks out the most ingenious Christmas centrepiece.

Promote the designated driver concept and these alternative forms of transportation in your invitations. Let’s face it – drinking and driving never mix. Offer a variety of non-alcoholic beverages for the designated driver and others who prefer not to drink alcohol. If preparing an alcoholic punch, use a non-carbonated base like fruit juice. Alcohol is absorbed into the blood stream faster with a carbonated base. Provide for for alternative modes of transportation for guests range from shuttle, limousine service or passenger vans taxi fare for the end of the evening. Don’t forget to budget for this!

Save a tree and go green e-invites for your event.

Planning a party is a lot like buying a house. You do the research, crunch the numbers, think ahead – and you put the best possible team around yourself to help you achieve your goals. When party disasters happen, it usually comes down to poor planning. And many smart, capable social committees just plain and simple don’t think through some of the basic details that will make or break their party. That’s what a planner is for.

Call Simply Elegant if you need support with some or all of your Christmas event. It’s what we do best. From planning, to decor, to entertainment, to catering, we work hard to ensure that every facet of your corporate event says what you want it to say. After all, this isn’t just some corporate event. It’s yours. It reflects back on your Company — and on you. Every detail has to be on message. You wouldn’t let an email go out that didn’t look good on the Company. You’re sure not going to let your company look bad through a poorly thought out or executed event.

Ultimately here are the Top Ten Signs You’re at a Bad Office Christmas Party according to CBS
– Late Show with David Letterman

10. Eggnog smells suspiciously like Liquid Paper.
9. Anyone caught under mistletoe gets choked by Latrell Sprewell.
8. Because of corporate downsizing, Santa is only 120 pounds.
7. Only food available is something called reindeer kebabs.
6. Last time you saw this much sucking up was on the Tommy Lee-Pamela Anderson videotape.
5. Christmas tree is just a fat intern in a green sweater.
4. For the 16th year in a row, the Canadian band leader has passed out in the eggnog.
3. Thanks to the alcohol-free punch, not a single butt gets photocopied.
2. Boss offers to give you a raise, and hes not talking about money.
1. Its held every year on July 23rd.