White lights, floral arrangements and eggnog martinis help round out the year at these festive restaurants.

In the business world, December is the most exciting month. It’s the time when holiday parties, dinners and cocktail receptions are planned to celebrate a year’s worth of hard work, and employees get to blow off some steam (although it’s best to leave the lampshades alone). Restaurants that excel at these type of corporate celebrations know how to embrace the holiday spirit through bountiful decorations, holiday-themed menus and specialty cocktails (eggnog martini, anyone?), and they exude an overall festive atmosphere. The following five restaurants meet all those criteria, so consider them for your next holiday get-together.

Tavern on the Green

New York, New York
Central Park at West 67th Street; 212-873-3200; tavernonthegreen.com

This Central Park landmark shines all year round with its sumptuous decor (think brass, stained glass, etched mirrors and crystal chandeliers), but it really outdoes itself during the holiday season-not surprisingly, this is one of New York’s most popular places for corporate end-of-year parties. The in-house decorator/florist turns the space into a winter wonderland, with giant Christmas trees, garlands, wreaths, handmade bows and seasonal floral arrangements. Guests can dine in one of six rooms, including the glass-enclosed Crystal and Terrace Rooms and the Elm and Chestnut Rooms, with soaring vaulted ceilings. The holiday menu includes crab cakes and lobster bisque, as well as roast free-range turkey, roast prime rib of beef and cedar plank salmon, along with plenty of sinfully rich desserts.

Restaurant 1789

Washington, D.C.
1226 36th Street NW; 202-965-1789; 1789restaurant.com

Restaurant 1789, named for the year Georgetown University was founded, is considered one of the finest restaurants in our nation’s capital. Located in a restored Federal house, it features period antiques, a working fireplace, Limoges china and cuisine from acclaimed chef Nathan Beauchamp. During the holidays, each of the five dining rooms is decorated with fresh garlands, holiday trees and antique toys and trains. The Middleburg Room’s ceiling is done up with grapevines and white lights, creating a truly spectacular setting. The holiday menu might include apple-cured salmon, duck breast with foie gras-braised Brussels sprouts and white sweet potatoes, and venison with glazed carrots and lingonberries. There is also a large champagne selection-ideal when you need to make that holiday toast!

The Signature Room

Chicago, Illinois
875 North Michigan Avenue; 312-787-9596; thesignatureroom.com

Perched high above the Windy City on the 95th floor of the iconic John Hancock Tower is the Signature Room, which offers diners phenomenal views of the surrounding skyscrapers. The space was designed with Art Deco style that is brilliantly showcased when holiday decorations in red, green, silver and gold are put up. There are numerous private dining rooms available, all of which feature floor-to-ceiling windows. Executive chef Michael Pivoney’s cuisine is contemporary American, and holiday menu highlights include smoked loin of venison with hibiscus cherry reduction, roasted duckling with cranberry glaze and fresh oysters from the Pacific Northwest. On Christmas Eve, the restaurant offers a gourmet buffet with more than 60 items, including carved turkey and a raw bar. Enjoy seasonal cocktails, such as eggnog martinis and Bailey’s hot cocoa spiked with apple cider.

City Tavern

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
138 South Second Street; 215-413-1443; citytavern.com

Step back in time while dining at this historic restaurant, a reconstructed 18th-century tavern where Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson shared meals and debated the topics of the day. The cuisine is prepared from historic recipes and served by waiters in period dress, which makes dinner here a unique experience. The holidays are an especially magical time, when the tavern’s seven dining rooms are adorned with traditional Christmas decorations. The restaurant is known for corporate functions, where guests can enjoy an authentic colonial feast complete with pepperpot soup, roasted duckling with chutney, rack of lamb and Martha Washington’s recipe for chocolate mousse, as well as microbrews like Poor Richard’s ale and General Washington’s porter.

Houstonian Hotel

Houston, Texas
111 North Post Oak Lane; 713-680-2626; houstonian.com

One of Houston’s grandest hotels, the Houstonian is set on 18 acres in the heart of the city. During the holidays, perhaps no other hotel can match its cheerful yuletide decor. The Great Room, with its massive stone, is dominated by a 19-foot tree and festooned with light displays, garlands, wreaths, holly and gingerbread houses. Each evening, a children’s choir sings carols, and apple cider and cookies are passed around. There is also a holiday drink menu, so you can have a cocktail or coffee in the lobby before enjoying a meal at Olivette, the hotel’s fine dining venue, which is filled with exquisite holiday floral arrangements (a present-filled sleigh greets diners at the entrance). The cuisine by executive chef Jeffrey Everts is modern American, with a Mediterranean influence.

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jill fergus is a freelance writer based in New York. Email Jill at editor@executivetravelmag.com.