There are so many fantastic things about Christmas: the festive decorations, the cosy Christmas films, and the nostalgic carols. But the thing that so many of us look forward to the most is the food. Christmas is the season of treats that are naughty but oh-so-nice!
If you’re throwing a Christmas party this year, it’s time to start thinking about the food (if you haven’t already) and we're here to help. Below, we’ve rounded up a delicious selection of Christmas party food ideas that will be total crowd-pleasers with your guests.
Whether you're throwing an extravagant Christmas bash or an intimate gathering with your nearest and dearest, you’ll find the perfect festive treats that will make your party a night to remember. We guarantee there will be empty plates all round!
12 Christmas party food ideas
1. Christmas charcuterie wreath
It’s not Christmas without a charcuterie board, so we had to kick off our list with this delicious party favourite.
Buy a selection of cold meats, cheeses, crackers, chutneys, pickles and grapes and arrange them in a wreath shape for extra festiveness. Then garnish with nuts and rosemary to give it a rustic feel and enjoy!
- Find this Christmas party food idea on Simply Delicious.
2. Pigs in blankets
Up next is another classic Christmas treat - the beloved pig in blanket!
Pigs in blankets are always popular at parties for a reason. They’re deliciously decadent, with the indulgent combination of bacon and sausage, and they’re bite-sized, making them easy to eat and ideal for parties.
Simply plate up with a tasty dipping sauce, such as a honey mustard dip. Add some cocktail sticks and this seasonal snack is ready to serve.
You can also make vegan versions so your vegan guests don’t have to miss out on the taste of Christmas!
- Check out this pigs in blankets recipe on the BBC website.
3. Pesto Christmas tree
This festive treat looks super impressive and is sure to wow your guests, but it’s also quick and easy to cook.
All you have to do is cover a sheet of puff pastry with pesto, cut out a Christmas tree shape and star for the top, brush with a beaten egg, then twist the branches and bake. It’s as simple as that!
- Head over to the Recipes Made Easy website for more information on how to make a Pesto Christmas tree.
4. Christmas tree mini quiches
These little quiches are great fun and very festive with their little Christmas trees made from Romanesco broccoli.
To make this simple Christmas party food idea, create quiche cups from potato, fill them with egg, and add goat's cheese or mozzarella on top to imitate snow. Then pop your floret of Romanesco broccoli into the cheese and voila! You've got a Christmas tree quiche that tastes just as good as it looks.
- Find out the instructions for how to make these Christmas tree mini quiches on Happy Kitchen.
5. Pizza stockings
Everyone loves a pizza party! And pizza is the ultimate comfort food, with its warm crust and cheesy goodness, so it’s a must-have for the cosy Christmas season.
Make this widely loved dish Christmas-themed by using cookie cutters to cut out mini festive shapes from dough and cover with lashings of tomato sauce, cheese, or whatever toppings you fancy.
We love these cute stocking pizzas, but you could also buy star, snowman, or Christmas tree cookie cutters and make a range of different shapes.
- Find the recipe on Delish.
6. Reindeer Sloppy Joe sliders
Sloppy Joes are an American party food favourite. With their hearty meat filling and soft bun, they’ll be sure to satisfy your guests (and give them extra energy for dancing!).
Add all of Santa’s reindeer to your party spread with this Christmas party food idea from Kitchen Fun. Stuff buns with the comforting, savoury filling and decorate with pretzel antlers, raisins for eyes and a cute olive nose. Kitchen Fun has even made a little Rudolph by cutting a cherry tomato in half to resemble the signature red nose.
- For the full recipe, head to Kitchen Fun.
7. Snowman Vegetable Tray
Balance out all the rich Christmas meats and cheeses with this healthy Snowman vegetable platter.
Fill a tray with an assortment of colourful vegetables, then put a creamy dip (such as sour cream and chive or ranch) in a ramekin and place it in the centre to create the middle layer of the snowman’s body.
You could either add two more small bowls of dip for the snowman’s head and lower part of the body or make them out of vegetables, as The Produce Moms has done. Cauliflower is a great vegetable for this, as its texture looks like crunchy snow.
This Snowman vegetable tray is so adorable it might even convince little ones to eat their greens!
- Christmas party food idea from The Produce Moms.
Give your party a theme!
Make your Christmas party one for the ages by giving it a fun and memorable theme.
Check out our pick of 12 Christmas party themes that will wow your guests and find a theme that perfectly matches your vibe.
8. Cranberry and brie puff pastry bites
These appetizers are the perfect Christmas bite, with their buttery, flaky pastry paired with a gooey brie and tangy cranberry sauce filling.
Cranberry sauce is great for adding some colour to your Christmas party spread. Plus, with only four ingredients, these puff pastry delights are easy to make and perfectly balanced with just a few delicious flavours.
- Christmas party food idea from Whims & Wonders.
9. Santa hat brownies
These Santa hat brownies from Oh Sweet Basil put the “sweet” in sweet treat!
Whip up a batch of fudgy brownies and cut into bite-sized squares. Then, stick a strawberry on each with a small blob of icing and add another dollop on top for the hat’s fluffy pom pom.
- Learn how to make these Santa hat brownies on Oh Sweet Basil.
10. No-bake white chocolate cheesecakes
Cheesecake is always a winner, so you can’t go wrong with these mini vegan white chocolate cheesecakes from The Little Blog of Vegan.
Use dairy-free alternatives to make the velvety, white chocolate cream cheese filling and smother onto vegan-friendly biscuit bases, then pop in the freezer to set.
Finish by topping with a white chocolate truffle snowman and you have a melt-in-your-mouth dessert that all your guests can enjoy.
- Find the tutorial on The Little Blog of Vegan.
11. Edible Chocolate Pine Cones
These edible chocolate pine cones are so convincing they look almost too real to eat!
Make a dough from crushed biscuits, shredded coconut, cream cheese and cocoa powder and shape into small cones. Press chocolate-covered cornflakes into the dough and sprinkle icing sugar over the top for an extra wintry look.
These impressive and tasty treats will make a great conversation starter!
- Christmas party food idea from Bite-sized Bash.
12. Christmas cake
We’ve saved the best for last. The star of every Christmas party buffet is, of course, a festive cake!
Start by baking whatever cake you like. You could keep things traditional and opt for the classic Christmas fruitcake or experiment with festive flavours like gingerbread or spiced walnut.
Then it’s time to decorate your cake and this is where you can unleash your creativity. Enjoy smoothing thick buttercream over your sponge, or cover your bake with Christmas shapes (such as holly leaves, stars and Christmas trees) made from royal icing.
We’ve even created a round-up of 33 Fun and Easy Christmas Cake Decoration Ideas here on Gathered. Check it out and rustle up a showstopping Christmas cake that your guests will never forget.
- Christmas cake decoration idea from Cake by Courtney.
Whip up a feast this Christmas
When it comes to hosting a successful Christmas party, the two most important elements are good company and good food!
So whip up lots of tasty treats over the festive season and invite your loved ones over to come and share them with you. Then crank up the Christmas tunes and enjoy a magical night with all your favourite people.
Hopefully, our selection of Christmas party food ideas has given you lots of delicious inspiration. We’re sure they’ll be a total hit with your guests - their only criticism might be that they want more!
Game time!
Now you’ve got the food sorted, why not plan some fun Christmas games?
Check out our round-up of 24 exciting Christmas party games for the whole family and keep your guests entertained all night long.
