Christmas Party Food & Drinks

One of the most important aspects of a Christmas party is the food you serve to your guests. With a little bit of planning, you can turn it into a chance to showcase your culinary skills. When planning the Christmas party recipes, give equal importance to the beverages too. Just as you would be having a variety of food, make sure to have enough types of drinks for the guests to choose. The drinks should complement the food you serve.

While choosing the Christmas party recipes, keep in mind the tastes and eating choices of your guests. Have enough vegetarian and non-vegetarian food to cater to everyone. Be careful about food allergies and stick to safe choices so as to avoid any mishaps. Have foods that are easy to make and not too messy while eating. Try to prepare dishes that you know your guests will enjoy.

Keep the following things in mind while arranging your Christmas party and choosing your Christmas party recipes:

• Drinks and Snacks – You can choose to serve tea, coffee, lemonade and even alcoholic drinks such as wine, champagne, beer etc. Make sure you have soft drinks if your party will have kids in attendance.
• Appetizers – Once your guests have played some of the party games, it will be time for you to serve appetizers and soups. Have at least two types of soup and three different appetizers. Chicken Drumsticks, Cheese Puffs, Shrimps, Stuffed Mushrooms are some of the appetizers you can serve.
• For the main course, include both non-vegetarian and vegetarian dishes. Serving wine/champagne during the main course can add an elegant touch to your party.
• When it comes to dessert, there should be at least two types that the guests can choose. Apple Pie, Chocolate Mousse, Cinnamon Truffles, Christmas cake are all good choices.
• After dessert comes the coffee and an espresso will finish off the entire dinner nicely.

When it comes to Christmas party drinks, there are several favorites such as hot buttered rum, eggnog, holiday punch.
Mulled Wine – A favorite Christmas drink since medieval times, mulled wine is easy to make. In a pan, boil half cup of sugar, quarter cup of water, two or three slices of orange, six cloves and two cinnamon sticks. Simmer for about five minutes to allow the sugar to melt and all the flavors to mix. Remove this mixture from heat and then, add a half cup of orange juice and one bottle of sweet red wine. Serve it hot, either in a punch bowl or in individual glasses.

Eggnog – having eggnog is yet another Christmas tradition. The basic recipe for eggnog calls for eggs beaten with sugar, milk, cream and some kind of spirit. But there are a variety of eggnog recipes you can try. Serve eggnog at in a large punchbowl, top this with grated nutmeg and serve during your party.

Your chosen Christmas party recipes will not complete without having two of the most popular foods – Pigs in a Blanket and Smoker Turkey on a Stick.

Pigs in a Blanket: Slice hotdogs lengthwise without separating them. Cut cheese into strips and insert these strips into the cut hotdogs. Place the hotdogs onto crescent rolls that has been cut into individual triangles. Roll up the crescents and bake them on cookie sheet with the oven set to 375°F for 10-12 minutes.

Smoked Turkey on a Stick: Take about 20-25 slices of smoked turkey and spread them with mustard, margarine and mayonnaise. Roll each slice around a breadstick and dab a little margarine to seal the edges. Serve on a platter.

Christmas Pie, Christmas Cakes, Christmas Cookies, Candy Canes, Hot Chocolate to drink, the list is endless when it comes to Christmas party recipes.