What do you serve at parties

[PeacheyPeach]

So we have the formal dinner party food sorted but just wondering if you are having a house party with lots of people standing around what do you usually serve, or do you not bother with food and just put out nibbles?

Just a thought about drinks,
Do you have a central table for drinks or a couple of different tables in a couple of rooms?

PeacheyPeach, no we put out what’s done and that’s it. It’s a lot though, so I don’t worry there’s not enough.

We’re having dsis and her family over just before Christmas as we don’t get together on the day itself.
We’ve planned a morning going bowling then coming back for food/games/drinks in the evening.
Lunch, dh will do a ham, I’ll have made sausage rolls and the delicious ottelenghi garlic tart, dd2 will make bread, then whatever else we will throw together for a little lunchtime buffet, we do love courgette, mint and feta fritters (they’re good because you can make them in advance and get them fried but then heat them up in the oven before you want to eat them).
Then for the evening time we are going to fire up the wood fired oven and make a load of pizzas with different toppings, garlic bread and probably some dough balls to dunk in Nutella/caramel. We will make the dough in the afternoon, the sauce can be prepped too and then everything can just be assembled with not too much hassle.
Only 10 of us though so not a big gathering and much easier to cater for!

@thechosentwo that' sounds like a fab day and your food sounds yummy!!
We often have family visiting so am used to dealing with around 12 people or dinner parties, but haven't catered for around 40 for about ten years, and im more tired and less confident these days!!! I'm looking at my house and trying to visualise it with a house full, I hate the idea of everyone sat round on chairs talking in little groups, I want it to be a proper good ol' knees up!! So am thinking of how and were to put the food and drinks and how to give it a proper party vibe 😂. I'm probably not cool enough anymore to throw one 😭😄