Nibbles for small get together

[Goodmorninglights]

We have two families over on Friday for Christmas drinks and nibbles. I have very little time to prepare, a couple of hours in the afternoon. I can shop two evenings before but could get DH to pick up fresh bread on the day. Totally lacking inspiration on what to provide, don’t want anyone to be hungry but also don’t want to lay on a full buffet. Any quick to prepare / buy readymade but still nice ideas please? Thank you in advance.

I raided Waitrose’s freezer section for mine, they were doing 4 for 3 on their party food & it made it effortless.

What time are guests coming? If after evening meal most probably won’t eat much.

Loads of deli bits and a big board and make a platter: easy.
Your guests are not expecting a meal mind you i mean you have clarified?

I said drinks and nibbles, it was all a bit rushed so haven’t clarified a time yet. I was thinking 7? I appear to have forgotten how to / lost all confidence in entertaining and feeling strangely unsure. Not like me at all.

Thanks for your replies. No room in the freezers at the moment. Also two veggies.

Cheese board? Crsips and dips, olives, crudités. You could make bruschetta. Slice french stick on the angle, lightly toast and top with a tomato salsa (finely dice tomatoes, add some very finely sliced red onion, a pinch of grated garlic, plenty of seasoning, a dash of light olive oil, seasoning and chopped basil. You could also do a creamy mushroom topping. Fry finely sliced shallots in butter. Add chopped mushrooms and some grated garlic. When the mushroom release their juice, add a spoon of flour, make into a roux. Add wine or stock and thicken. Add thyme and seasoning. When properly thick, add cream to achieve the consistency you want.

Several cheese
Several crackers
Baguette cut into slices
Olives
Chutney / onion marmalade / chilli jam
Hummus
Olive oil
Dukkah
Nuts - cashews / pistachios / almonds / peanuts
Grapes
Salami / cured meat
Salmon dip

This is the just the tip of the iceberg, and none of it takes any preparation above and beyond opening packers and maybe a bit of decanting into bowls or on a platter.

I love love love these ideas, thank you for taking the time to reply 🎄

Love a cheeseboard
For mine, the kinds of things I include are:

• caramelised onion relish (goes well with cheese!)
• 2-3 cheeses. Usually one blue, one hard, and one soft
• salami, prosciutto or naice ham
• pate
• cornichons or pickled onions
• grapes or strawberries
• dried apricots or figs
• whole almonds
• quince paste
• ciabatta/Sourdough
• crackers (nut based if possible, eg walnut)
• olives
• mini peppers stuffed in cheese (the kind you get in jars)
• dark chocolate pieces

Obviously not everything at once but hopefully that gives you some ideas!

M&S.