Christmas Drinks - help!

[Shesthebeat]

Less of an AIBU & perhaps more of a WWYD?

I have invited some friends over this evening for the first time (our DC are in nursery together) tonight and I really don't know what I'm gonna serve them food & drink wise!!

Our children are young so I dont want it to be a sit down formal three course meal kind of thing but neither do I want them to think I couldn't be bothered - in my text I'm sure I worded it something along the lines of a few drinks & some nibbles!? So what the bloody hell can I feed them?! Would it be frowned upon to do pizza & nibbles alongside?

Also, do I provide all the drink alcohol wise or expect them to bring some? Save me please!!

I'd be happy with providing pizza, crisps and dips, nuts and other snacking food.
They will probably bring wine, but I'd ensure you have some wine/beer and soft drinks available. Relax and enjoy.

Gosh so many things to do,,,,I've done sushi and saki, tapas , or you could even get a selection of party food from m&s or any other shop that does it.

You could do pizza but I think that's more a meal myself and quite hard to eat if not sat down round a table? And if you sit them down round a table then I think you're into dinner territory,

I do this sort of thing and provide pizza, nibbles, something sweet - celebrations or similar?

I would provide some booze but would expect them to rock up with something each too. Don't be surprised or offended if some of them also bring a bit of food. One of my mates always brings coleslaw wherever she goes!!!!

I hope you enjoy it. A bit of quiet background music might help people settle in.

Slow cooker of chilli with a big bowl of nachos?

I'd buy a box of bottled lager, couple of bottles of prosecco and a bottle each of red white and rose. Presumably they'll bring booze; and then anything you don't drink will go over the festive season.

NapQueen - I was just wondering if i should crack the slow cooker out as opposed to pizza etc.

I would. Means you can be done by 11am!

And warm food on such a cold day is nice. They can have as much or as little as they want. Bowl of salad leaves and Grated cheese on the side too.

The problem with the chilli option - yummy though it sounds - is that you have told them nibbles.

I would eat before attending a function where nibbles were on offer, as that could mean a couple of bowls of crisps and nuts.

It also means you need to use veggie mince or do two separate ones in case some of the guests are vegetarian. And wouldn't you eat chilli sitting down? Which makes it more of a dinner party than the advertised drinks and nibbles?

Am I overthinking again?

It also means you need to use veggie mince or do two separate ones in case some of the guests are vegetarian. And wouldn't you eat chilli sitting down? Which makes it more of a dinner party than the advertised drinks and nibbles?

Am I overthinking again?

Great suggestions above but I wouldn't bother with buying a Rose - not at this time of year. You done need to cater for every drink choice - I'd just make sure I had enough (not to run out) of red, white and beer. Buy fizzy water and an elderflower cordial and you've nailed two soft options there.
If you do pizza, let it cool for a while and it becomes more 'finger food' (firmer) and less sit-down (sloppy!)
Have fun!

If I was invited for nibbles, I'd have eaten too, then be a bit embarrassed there was a whole meal provided (like chilli).
Nibbles is a great way to cater for children / adults. Crack open the sausage rolls, mini sausages, crisis is and dips. Cut your own crudités this morning (celery, carrots, cucumber, pepper) and put in fridge (in separate bags).

Luckily no veggies - but my DP whinges about my chilli 😂😂😂 guess he can have pizza with the kids.

I'm gonna send a text and say I plan on doing food as opposed to nibbles! And no doubt I'll change my mind 101 times between now and tonight and will end up doing something completely sodding different 😂

Won't people have planned dinner?

Get thee to iceland for a selection of beige food . Seriously tho, they do a fab selection of nibbles and them little mini cake thingies.

Hmm don't know? I know one guest is working til 7pm and then coming straight to us so presume he will be hungry and would maybe rather something a bit more substantial? X

I can't stand Iceland party food 🙈🙈🙈🙈 in fact I would go as far as to say I hate it!!!! It's a load of shit 🙈 I know this comment will cause some negative reactions lol! Xx

If you are omnivorous, make a meat chilli to serve in small bowls with a tablespoon of sour cream, a bit of grated cheddar & even a sprinkle of chopped fresh coriander. People can dip corn chips or soft bread to scoop up the chilli. For the vegetarians, do a butternut squash soup, or an assortment of radishes, carrot sticks, broccoli florets, cucumber rounds, celery stalks & make a tzatsiki / Greek yogurt dip. Cut up a couple of thin baguettes & serve with Camembert or other cheeses.

Yes, it is shite haha, but the people I mix with would be more arsed about the alcohol than the nibbles. The nibbles would just be to line their stomachs, so I wouldn't spend a fortune as it wouldn't be appreciated by my boozy friends/family

Go to M&S & grab loads of the party food bits - they are on offer at the mo - and lots of cheese!

Drinks-wise, I love a tacky 70s drink at Christmas! Snowballs and Buck's Fizz? They have the advantage that you can dilute them down so you don't have to spend lots on booze....

I would do mulled wine, Buck's Fizz with prosecco/cava and have a couple of bottles of wine and some beers in. People will most likely bring a bottle too.

For food I'd do a few cheeses and crackers (or buy a Christmas selection board), cocktail sausages hot from oven cooked in honey (add honey and mustard if you like it 5 mins from end of cooking), some supermarket canapés (sainos have some nice taste the difference ones at the moment) and pizzas for any kids joining.

Big bowl of crisps and some dips

Mini mince pies or shortbread or a Yule log thing people can cut a slice of.

a soft drink selection would be lovely. It's so unpleasant when you are invited somewhere, are not drinking for any reason, so are offered "squash". I don't even buy squash for my kids.

pizza, sausages, samosas, crisps, dips. Do twice as much pizza as you think as people are embarrassed to take much

If you do 'proper' food then I'd probably cook a ham joint, get a couple of rotisserie chickens, salad and fresh soft bread rolls and lots of sauces/coleslaw and let people do up their own sandwich- easy to eat chatting and drinking.