Christmas party nibbles ideas?

[WhatWouldTheDoctorDo]

We're having friends over for a bit of a Christmas party/drinks and want to put on some nibbles/cheese. Any suggestions for nibbles (particularly anything that can be made in advance/served cold). I'll probably get some bits from the m&s Christmas food range but looking for ideas for a couple of things I could make in advance and freeze.

Mix of meat eaters and vegetarians and a handful of kids thrown in!

Falafel bites, mini quiches, cheese straws, pate (either already spreads on something bready or biscuity, or in blocks for guests to put on plates)

Chorizo, emmental cubes, and red pepper on cocktail sticks is one of my faves since a friend made them a few years ago, a tastier combination than it sounds (and you could just omit the chorizo for vegetarians and add more pepper/cheese£
Sticky sausages can be prepped in advance then popped in the oven
Melon or pear wrapped in Parma ham
Scoops of taramasalata on cucumber slices.
Scoops of hummus on crisp pitta discs
Dried dates stuffed with soft goats cheese, optionally rolled with Parma ham

Anything involving cheese and veg is good e.g.

Stilton walnut and celery with honey drizzle on little toasts or crackers
Mozzarella tomato and basil with balsamic drizzle - on a cocktail stick
Homemade chicken liver pate with tomato or cucumber on toast or cracker
Cucumber feta bites

Plus all the fishy stuff e.g.
Smoked salmon blinis dill lemon sour cream
Homemade smoked mackerel pate on crackers with cucumber
Mango chutney carrot salsa mini poppadoms

you can't beat home-made sausage rolls. So easy and so delicious. cut open sausages of choice and squeeze out meat. Add herbs and anything else you fancy, then sausage them onto rolled out pastry. Add some chutney on top of the meat if you like. Freeze and then cook or cook and then freeze. Totes delish.

Some great ideas here, thank you!

Tapas? Caviar? finger limes? Pretty much anything that can be slapped onto a water biscuit/one of those puff pastry baskets and not look dire?

Oh and figs, figs are v Christmassy and go well with cheese

Maybe some goats curd with fig and a drizzle of honey for example.

I'm trying not to have too many things on crackers etc. as I want to have some cold stuff I can prep earlier in the day that can go straight from fridge to table for people arriving while I faff about putting things/taking stuff out of the oven.

But lots of great ideas here - I love the cocktail stick ideas and stuffed dates!

Junk food in miniature- mini sliders, mini hot dog, shot glass filled with milk and a small cookie on the top :D

Baby tomato half, mozzarella ball and basil leaf on sticks.
Pepperdew peppers stuffed with cream cheese.
cooked chilli prawn with a mango cube on sticks.
Cocktail sausages cooked in oven with honey and mustard.

I get everything chopped up and prepped ready and assemble whilst people are here to solve the soggy cracker thing.

But then I don't do any oven stuff - find that more stressful!

Pigs in blankets are an absolute must!

I did once encounter a vegetarian version which was the American version - so pastry as the blanket and not bacon - and using what I think were Quorn cocktail sausages.

Delicious both hot and cold.

Here is my menu for my christmas party this year:
Theme is Apres Ski

Sweet
Mini chocolate mousse pots
Mini S'mores Bites
Mini mince pies
Savory
Fondue + bread pickles meats
Mini Rosti
Mini Quiche
Rye, horseradish salmon bites
Pork Rillettes
Nibbles
Pretzels
Nuts - home spiced
Pitta chips
Crackers
Olives
Cheese Board
Brie
Chedder
Smoked
Boursin
Swiss Cheese

Last Years - Theme was "Totes Posh Cocktails and Canapes"

Sweet
Mini lemon cheesecake pots
Mini Chocolate Mousse pots
After Eights
Mini Mini pies
Savory
Brie and sweet chilli filo bites
Cranberry glazed turkey meatballs
Cheese and Herb Palmiers
Smoked salmon blinis - with caviar (for extra pretentiousness)
Nibbles
Nuts
Olives
Pitta chips

And a cheese board with crackers and bread

See, I love mini sausages and I love bacon but I'm always a bit underwhelmed by pigs in blankets.

Thank you for sharing menus - love the idea of some after eights especially!

I would buy puff pastry and spread mincemeat on them (I make my own with whiskey and apples etc )

Make swirls - really easy

Brilliant ideas! Particularly loving After Eights on the totes posh menu!

Our table wouldn't be complete without Bacon Jam and crostini.
Massive cheeseboard, crackers and baguette.
Big pot of pate
Homemade mini sausage rolls
Homemade mini cheese and onion rolls
Spiced ham

Recently went to a very smart wedding and had mini ice cream cones filled with caviar. Whilst I don't think I could recreate those at home, the haggis lolipops and prawn and chorizo skewers seemed ingenious!

My own contribution to my dm's party table will be mini yorkshires filled with turkey, cranberry and bree, drool.

I do a Mary Berry thing. Slice a baguette into thin rounds, spread with Boursin cheese and top with a sprinkle of grated cheese. Open freeze them on trays, then stash in bags in freezer. When people drop round for drinks, you just take out however many slices you want and stick them under a hot grill or in a hot oven for a few minutes.

They're not anything too exotic - just tasty cheese toasts but the genius of having them on hand without any fuss when they are needed is great.