Christmas Eve Buffet

[PippaRabbit]

I'm hosting a Christmas Eve buffet for 50 people. I've put together the following menu, does it sound ok or should I add more or put on less choices?

Ham hock and pea soup
Red lentil soup
Mushroom and onion mini tarts
Parmesan, pancetta and sage mini tarts
Butternut squash, sage and nut quiches
Stuffed baked squash
Cheese and onion rolls
Cranberry, almond and spinach salad
Baked Camemberts
Sausage rolls
Smoked salmon and horseradish bruschetta
Goats cheese, basil and tomato bruschetta
Roasted veg cous cous salad
Marmalade glazed gammon
Roast beef
Bread baskets
Breadsticks and dips
Cheese board
Sherry trifle
Strawberry pavlova
Poached pears
Christmas cake
Mince pies

A few suggestions (mine included) are reducing your own home made delicious sounding things. I would love some of your planned home made things - just think you could reduce work for yourself whilst still having lovely homemade things.

It sounds amazing. I don't think you need to tweak it at all as long as you feel the workload is manageable!
I've had soup in mugs at parties and it's worked very well.
I wouldn't bother doing anything extra for kids except maybe some plain salad.

Wow doing all that xmas eve for all that people good on you sounds amazing,id enjoy all that esp xmas eve.i have young children they would have the soup and sausage rolls & breadsticks.
Xx

....FWIW I’ve done Xmas parties for 70 people for about ten years now and am always astounded at how much food people get through

A week later they’ll eat nothing but the week leading up to Xmas Day people eat LOADS!

For clarification, when I said 'reduce' I didn't mean the volume of food, rather the variety of different dishes

Tbh I think it’s too much and too complicated, everyone will probably be having a huge meal the following day, and you may get cancellations - everyone will have thought ‘Christmas Eve party, how lovely’ and will then be running around doing last minute stuff and realise they can’t make it.

I would keep the soup - make sure one is vegan, and do fancy breads/rolls.

cheese platter with grapes, dates etc.

Cocktail sausages with marinade,
mini baked spuds with veggie, vegan and carnivore fillings
big veggie/meat pizzas or quiches.
Bigger servings of fewer things.
Then desserts, mini mince pies
caramel shortbread,
choc dipped strawberries and orange slices.
I would serve the soup first in small mugs, then the rest so people can graze.

This negates the need for knives/forks etc, just provide plenty of napkins and small plates.

Your menu sounds amazing OP. A lot of the other suggestions you're getting seem to be downgrading it quite a bit. People can eat a jacket potato any other day of the year for goodness' sakes. Besides, that's too heavy and much messier to eat than a few pieces of quiche.

Soup works well as a buffet as long as you have mugs or even smaller bowls for people to eat. A friend of mine throws a holiday soup party each year and it goes down well with everyone.

As for doing things "for kids", there's already plenty there for kids with bland tastes to eat: soups, sausage rolls, mince pies, breadsticks, etc. You'll be just fine. :)

Looks amazing, lucky family and friends! It does seem a bit too much given the timing though, I would simplify it massively with big bowls of salads (pasta/grains/potato salad etc), cooked meat, quiches, good bread, cheeses etc. Forget the bruschetta, baked camemberts and baked squash, a bit faffy and more work for you!

Your friends are lucky to have you, it all sounds gorgeous

You will drive yourself to an early grave with all that - and probably not enjoy the day at all.

Can you just make 1 or 2 things yourself and get the rest of the nibbles from the shop???

I'm exhausted just reading the list.

It sounds a horrible faff and a bit of a mish mash.

I'd say do fewer things, in huge portions.

Pile of sausage rolls
Pile of veggie sausage rolls
Bread
Cheese board
Coleslaw
Green salad
Maybe a couple of chillis (or an equivalent), meat and vege, in slow cookers
Mince pies
Chocolate brownies