Drinks at mine on Xmas eve!

[troppibambini]

Ok everyone is invited to mine on Xmas eve, bring the kids and a bottle.
3-5 with everyone walking up to mass at five.
The more the merrier!

But what would you all like to eat?

Please help I'm not sure whether to do a big grazing platter or a beef in red wine or just canapés or what......

Also if anyone knows a good punch/Xmas cocktail I would be very grateful.

Oh and I keep inviting people when I've had a glass of wine so not actually sure how many are coming maybe around 20..

Actually more like 30! Oh crap this might not have been the best idea

Mulled wine or winter pimms!

Canapés/buffet would be my choice. My friends always do an amazing Christmas Eve get together, already looking forward to it this year!

Cocktail sausages in tiny Yorkshire puds, chicken val-au-vants with cranberry sauce and stuffing balls on sticks with roast butternut squash.
Champers. Although not for me, I don’t drink! A punch is good though, hope someone else comes along with a recipe. Thanks for the invite!

Definitely canapés/oven snacks. Bowls of crisps, nuts and olives. Cheese, pâté, chutney, crackers and nice bread. I'll come (although how come Mass is early evening? Our local Catholic churches don't kick off till 9pm, some 11pm!).

Buffet. Easier to prep in advance and not so much cleaning up after. There will be tonnes of easy buffet stuff in the shops then.

Also people may go home after mass and eat a meal as 430 is early to finish an evening meal. So people may only want snacks. Perhaps make it clear on your invites eg "come along, bring kids and a bottle. Mulled wine, mince pies and light snacks on offer".

Bucks fizz, cheap As chips and well lush

Snacks at that time of the day, I don't think anyone will eat much between 3&5pm. Sausage rolls, crisps, dips, fruit maybe. Drinks would be mulled wine or winter pimms.

We do Christmas Eve at ours. 4-6 but last year a few stayed until 10- not great for lunch prep but had a great time!
I do nigellas marinated sausages, pizza and chips for kids, home made palmiers with pesto and goats cheese , Guinness gingerbread (also Nigella- in fact I usually copy her Christmas party episode - well the easy bits) plus nuts and crisps and a dish of Haribo. Kids didn't like it last year as eldest one's room was trashed but I do love a Christmas Eve tipple with friends as everyone is in a good mood 😁

Mulled wine, cocktail sausages and LOTS of cheese!

M&S all the way

Buffet for sure!

Hurray!!
Buffet it is!!
Can't wait to see you all

I'm thinking mulled wine and maybe some kind of either cranberry or pomegranate Bellini?
I kind of like the idea of having a tray of drinks already poured for when people arrive.
Would you bother with a pud? Pavlova wreath? Trifle?
@HavelockVetinari at our church the first mass of Christmas is at 6.30 it's really lovely but packed so we need to get there an hour before to get in the church.

@Whoopstheregomyinsides I missed the gingerbread that sounds good will have a look at that and the other bits I love nigella!

Would you bother with a pud?

Erm, won't there be mince pies?

If not, I'm out..

We do a Christmas light turn on each year and always pop mulled wine in the slow cooker and hot chocolate in another for people to ladel out.
Paper cups so there's no washing up.
My biggest concern is people being sober enough the night before Christmas day so perhaps have plenty of sober options as well. Another family host a large do the weekend before Christmas so people can have lots to drink without causing issues on the actual day and get a good turn out as typically people aren't away/with family but if you plan to tie it in with midnight mass may not work. They always do a buffet, I don't provide food - just drinks 🤣

@LonginesPrime how could I forget!!
@AmIAWeed mass is at 6.30 and we plan on saying good bye to everyone after church.
Everyone has young kids so hopefully will be merry but sensible!!

For pud I would do mini mince pies, mini brownies and flapjacks etc. Just easy to pick at stuff.

Sounds lovely OP!

I've just been given a bottle of plum and cinnamon liqueur from Lidl which I plan on making Christmas cocktails with. A glug in a glass of prosecco will be yum.

We always go for a long winter walk on Xmas eve, with friends coming back to ours to warm up with slow cooker hot chocolate
www.sugarrushedblog.com/2015/11/hot-chocolate-station.html?m=1

I have a bottle of brandy on the side for grown ups to add, lovely x

I've done mulled cider (and a mulled apple juice for the non drinkers) and hot chocolate (with optional Baileys) at my Christmas open houses in the past. Easy to keep warm in a large pan on very low heat or in a slow cooker.
Agree with the others that prepare ahead snacks are your best bet.
Pigs in blankets rarely make it to the table here as they usually get snaffled en route (no matter how many I make - 100 last year!).
Crostini with a slice of pear/apple and Brie and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. (Or Camembert and cranberry sauce for a more festive feel?)
Mini pizzas, pâté and cornichons on sliced baguette, caprese skewers (cherry tomato, basil leaf, boccincini and a small square of focaccia), Mac and cheese bites, savoury mini cheesecakes with a chutney glaze, samosas, spinach and feta triangles have all been people pleasers for me in the past.
Despite all of that, I'd probably just go for a mahoosive cheese and charcuterie board with loads of lovely breads and crackers as the path of least resistance!

I’ve done Xmas eve drinks at mine for a few years now and I’vee gone with M&S canapés every time. Choose ones you can freeze beforehand, buy them when they’re on offer and shove them in the freezer, don’t choose fiddly ones that need prepping before you eat them as you miss out on good chatting/drinking time.
You need lots of Champagne, a choice of soft drinks and a good stiff gin cocktail

I always do a ham and jacket potatoes, nice buffet stuff from the supermarket and cheeseboard.

Mulled cider
Mulled vimto for the kids
M&S trifle liquor
Buffet
It will be grand

So many good ideas thank you everyone

@ScarlettDarling that sounds really nice will go and have a look there's a Lidl not far from me.

Definitely order a Sainsbury’s buffet, that way you can enjoy yourself! Nobody wants to cook all day Xmas eve and then again Xmas day save yourself the trouble. Gin and tonics always go down well!