Christmas Day Buffet ideas

[Christmascheerful]

Hello!!!

I am hosting for around 20 people on Christmas day.

I have young DC so dont want to spend all day cooking.

If you were to attend a christmas day buffet what sort of things would you want to have, whats essential
Secondly any tips or recipies i can prepare in advance.

General ideas are turkey and beef carved with big batch of rolls
Roast potato and usual veg will be included
Stuffing balls
A pie?

Help! Thanks

I'd enjoy this sort of buffet but would make sure my guests knew what to expect as I know a few people who have turned down Christmas Day invitations of they don't involve a traditional dinner.

That aside....
I love hot meat rolls (i wonder whether pork would work better than beef with the stuffing etc?)
Pigs in blankets
Dried apricots and dried prunes or dates wrapped in bacon.

Desserts could be a mix of traditional (Christmas pud/mince pies/trifle) and not (sticky toffee pudding/pavlova) etc

Thanks!! Yes when i agreed to host I made sure everyone knew it would be buffet so no surprises!!

Great ideas yes never considered pork! Goes better with stuffing your right!

Pigs in blankets
Rather than the veg all like you would on a traditional lunch... bubble and squeak? Easier to eat and serve.
Pickles. Lots and lots of pickles.

I’ve been pondering the veg too (love Christmas food planning!)

I was wondering whether something like potato wedges would be more suited to the rolls than traditional roasties.

Also like the suggestion of bubble and squeak which could be made with sprouts.

I love Delia’s Parmesan parsnips which would work well on a buffet too. Can be made ahead.

Pigs in blankets
Devils on horseback
Cranberry sauce and other festive condiments
Slices of beef and turkey, but maybe in the form of mini Yorkshires with a slither of beef and dollop of horseradish, and rolls of turkey wrapped around stuffing balls - so aWkward knives don't have to be used; I'm assuming the point of the buffet is so people can eat off their laps due to a lack of table space?
Roast potatoes (but smaller than usual, patatas bravas style, so you don't need to necessarily use a knife to cut them)
Sprouts with chestnuts and bacon
Chantenay carrots cooked in honey or maple syrup

Bubble and squeak mini rostis would be a great idea.

Personally I wouldn't bother with any rolls.

That sounds great! 20 people is a lot of cooking though, could you ask some people to bring something along with them just to ease your load? Just so you can enjoy your day with the kids as well!

Also when it comes to buffets, don't underestimate the importance of fresh veggies, fruits, nice salad etc!

** even in a Christmas buffet, Christmas foods tend to be really heavy!

Personally I wouldn't bother with any rolls.

The rolls make sliced meat easier to eat if there's not a table to sit and use a knife and fork (will people be seated OP - that's an important factor for buffet food).
Plus I personally love hot meat rolls but appreciate not everyone will. Am craving a hot pork buffet now!

Coleslaw might be another option, made with carrots, red cabbage and shredded sprouts - Christmas veg in a salad!

We have had a buffet for Christmas lunch for a few years now and then go to the Toby Carvery on Boxing day.

We tend to do pate, French toast, sliced meat, side of salmon, prawns etc. Love looking at the Christmas Foods when the supermarket's release them!

I’ve made this before and it was a definite crowd pleaser. Served with salads and chutney
www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/christmas-pie

Giant pigs in blankets ie. full sized chipolatas with mustard dip

I do more of a cold buffet (record around 75) on Christmas Eve, pork or beef, gammon, cooked the day before and cut in the morning, pasta salad, coleslaw or quinoa salad, big cheese board with grapes and chutneys. Pigs in blankets, prunes wrapped in bacon, you can prepared these in advance and freeze. Mini feta and spinach pies, Brie and cranberry bites, goats cheese and olive scones, again prepare in advance and freeze. I also buy canapés from lidl to pop in the oven. Smoked salmon blinis and a smoked salmon dip, hummus etc and oysters for those that eat them. Christmas cake and Trifle! I think that’s all!

Keeping kids stuff in mind too

Cheeseboard with grapes, fancy meat, olives etc.
Crisps in xmas flavours ie. Pigs in blankets, turkey flavour, vegetable crisps...
Brie and cranberry or Turkey and cranberry sandwiches
Mini gingerbread men
Mini Yorkshire puddings
Mini xmas cakes
Fruit platter
Cocktail sausages/ pigs in blankets
Cheese and pineapple on sticks

OMG this thread has prevailed!!!!! Wow these ideas just amazing thanks everyone!!!
I could sit upto 10 comfortably at a table will make sure then less mobile have a seat at a table but everyone else will have a seat but not sat at the dining table and will have little side tables to hand.

Honestly some of these ideas are amazing! That pie @SunshineLane looks lovely

Will you have people all day? And if so, what time will your buffet be? If there's a chance you will need to feed people later in the evening, I'd suggest holding the cheeseboard back until then, you could extend it to a grazing board - but make it all no cook stuff. Just straight from the fridge that others could help you serve up.

Hmmm, similar to you, I host a Christmas Day buffet for around 20 served around 6.30. But, I tend to have cooked lunch first which will have been attended by 15 or so of the guests. Basically, everyone who joins us for an evening buffet comes already having had a lunch. We usually serve a variety from the following cold leftover meat from lunch; Spanish meats and Olives; a cheese board, figs, celery, grapes and a variety of chutney and crackers; pate; mozzarella and tomato salad (bought from M&S) ; Christmas cous cous (bought from M&S) ; home made bread and a steady supply of lurpack; seafood platter; a quiche or pork pie; panettone cake;Christmas cake.

Will the meat be hot or cold? Some salads might be nice.

Sausage roll wreath with a pot of port and cranberry sauce in the middle. I make one every year and I'm the only one who eats it!

Do you have a slow cooker? . If so and you want a pulled pork or beef recipe I have cooked my joint on a bed of onions and instead of stock making, marinades or bbcue sauce cook I use a cheap bottle of mulled wine. Always go down well with rolls in this house

NTW beef joints half price with Tesco Clubcard at the moment

We do Christmas day after noon tea.

We always do a tomato and mozzarella salad shaped like a candy cane, brie and cranberry filo pastry tartlets, a selection of Christmassy sandwiches. Pigs in blankets with a cocktail stick through them.

And we do minis for dessert. Mini mince pies, Christmas cake bites, mini stollen etc etc

And it gets put out on the cake stands so it looks like a posh afternoon tea! We love it.