Christmas Day Buffet Ideas

[ProssecoSparkle]

For the first time ever I've decided to step outside my comfort zone and not do a traditional Christmas dinner this year on Christmas day. Does a Christmas day buffet sound ok? Has anyone done this before?

And most importantly any ideas on how to make a Christmas buffet special. What food and drinks would you go with. There will be a mix of adults, teens, toddlers and a baby.

I have done a buffet in past years and doing one this year. Planning on cooking a chicken, doing gammon and cooking and slicing it up xmas eve in preparation for xmas day. Cheese board, olives and italian meats. Making either carrot and coriander soup or roasted red pepper soup for a hot option. Salad board and tuna and red onion sandwiches and egg mayo with tomatoes. The cheese, pineapple and pickle sticks are a must. Dessert will be cheesecake and cream and the other option will be chocolate yule log. Crisps, dips and the box of chocolates will be put out also.

A fair bit will be prepped xmas eve including the soup so will just be a case of laying it all out. Over the years we have had the full roast, chinese takeaway and most buffets but buffets are by far my favourite 😊

Drinks are a mix of beers, baileys, and j20 and diet cokes etc. Forgot to mention the mince pies and xmas cake, nuts etc also get put out. The best thing is boxing day is picky foods like chicken sandwiches, gammon that's left over with egg and chips etc for supper.

Finger food or knife and fork? Hot or cold? Any dietary requirements?

We do this for boxing day every year.

Honey roasted sliced gammon
Sticky sausages or pigs in blankets
Wedges
Cheese and pineapple sticks
Fabulous cheese board
Par baked decent bread so it's fresh and warm
Dips, hummus, babaganoush, cechcik
Chutney's, grapes apples
Green dresses salad
Whatever other leftovers we can find, turkey, stuffing balls, roast parsnips, bacon fried sprouts.

Preferably finger food with a mix of hot and cold selection. No dietary requirements.

These sound delicious. Lots to think about. How could I have forgotten about cheese and pickle on a stick.

Either hot or cold turkey/ham.
If you are going for easier prep than just a serve yourself roast (which if you end up with hot meat and vegetable dishes is basically what it is)
Then I'd go for precooked meats, multiple nice salads, fresh baked bread (part baked rolls are easy) and if it was me a big dish of hot roast potatoes, as they are one of the best bits 😅. Maybe hot pigs in blankets and or sausage must stuffing.
Soup sounds nice if thinking multiple courses.
Obviously cheese, crackers. Can bake a camenbert if you like them.
I wouldn't want all cold, it's a bit grim in December.

Just saw your finger food preference.
Hmm
Sausage rolls (hot)
Pigs in blankets
Def the cheese and pineapple ona stick, I love that!
Cucumber sticks, peppers, carrots sticks.
No leaves as finger food.
Maybe cold meats served as rolled up slices, like people do with salami?
I'd totally eat a roast potato with my fingers......

Whatever you do decide, if you decide on a buffet make sure your guests are aware before the day that you aren't doing a traditional dinner

Roast potatoes is the food of God's. They have made the list. Easy to prep the day before hot food I can do. Love the idea that leftovers will get used up on Boxing day.

We've done buffet on Christmas Day for years now.

We always BBQ some of it, and this year we've a side of salmon and a hickory beef thingy from Sainsbury's which will go on there.

We have a load of oven food bits (Indian / Oriental / prawn / duck selections). Plus charcuterie and loads of cheese. Part baked roll. A pizza. Chicken goujons and cocktail sausages.

I'll do a gammon if Sainsbury's has them on offer again this year.