WHY have I done this to myself?! Pre-christmas drinks/ nibbles

[Stanley38]

So I've invited neighbours, friends, family and god knows who else to drop in one late afternoon/ early evening before Christmas. I can estimate how many will come- probably around 30-40 adults and 10-15 kids but likely not all at the same time and they'll stay for varying amounts of time.

I'm not a big one for "ready" food and like making canape/ antipasti/ nibble type of things but this is much easier when everyone is arriving at the same time. I have no idea how to manage this situation without a) serving only cold food (in December?!) b) accepting some guests will get lukewarm/ cold food that should be hot c) accepting I just need to continually cook/ heat throughout the party or d) accepting I need to serve ready party type food from M&S or Tesco or something.

Has anyone done a party like this in the past and has any ideas or advice?

Bowls of crisps, olives and nuts dotted round, for the late afternoon brigade mini mince pies, stollen bites, Christmas rocky road. As you move later into the evening get out a good cheese board with crackers, maybe pate, grapes etc. Maybe make a few bit in advance that can be left on baking trays just to reheat at the last min, sausage rolls, cheese straws, mini chicken skewers, spring rolls etc. Lots of the fishy canapés are fine to serve cold, smoked salmon blinis etc.

In an 'at home' situation, I'd do a buffet table rather than hot nibbles (or rather, just some hot nibbles). I would usually do a protein (a glazed ham or side of poached salmon), nice bread, a good cheeseboard and some pate. Bowls of glazed nuts (which you can tart up yourself), glazed cocktail sausages, olives, crisps etc dotted about. That will free you up to actually speak to the people you've invited!

I would do mainly cold buffet style food but with a few easy hot things to 'appear' throughtout the party. Do you have a slow cooker? If so you could do pulled pork and leave it on the keep warm setting and use it in batches throughout the day to fill sliders or top crostini with red onion marmalade. A couple of baked cheeses with french bread to dip could be put in at different times. Batches of pigs in blankets? Soup shots? Could make the soup ahead of time and just warm in the microwave and serve in shot glasses. Hope it goes well!

Thanks so much for these great ideas! I'm definitely going to do pulled pork. No slow cooker but I do have chafing dishes so I think that'll be fine. Any recipe recommendations? Also LOVING the soup shot idea!
Will also make sure things like the crisps and nuts etc are dotted around.

Id do chicken wings and cocktail sausages, a couple of batches brought out at different times ( as they are great hot or cold so it doesnt matter whether they are or not ).. I usualy just sprinkle them with fajita seasoning and bake.. then serve them with dips .. ..

A dish of hot wedges (maybe with some grated cheese on and a side dish of salsa) is also a fine thing and be done really quickly and will get snaffled up with gusto.. (you know, I really rate McCains for bigger gatherings -and I usually do my own otherwise ) ! .. Yes, you could do your own roast potatoes, but really wedges are just as good!)

I've done this before and provided just 2 savoury and 2 sweet nibbles.

Savoury: homemade sausage rolls + something with smoked salmon.
Sweet: nigella's snickerdoodles (nothing to do with snickers & taste quick festive) + mince pies or mincemeat 'swirls' (just mincemeat smeared on ready rolled puff pastry, sliced & baked).

I made loads and froze leftover sausage rolls and mince pies.

Useful, thanks .