Ideas for Christmas eve buffet for me and my boys

[gingermary]

This year it will be me and my 2 sons, 12 and 15 on Christmas Eve. We are in the southern hemisphere so our Christmas always feels not quite as Christmassy to me who grew up in the UK. I want to make dinner feel special but not go overboard and be something we can eat while watching a film. A buffet for three! Would love to hear others ideas or favourite recipes as inspiration. Im a good cook but am super busy at work at this time of year so want to make an effort and feel special but also things my boys will love. They will not appreciate anything fiddly but want to try something different that your teen boys enjoy

Would they be interested in any of these ideas. You can either make a selections of different flavoured varieties or mix them all together :
Arancini (cheese, mushroim, meat)
Mini Pasties (cheese and onion, chicken, curry, mince, cornish)
Sausage rolls (home made)
Samosas (chicken, veg, lamb)

Or theme menus

Chinese starters (prawn toast, spare rib, duck pancake.

Greek meze (chicken kebab, kofta, dolamdes greek salad or firied haloumi pitta and dips)

Hope there is some inspiration in there for you.

When you say food to watch a film with I immediately think of cinema snacks. So hot dogs, nachos, popcorn and ice cream. Could you do these with a Christmas twist? Pigs in blanket hot dogs, turkey nachos and cinnamon popcorn maybe?

Fondue!
Choc sauce and fruit/ marshmallows
cheese on toast

Assuming you don’t do the whole Turkey dinner on Christmas Day, how about Christmas dinner baguettes. Turkey (or chicken if it’s easier to get), pigs in blankets, stuffing, cranberry sauce.

I sometimes do this - brioche buns with baked Camembert, the DC love it (we do an extra Camembert 🫢)

It’s not too faffy, start the day before so it can prove overnight, but not too much time involved.

You’d need something to put it on if eating in a sitting room, coffee table or whatever.

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/festive-filled-brioche-centrepiece-baked-camembert

Graze table with all their faves

Fab ideas thanks so much

We do Chinese for Christmas Eve as a tradition.

This year it’s:
Singapore noodles
salt and pepper chips (because the kids love them)
Asian style breaded prawns
prawn toasts
spring rolls
tenderstem broccoli in a soy sauce and sesame oil glaze

Followed by mint vienetta with whipped cream (also a tradition, must have mint vienetta for Christmas Eve!)

Can't beat a Vol au vent!

Gosh I haven't had a vol au vent for years, my Granny thought they were the height of sophistication. They are going on the list. We usually do Chinese theme for new years but might pull some elements from it.