Christmas Party Planning

This year I am hosting my first Christmas party. It's not going to be a traditional Christmas party, as it is with my Game Night group - so we will be playing board games a plenty while drinking copious amounts of beverages. So not massively different then.

Well, the decorations are up, so that is the halls decked. One less thing to worry about.

Our new living tree, electricals to be tidied.

We always have more than enough games and drink, so that is not a worry either.

Playing Tsuro of the Seas.

So I guess my main worry is the food. The easy option would be to get any of the multitude of Christmas party nibbles. But they will be packaged in so much plastic, therefore making them a last resort. I like cooking, so I am going to make my own nibbles. I will end up having to buy a few things, but that is considerably better than buying all the things.

What can I make?

Chips and Dip. The chips will be one of the things I buy, but I make a pretty tasty salsa. (And I can make a milder one for Carole, who I recall does not do spice.) 

Mini Pizza Breads. I love turning those 9p breads you can get at the end of the day in Morrison's into pizza. So much so, I don't always do it with the 9p bread! Lidl have some nice stonebaked bread on a good deal, which is our usual go to when mini pizza bread is planned.

Fancy Cheese and Crackers. Our town has a Ginger and Spice Festival during September, which has a market full of spicy food. Aka, my idea of heaven. This year I got some very nice cheeses from it which was basically the reason why I wanted to host a party. As much as I would enjoy it, I thought it best that I don't just sit and eat all four by myself on Christmas Day. Crackers may be another thing I buy rather than make, although I think my mum does have a recipe. Maybe. I'll see how I'm fairing for time and organisation.

Skewers. Whenever my partner and I host BBQs, we pretty much always have skewers on the menu. Roast veggies and meat on a stick, what is not to love? I have a few meatballs left from our trip to IKEA, not enough to use in a meal but certainly to add some variety to skewers. And there will be veggies on them too, to counteract the copious amounts of cheese!

Doughnuts. A while back I had a dream about making doughnuts. In my dream, it was pancake mix dropped into hot oil in a ring shape. In reailty, it is a little more complicated than that. But not massively so. And one member of Game Night group really likes them, so how can I not make them?

Gingerbread Sandwiches. If you saw my instagram this week, you'll have seen I practised making gingerbread. (And got a little sticky in the process.) Well, I turned them into gingerbread sandwich biscuits. You know, like ginger crunch creams. Just with a little less crunch and a little more dough. They are this week's lunch box treat for myself and my partner, which we are very much looking forward to! So I will be reprising this baking project. And attempting a...

Gingerbread House. Seems like the right time to do it. Carole gave me the house cutters and she will be there. Plus, if it fails horribly I will turn it into rubble! I'm sure they'd appreciate the joke.

Our Liquor Cabinet. We have a lot of whiskey, rum, and spirits left behind various BBQs and parties we've had in the past. I think there may even be some Magners burried somewhere in the cupboard! I'm missing mixers, but hopefully there will be some good deals on the glass bottle ones this time of year.

What will I serve on/with?

Proper plates. Proper cups. Proper cutlerly. My guests are not children, I trust them with crockery. Very much do not need disposable paper plates and plastic cups. I have the following day off to clean and wash up! I used to work in a pub, I have a lot of glassware. Whenever lines were discontinued, I would ask very nicely if I was allowed to keep a glass or two. It is me who is the clumsy oik and breaks things!

What will we have?

A festively good time.

I have told my guests they can bring food and drink, if they want - so we should have more than enough food! I will instagram my progress with the food, I'm sure to get my hand stuck in the gingerbread once again.

Christmas jumpers mandatory, of course.