Christmas Party Food

Planning the menu for a Christmas party helps the preparation run smoothly. When planning the food for a Christmas party, consider your guests and the types of foods they may enjoy. Also, the food you serve should coincide with the theme of your Christmas party, while the beverages should complement the food. The key to remember when planning is not every dish must be homemade. Make your life easy and purchase items at local bakeries, grocery stores and club stores.

Function

• The purpose of Christmas party food is to feed your guests. However, it can also serve as your chance to showcase your culinary talents and to serve some of your favorite recipes. Often, foods served at events such as a Christmas party are only made a few times a year so sharing them with friends and family is even more special. When planning for Christmas party foods, don't forget the beverages. It's a good idea to have a variety of beverages available to guests: alcoholic, non-alcoholic, cold and warm. Again, the purpose of these beverages is to quench thirst and match the foods served.

Considerations

• When planning the menu for a Christmas party, it is important to consider your guests. Are any of your guests vegetarians? Does anyone have severe food allergies? Are there any dietary concerns among your guests? The more information you know, the better you can plan your menu. Another consideration when planning the menu for a Christmas party are the types of foods you serve. Most guests will stand as they eat and try to balance a beverage in one hand. Plan easy-to-eat foods that are not messy. After all, if something spills it's your house and you'll clean it up the next day.

Types

• Planning the menu for a Christmas party should follow the theme of your party. A sit-down meal works best for a small group of close friends and enables you to pull-out all the stops when it comes to food. A dessert party highlights the holiday season with sweet treats. However, these are sometimes hard to pair with the appropriate drinks, and can involve complicated recipes that take a while to prepare. A simpler way to taste the sweets of the season is to host a Christmas cookie party. Make several different types of holiday cookies for your guests to sample. An appetizer party allows hosts to prepare a variety of dishes for guests to enjoy. Hosts can also incorporate a few sweet treats into the appetizer party. For any Christmas party, don't forget the beverages. Carefully choose a variety of beverages for guests to enjoy that match the theme and foods served.