How To Host Christmas Drinks & Nibbles

I love hosting and bringing people together – especially since we bought our house earlier this year (why spend all that money if you never have anyone over, right?). We hosted an incredibly fun pizza party in the summer, but now my focus has turned to the next big event: Christmas drinks and nibbles!

I’m picturing canapés, mulled wine, a Christmas quiz, and plenty of festive fun with friends. Here’s how I’m planning to host this year’s party – so you can do the same ahead of the holiday season.

 

Sending Out Invites & Curating Your Guest List

The first thing to decide is how many guests you’ll have at your party, and the overall vibe of your event. Are you wanting a chill vibe? Or something a bit more lively? We’re opting for a friends-only evening to keep things fun and social, and we’re also inviting a few friends of friends to mix things up. We don’t exactly have a huge house, so we’ve opted for a group of 15-20 people.

Invites are a brilliant way to set the tone for your event. Sure, a group text works fine, but a quick 10 minutes on Canva can turn a basic message into something festive and exciting. Include the essentials:

• Date and time
• Address
• Dress code
• Any special details of the event/what they can expect (e.g. Secret Santa, quiz, or bring-your-own-bottle – more on this later)

Top Tip: Christmas is a crazy busy time of year for everyone, so make sure you send your invites out early to avoid disappointment. We sent ours out in early October! 

Here’s a peek at the Canva invite I made – festive, but still elegant!

 

Party Activities For Adults

Planning activities for an adult party can be a fine line – you want enough structure to break the ice, but not so much that it feels forced or interrupts the natural flow of the evening.

I like to have one main activity to anchor the evening and a few optional extras for those who aren’t busy chatting and drinking. Here are a few activities you could do at your Christmas party:

• Christmas quiz (we’re having a bottle of champagne as the prize this year!)
• Make-your-own s’mores station (we’re obviously doing this in the garden over a firepit with patio heaters to keep people cosy)
• Festive photo corner 
• Secret Santa
• Cocktail competition
• Gingerbread house decorating

 

Party Food & Canapés Ideas

During a drinks & nibbles party, you need to consider serving food that can be enjoyed without the need for cutlery, and that people can still enjoy whilst chatting with other party guests. You also need to make sure that there are enough canapés to go around – I’d recommend 3-4 canapés per person, per hour.

I’m a caterer by day, so naturally, this is where I want the party to shine! Here’s the canapés menu I’ve curated, with some festive elements throughout (click on the links below for the full recipe!):

• Brie & Cranberry Sausage Rolls
• Sticky Honey-Mustard Cocktail Sausages
• Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese Blinis
• Manchego, Thyme & Quince Bites
• Goats Cheese-Stuffed Dates
• Prawn Cocktail Lettuce Cups
• Spiced Red Onion Tarts
• Blackberry & Goats Cheese Tartlets

And for pudding, mini brownie bites, and mince pies with brandy butter! Learn more about my favourite dessert canapés in this blog.

 

Top Tip: Don’t put everything out at once! Stagger the canapés so there’s always something fresh arriving. If you have time, walk around the party with canapés on trays to maintain the mingling.

 

Festive Drinks

Drinks are the heart of a party like this, and you don’t need to overcomplicate it. The key is to offer a small, well-chosen menu that feels festive but easy to manage.

I like to set up a self-serve drinks station – that way, guests can help themselves, and you’re free to enjoy the evening rather than play bartender. Include glasses, cocktail napkins, and a little sign explaining what’s available.

Here’s everything we’re offering at our drinks & nibbles party this year:

• Cava or prosecco upon arrival – pre-poured in flutes and ready to hand guests as they arrive.
• Mulled wine – made earlier in the day and kept warm in the slow cooker (your whole house will smell incredible).
• Batch espresso martinis – mixed in large quantities and chilled, but shaken just before serving.
• Beer, wine, and soft drinks– always include a non-alcoholic option like elderflower presse or spiced apple fizz for those who are driving.

Top Tip: Stock up on garnishes for your drinks like sliced fruit, cranberries, sprigs of rosemary, or funky ice cubes – attention to detail makes your guests feel extra special!

 

How To Prep Your Home Ahead Of Your Party

Getting your home ready doesn’t have to be stressful. A few thoughtful touches make a huge difference. Obviously, make sure to do a deep clean the day/two days before, but also consider:

• Coat & Bag Station: Choose a spare room or hallway area for coats and bags. Let guests know where it is when they arrive so they can relax (and make a discreet exit later if they need to).
• Lighting: The key to instant ambience. Turn off harsh overhead lights and rely on lamps, candles, and fairy lights. A “cosy Christmas fire” scene on the TV adds instant warmth if you don’t have a real one.
• Music: Start your playlist soft and jazzy for arrivals, then build it up to classics and party hits later in the night. Spotify has some brilliant ready-made Christmas playlists to use as a base.
• Layout: Remove bulky furniture if you can – people will naturally cluster around the food and drinks areas, so keep those spaces open. We’re popping our bulky dining room table into the garage, and swapping it for a skinny trestle table to open up the space.

Top Tip: Do a quick walkthrough half an hour before people arrive (I like to pretend I’m a guest… I’ll even come in through the front door!) – you’ll always miss something small. Take this time to light candles, top up the loo roll, make sure bins are empty, and anything else you need to straighten up before guests arrive!

Timings Of a Drinks & Nibbles Party

Having a bit of structure to your evening (even if it’s only in your own head!) makes hosting feel effortless. It doesn’t need to be rigid, but a loose plan helps keep the energy flowing and ensures you don’t forget anything once the fizz starts flowing (we’ve all been there!).

Here’s how I like to pace the night:

• Ease into it: Don’t expect guests to arrive bang on the start time – most people will trickle in over the first 30–60 minutes. Use this time to greet everyone, take coats, and hand out a welcome drink. 
• Serve food in waves: Avoid putting all your canapés out at once. Instead, serve them in batches throughout the night. It keeps the food looking and tasting fresh, and gives people something new to nibble on every half hour or so. 
• Don’t rush into activities: Give people a chance to settle in, chat, and relax before you start any organised fun. Once everyone’s arrived and has a drink in hand, then bring out your quiz, games, or s’mores setup. Mid-evening is usually the sweet spot – guests are relaxed enough to get involved but not yet thinking about heading home. 
• Keep a mental schedule: Have a rough timeline in your head for when you want things to happen – when to bring out dessert, when to announce your quiz, when to refresh drinks, or light the fire pit. It doesn’t need to be strict, but it helps prevent those “oh, I forgot about the mince pies!” moments later in the evening. 
• Subtle mid-point tidy-up: About halfway through the evening, take a few minutes to do a quiet reset – top up the ice bucket, swap out empty platters for fresh ones, and gather any used glasses or plates. It instantly makes the space feel refreshed, and you’ll thank yourself later when the post-party cleanup isn’t quite so daunting!

Top Tip: Even though you’re the host, give yourself moments to pause and enjoy the night. You could even rope in a partner or close friend to help with the quick 5-minute tidy in the middle of the evening. Hosting should feel like a party you get to enjoy too! 

 

Hosting Essentials To Buy Beforehand

A bit of thoughtful shopping ahead of time saves you scrambling on the day – and means you’ll have reusable hosting essentials for future get-togethers. Here’s what I’m buying ahead of our Christmas party:

Glassware & Drinkware

• Prosecco glasses (at least enough for everyone to have one on arrival) – we have a few extra boxes from IKEA that live in the shed for parties.
• Wine and beer glasses, if you’re offering those drinks.
• Plastic or disposable glasses if you’re on a budget – there are some surprisingly elegant options now.
• Paper cups or glass mugs for mulled wine (heat-safe and festive).

Plates & Utensils

• Small side plates for canapés – make sure you’ve got enough for each guest to hold one comfortably while they mingle.
• Cocktail napkins – always useful for spills or sticky fingers. Linen is best but disposable also works well.
• A few serving trays or wooden boards – for serving your canapes on. Ceramic white, wooden, or stainless steel platters always look elegant (I’m planning to stock up on these £2 ones from Dunelm!). 

Other Essentials (If You Don’t Have Them Already!)

• Bottle openers & corkscrews
• Wine coolers/champagne buckets 
• Extra jugs or pitchers for water, juice, or soft drinks
• Toothpicks or cocktail sticks for finger foods
• Serving utensils (tongs, spoons for platters) 

Top Tip: Keep all your “party gear” (spare glassware, platters, candles, fairy lights) stored together in one box or crate – it makes spontaneous hosting much easier in future! If you want to take it one step further, you could have a hosting box for each theme of the party you’ve thrown… I’m hoping to have an impressive collection a few years down the road!

 

Easy Hosting Ideas From Savery Grazing

Hosting a Christmas drinks & nibbles party is such a lovely way to bring friends together at this time of year. With the right canapés, drinks, cosy atmosphere, and a few fun activities, you’ll have everything you need for a fabulous drinks & nibbles party. 

For more hosting tips, festive recipes, and party inspiration, keep up to date with our blog. For extra foodie and party inspo, follow us on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!

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