There is no time like the Christmas holidays to get creative with your food presentation. Whether it’s a main dish or a snack, all your little elves will appreciate the effort you employ to make it special. See how pleased sister Cynthia is? You can practically hear her singing Fa La La La La!
I’ve pulled together some Christmas appetizer ideas for you from past Christmases that I hope will inspire you (or at least make you hungry 😉 ). Going through these pics made me smile, remembering friends and family adding their own artistic touches. (Hey, Suzi — do you recognize the ones you “prettied up”?)
Stuffed mushrooms, garnished with confetti cucumber and rosemary.
Individual vegetable arrays with dip.
Small Seasoned Pepper Cheeseballs with crackers.
Gingersnap cheeseballs with apple slices.
Christmas tree made from individual cheese balls, small enough to use as individual portions.
Rosemary bushes and tall vases to add height to the party table.
Frozen dinner rolls, dipped in melted butter, rolled in shredded parmesan cheese and baked in a tree-shaped pan, ready to pull apart.
Classic spinach dip in bread — but look at how it is garnished!
4 Bit Goodies, some garnished with crushed red pepper, some with minced chives.
This green bean Christmas tree got jostled a bit in transit from the Stahl’s house. Even so, it is adorable — and easy!
Even a very simple snack of vegetables and a cheese spread can look festive with cute plates and napkins. (We were in Santa Fe, in case you’re wondering about the cactus and the man in the sombrero.)
My friend Debbie is so creative. She made a centerpiece by simply filling up a Christmas bowl with gold, red, and green napkin rings!
For a gathering where different family members were bringing snacks, I spread a snazzy gold and white table runner on top of a tall breakfast bar and pulled out some Christmas bowls and a few white serving pieces. The red and green tortilla chips set the mood in a stainless steel colander lined with a red and white napkin. I used two more of the napkins in a two-tiered stainless wire serving basket. See the little sweaters in the back? Those are the cutest little Christmas ornaments, complete with their own little hangers. I have an oval silver platter that has black chalkboard paint in its center. It is usually adorned with a message or some kind of artsy drawing. This time, however, I used it as a spot to hang all the little sweaters. The resulting display added a little height to the tablescape and because the action was all on the top edge (rather than in the center on the chalk), I could place something in front of it. By pulling out lots of serving aids (spatula, spreaders, serving spoons) and having them ready, I prevented the dreaded “clash.” (You know what I’m talking about — where you have a beautiful table going, then Aunt Mildred plops down her orange and green casserole dish with a bright blue spoon in it. You have a moment frozen in time and space where the harmony you had so carefully constructed gets obliterated. Take preventive action. It is not wrong to tell people ahead of time that you will have serving bowls or containers to put their stuff in, or if they have white, clear, red or green, that would be great! Bring it on!)
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