The Christmas season is a time of cheer, festivities and, above all, gatherings with friends and family! When it comes your turn to host, you’ll want to be prepared with fun and tasty treats for your guests to snack on. One of the best ways to add holiday spirit to your Christmas party is through snacks that emphasize the spirit of the season. Whether this is a colored popcorn assortment or a hot cocoa bar, we’ve included a list of our five favorite Christmas party treat ideas!

1. Cookie Decorating Station

A fun spin on a classic Christmas staple is to allow your guests to create their own Christmas cookie. Whether you pick up some store-bought cookies or make them from scratch, this is sure to be a hit at your next gathering. To channel the holiday spirit into this fun activity, try finding Christmas-shaped cookies such as snowflakes, ornaments or trees, as well as decorations highlighting the traditional reds and greens associated with the season. Depending on your group and the type of event, try making a cookie decorating competition to see who can make the best or the most cookies.

2. Popcorn Assortment

Popcorn is a traditional Christmas snack, and what better way to channel the season than to create unique and delicious popcorn snacks? You can add a few drops of food coloring to make popcorn in any shade you’d like, or try adding some mix-ins to create the perfect winter snack. Some of our favorites include cinnamon honey butter popcorn, chocolate lovers popcorn, and cheddar popcorn, but feel free to explore any other flavors you love!

Learn more about unique popcorn creations.

3. Charcuterie board

A timeless favorite for any occasion, a charcuterie board allows your guests to select their snacks from a vast assortment of choices. A perfect way to put a Christmas twist on this classic is to add snacks such as oven-roasted chestnuts, mini candy canes, or even homemade popcorn using the tricks above! These are sure to bring the taste of the season into your assortment and allow you to use your creativity and add snacks you know your guests will adore.

4. Hot Cocoa Bar

When it comes to beverages, a little DIY is a fun way to keep your guests engaged and entertained. A hot cocoa bar is a fun and distinct way to make customized drinks at a low cost and with minimal effort. Starting with traditional hot chocolate, let your guests experiment with the add-ons, such as crushed candy canes, chocolate chips, whipped cream, marshmallows and more. Some methods to create unique flavors could be peppermint syrup on the table or white chocolate base options. Whatever you end up choosing, this is sure to be a hit amongst the guests!

Read on for more hot chocolate bar inspiration.

5. Reindeer Chow

A Christmas twist on a delicious snack is a fun way to introduce a familiar bite infused with holiday cheer. Beginning with a puppy chow base (look online for recipes for this chocolate/peanut butter/powdered sugar treat) , mix in red and green chocolate candies as well as some pretzels and peanut butter cups for a delicious and sweet treat. Feel free to be creative with this one as well—more add-ons are fun, but you don’t want to lose the primary flavors entirely.

All in the presentation

When it comes to deciding how to present your delicious holiday treats, there are truly no wrong options. A bar cart is a perfect place to put snacks or drinks and allows for convenient storage for replacements or serveware. If you are looking for more tabletop space, a sofa table might be a better option. Both of these choices are easy to place anywhere and allow for ample space.

Another fun and festive option is to find a Christmas tray that either highlights red and green colors or features festive decor that is specifically themed for the season. Holiday mugs are perfect to go with a hot chocolate bar and will allow for fun pictures throughout the night as well. These Christmas decor items are ideal for adding the holiday feel to your party and will pull the Christmas decorations all together!

Regardless of what treats you create, the holiday spirit comes primarily from the space around the display. Fun dishes and serving utensils complemented by holiday music playing in the background and tasteful Christmas decorations throughout the rest of your home will create a beautiful winter wonderland within your home.