Christmas is all about joy and celebration, and here at QVC we love entertaining over the festive season. It’s a wonderful way to bring people together, to tell stories and see out the year with a cocktail (or two!) and plenty of cheer. If you’re new to Christmas entertaining and not sure where to start, we’ve got you covered.
Whether you’re catering for a crowd or toasting the season with just a few, our guest-worthy selection of drinks, nibbles and stylish tableware is sure to impress. From festive canapes to boozy advent calendars, here a just some of our faves.
Create a festive home bar
Planning your Christmas drinks menu is easy with our great-value Drinks and Barware selection. Take, for example, this cocktail advent calendar from Tapp’d, featuring 12 ready-to-drink cocktails in a range of classic flavours. Who doesn’t want to sip cocktails by the fire? The collection offers a wide cocktail menu with everything from iconic Pornstar Martini to sweet-tart Cosmopolitan.
Then of course, there’s Britain’s best-loved tipple – gin! A ginny always goes down well at soirees, and there’s a high chance you’ll have a friend or family member partial to it (if not yourself). This pre-mixed selection from 6’Oclock Gin will be an instant hit.
Get in the spirit too with The Very Merry Gin Advent Calendar, created by Craft Gin Club in partnership with none other than Philip Schofield himself!
Packed with 25 gins (the countdown begins), this merry calendar allows you enjoy a different G&T every evening in the lead up to the big day. Given they’re 50ml bottles (doubles), the calendar could easily been shared between two as you swap verdicts on the day’s tipple.
For anyone craving bubbly, this 12-day sparkling wine countdown advent calendar from Freixenet is a delight. Housed in a snazzy box with pull-out drawers, this set has a lovely glamorous feel to it. And for pure Christmassy indulgence, you can’t go wrong either with Hotel Chocolat’s decadent range.
Chocolate and booze is a flavour combination that just works, as anyone who tries this duo of creamy lacquers will attest! We love the punchy coffee notes of the Espresso Martini Chocolate Velvetised Cream, mellowed slightly by the satisfyingly smooth creaminess of the chocolate. The bottle of Salted Caramel and Clementine will leave your guests purring with its notes of dulce de leche followed by citrus. Enjoy these cold or stirred into a hot drink, and don’t forget you can make your own chocolate tipples too with Hotel Chocolat’s Velvetiser.
Sharing bites
Festive bar sorted, you’ll want to keep your table glistening with snack options for your guests! Check out our Christmas food blog for some feast-worthy ideas, but for soirees, gatherings and evening entertaining, nibbles are essential.
Joe & Seph know a thing or two about satiating a good craving. Look out for November’s Pick of the Month coming soon, a magnificent set of four assorted star popcorn bites. Smooth and rich with a satisfying crunch, these are fantastic!
Or how about something nutty? This set of two snackable trays from The Ludlow Nut Company is packed with almonds, brazil nuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans and cashes. We also love Rita Farhi’s luxury chocolate, fruit and nut selection gift box and these traditional Turkish delights from Truede.
No luxury Christmas spread is complete without cheese, and they don’t come any smoother than Godminster’s Christmas four-cheese signature gift box. To accompany, you could also serve the cheeses with some bread and Charlie & Ivy’s dipper and bowl set.
Nothing encapsulates the taste of Christmas like a mince pie – particularly when they’re boozy! This set of eight boozy mince pie tarts from The Baking Boys would impress even Santa himself, topped with Amaretto frangipane and matured in brandy and Cointreau.
Or how about Welsh honey rum mince frangipane crumbles from Wilfred’s Pies, and boozy sponge puddings from Nana Lilys? Ideal paired with a cuppa or as after-dinner treats, these will warm hearts for sure!
Christmas is served
Celebratory snacks deserve celebratory presentations, and that’s where Culinary Concepts come good with their elegant tableware range. Combining artisan craftsmanship with a contemporary edge, these eye-catching pieces make for great talking points at the table.
Whether you’re looking for finishing touches like an olive and nuts holder or even bottle stand holders, it’s the little details that make the difference. Make a statement with this octopus stand and glass bowl – a showstopping nautical piece for filling up with ice and keeping drinks cool. You could even use it for serving salads.
Perfect for party season, this reversible bar cart from Bundleberry by Amanda Holden is a favourite. We love the retro 1920s feel to it with the gold-toned metal frame and mosaic tiles that read “Cocktails” and “Cheers.”
Be sure to check out the rest of our tableware range too, and if you’re thinking ahead for Christmas decorations, we have plenty of ideas in our festive decor blog. Good luck with all your planning!
