Claire, have you looked in our album here for Christmas table decs? My thought is that many can be adapted for buffets and/or smaller individual food tables.
Lynn

I can see by your post that you've got this cocktail party rule covered, but I want to say it anyway.

WOMEN DO NOT GET UP TO GO TO THE FOOD TABLE.

Oh, yes, they'll get a little plate and have a few things when they arrive, but they just don't go back much for seconds. It took me a couple of parties with tons and tons of leftover hors d'oeuvres before this dawned on me just what the heck was going on. (and hors d'oeuvres are much too expensive to have lots of left overs).

Sooooo, beside your buffet table, you'll need to have little tables (end tables, coffee table ) set up with some food dishes and maybe even enlist someone now and then to pass around the shrimp dip or mini chicken legs. Then women will take one and pop it in their mouths, but they'll never excuse themselves from the conversation just to go get more snacks.

Men - well, they're just not a problem in this area.

On your main table, you might want to label (little signs) the food. People seem to like to read the names of what they're getting, even if they can plainly see what it is. The cards on which you write the names will add to the decor if they're Christmas-y in color. You can always add to the fun by giving each dish a holiday name (Donder's Dilly Dip, Three King Spinach Rolls, Dickens Delicious Deviled Eggs, Santa's Salami Cheese Rolls, etc.).

OA...excellent suggestions.
You are absolutely right..when it comes to women 'YAPPING'...they tend to miss out on getting up for seconds or thirds. I know I've found myself not doing that because I was into a deep conversation, and didn't want to miss out. I like the idea of having different areas set up with food, rather than just one.

Also, I love the idea of 'naming' the dishes..Cute idea!

Lynn's suggestion of looking at our inspiration album, and just paring them down to smaller version is a good idea too.

Good luck and enjoy your planning, as well as your party.
Sounds like a nice event.

jane

LOL, OA we could have fun making up the names..Grandma got Run over by a Reindeer Pie..:)

Thanks, everone for your advice. I do plan on having lots of passed hors d'oeuvres and three or four mini-food stations spread throughout the den, living room, dining room and kitchen so I think I'm covered.

I'll sort through the pictures online here and see if i can come up with some decorating inspirations.

Happy holidays!

I enjoyed reading about naming the food. That really could be fun for everyone to read and enjoy. If you like that idea you could name the rooms like "Winter Wonderland" and go from there.

Years ago I worked at a mfg plant that employeed up to 1500 employess and we decorated all the tables in the lunchroom with a Christmas theme and then made large meat trays, veg trays, fruit trays, dessert trays, sandwiches, and more. I thought our tables of food were always beautiful but I never took any pictures. This room had french doors into the dining area. We always strung lights across the ceiling in a slightly drooped pattern from the center and would turn them on. We always had candles on the tables. They were stunning both with white and colored. We used the motion lights with a very slowrun.

I hope you'll take pictures and share them here with all of us. Sounds like it will be quite a party and alot of work!

Punk