Hosting a Simple Holiday Cocktail Hour

Looking for a simple way to get together with friends this holiday season?

This post was sponsored by 34 Degrees, all opinions are my own.

Do you ever have people that just “pop” by over the holidays? Friends or family that want to drop in the last minute to see you or even neighbors that seem like they want to come in for a holiday drink? Our house is always an open house, I especially love when friends pop by for a drink after work! There is something extra fun about treating my friends to a delicious cocktail and yummy apps after a long day. Especially around the holidays. This simple holiday cocktail hour is so easy to throw together for just that reason!

34 Degrees crisps truly are my go to cracker choice when putting together an appetizer or cheese board. (And I am not just saying that because they sponsored this post :)). There is something so perfect about the thin-ness of the cracker that allows every bit to be the perfect cracker to topping ratio. They are my go to cracker for not only the holidays, but any day! I love that the crackers are simple – using only a handful of natural ingredients yet still filled with delicious flavor, pairing well with so many different things.

With that being said… what better way to pair these delicious 34 Degrees crisps than with a build your own crips board for hosting a simple holiday cocktail hour. This party can be something you throw together with items you have on hand in your fridge. Follow these simple tips that are so easy to throw together last minute for the perfect holiday cocktail hour! All you need to plan to do is slice a few things and put everything into bowls and on a board, set out plates, glasses and a holiday drink of choice and you’re done!

Pantry + Fridge Items

You may not have a few of these items readily available in your fridge so I highly recommend stocking up over the holidays so you can throw this together any time, especially last minute.

1. An array of 34 Degrees crackers such as Rosemary Crips (my personal favorite), Gluten Free Crisps (Just in case one of your guests is GF!) and Whole Wheat Crisps!
2. Hummus
3. Veggies such as cucumbers and radishes
4. Smoked salmon
5. An herbed cream cheese
6. Dried fruit such as figs
7. Sliced fruit such as pears or peaches
8. Pesto
9. Stone ground mustard
10. Sun-dried tomatoes
11. Olive tapenade
12. Fig jam
13. Sliced cheese such as manchego and brie
14. Roasted Red peppers
15. Sliced almonds and walnuts
16. Salt and red pepper flakes also make a great addition!

The Setup

This is the perfect app to serve that doesn’t require a lot of your attention so you can enjoy your time with your guests. I recommend setting this up on either your kitchen counter or island or your dining room table – whichever is a better spot to allow your guests to easily “graze”. Put each topping into separate small bowls or ramekins along with mini spoons or knives for serving. Set out an additional wooden board or large plate for the 34 Degrees crackers and any meats, smoked salmon, etc.. Additionally have small plates and cocktail napkins out so guests can easily build their crisp! On a separate tray set out glassware and the drink you are serving – I went with bubbly! The perfect compliment to the 34 Degrees crackers. SO simple to set up, right??

Set the Mood

In the background have holiday music playing to set the mood! Light any holiday scented candles or make fresh potpourri in the crockpot so your house smells extra festive. Make sure to have any holiday lights plugged in such as your Christmas tree and have the fireplace going (if you have one)! I love simple decorations such as garland and mini Christmas trees as well as taper candles around the set up for an additional festive touch!

Building the Crisps!

There around probably hundreds of combinations you and your guests could make with these crips, but here are a few of my favorites!

1. Stone ground mustard with a slice of manchego topped with a roasted red pepper.
2. A slice of brie, slice of a red pear, topped with sliced toasted almonds.
3. Pesto topped with a slice of manchego topped with a sun-dried tomato.
4. Fig jam topped with a slice of brie.
5. Roasted red pepper hummus topped with sliced cucumber and sliced radish.
6. Olive tapenade topped with a slice of manchego.
7. Herbed cream cheese topped with a sliced red pear and toasted sweet + salty walnuts.
8. Herbed cream cheese with smoked salmon, topped with a cucumber slice!