Calculate Christmas party quantities
Christmas party food chart
Fast starting points for a three-hour party with a mix of appetizers and dessert. Adjust with the calculator above.
| Guests | Food (buffet) | Ham | Cookies | Drinks | Punch (gallons) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 9 lb | 4 lb | 35 | 35 | 1.5 |
| 20 | 18 lb | 8 lb | 70 | 70 | 2.5 |
| 30 | 26 lb | 12 lb | 105 | 105 | 3.5 |
| 50 | 44 lb | 19 lb | 175 | 175 | 6 |
Planning a full Christmas dinner or buffet? The Thanksgiving food calculator has the same style of turkey-and-sides planning, and the party food calculator covers a complete holiday menu.
More free party calculators
Christmas party questions
How much food per person for a Christmas party?
For a sit-down Christmas dinner, plan 1 to 1.5 pounds of food per adult. For a buffet, plan 0.75 to 1 pound per adult. For a finger-food or cocktail party, plan 8 to 10 bites per person per hour.
How much ham per person?
Plan 1/3 to 1/2 pound of bone-in ham per adult, or 1/4 to 1/3 pound of boneless ham per adult. A 10 pound ham feeds about 20 adults and leaves good leftovers.
How many cookies per person for Christmas?
Plan 3 to 4 cookies per person if cookies are a dessert or at a cookie swap. For a big holiday buffet with many desserts, 2 per person is usually enough. For 20 people that is 40 to 80 cookies.
How many appetizers should I serve?
For a two-hour cocktail party, plan 8 to 10 appetizer bites per guest, or about 4 different types. For four hours, plan 12 to 15 bites per guest.
How many drinks for a Christmas party?
Plan 2 to 3 drinks per adult for a two-hour party and 4 to 5 for four hours. For a dinner party, allow for hot drinks like cider and coffee too.
How many cookies for a cookie swap?
At a cookie swap, each person brings 3 to 6 dozen cookies and everyone takes home about 12 to 18 cookies. For 20 participants, bake about 4 to 6 dozen each so there is enough to share.
How much punch or eggnog per person?
Plan about 1 to 1.5 cups of punch or eggnog per adult. A gallon (16 cups) serves 10 to 16 adults. For 40 guests, prepare about 3 to 5 gallons.
What are easy Christmas party snacks?
Easy crowd-pleasers include cheese and crackers, veggie trays, pigs in a blanket, meatballs, yogurt or ranch dip with chips, holiday cookies, brownies and spiced cider. Pre-made platters from the store work great for large groups.