christmas nibbles

Our first Christmas party was a success! A fun, little, semi-civilized, low key success, which is kinda how I roll these days. I don't think anyone even spilled anything (I did hear someone calling for a cloth at one point, but I never saw spillage so it doesn't count). I got the instant camera out - the one that captured my fave wedding pics - & managed to catch some of the fun for posterity, but I'll have to bribe someone with a scanner at work to make them digitable for me. Until then, let's look at the food.
The baking started days before. As did the laundry, apparently. These were simple sugar cookies in festive shapes. Some stacked as sandwiches with chocolate hazelnut spread in the middle.

I like that some of them are wonky.


Some half dipped in semisweet chocolate with crushed candy canes.


These were absolutely yummilicious! Definitely my favorites. Super intense double chocolate (a delicate & crumbly chocolate dough with giant chunks of very dark chocolate thrown in just to push them over the edge). I sort of ended up adapting both the smitten kitchen recipe & the food network version. To die for, I think.
Chocolate mini cupcakes with my own frosting, chocolate with chilli & cinnamon.
Dessert station.
These were only some of the sweets! (Almost forgot to mention my chocolate dipped pretzels.) Do you like my homemade cupcake tower? A vintage cake tin, a mug & plate. Classy.
These ones didn't fit onto the sweets table. Crispy, totally bad for you almond florentines, with un-artistic chocolate drizzle. I also drizzled the salt & pepper bowls and the counter in the process. I like the composition here, although obviously the best companion for Guinness would be the chocolate cookies.

It wasn't all gluttonous sweets, mind you. We had this unusual thing - carmelized onion & apple tart.
Plus husband's wonderful mediterranean quiche (sundrieds, olives, spinach & feta), his curry paste marinated chicken breast, chicken fingers, cocktail sausages & Quorn spicy "chicken" nuggets, my favorite. Do you like the Santy table cloth & scary clown paper plates? Neil picked those.

Speaking of cocktail sausages...
Please look at what her feet are doing. Too cute.


Pre-party living room, all nice & clean & full of pup. 
Notice our new tree topper? My dream of an all pint-of-Guinness Christmas tree is happening very slowly...
Homemade felt Guinness pint ornaments.
I've made a grand total of three. Merry Christmas!