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Alexina's Christmas canapé party ideas

Alexina Anatole's festive canapés including loaded mini hash browns and beetroot salmon blinis

Alexina's Christmas canapé party ideas

Alexina Anatole

Published: October 27, 2026 at 10:22 AM

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Got a casual drinks party planned? Make Alexina Anatole’s small bites ahead of time for a relaxed cocktail hour with friends

When I’m hosting during the festive season I like to plan a canapé party, served buffet-style: a table of good things to graze on, with effervescent drinks in hand and guests moving easily between rooms. Canapés are always elegant but the trick is to ensure you can make them all ahead of time so that you actually get to enjoy your party. These are some of my go-to favourites.

For more festive entertaining inspiration, see our Christmas party food ideas, Christmas canapés and Christmas buffet recipes.

Alexina's simple cocktail party ideas

Caraway blinis with beetroot salmon

If you can’t find beetroot-cured salmon a great trick is to soak regular smoked salmon in beetroot juice in the fridge for a couple of hours, then pat it dry using kitchen paper. Not only does it look good, the beetroot juice also imparts a subtle earthy flavour.

A platter of blinis set on a table

Canapé hash browns with soured cream and crispy bacon

Golden, crisp and endlessly moreish, these bite-sized hash browns are a small labour of love when made in quantity but they can be done well ahead of time and reheated from frozen, so all the effort happens before your guests arrive.

Mini hash browns on a serving plate

Whipped goat’s cheese, fig and pomegranate crostini

A jammy, mostarda-adjacent fig compote, made with a mixture of fresh and dried figs, sits atop garlic-rubbed crostini spread with whipped goat’s cheese. It’s an unfussy but elegant canapé and jewel-bright pops of pomegranate bring the sparkle.

Whipped goat's cheese, fig and pomegranate crostini

Petite prune sausage rolls

A good sausage roll is non-negotiable at Christmas and these are built for a party: small enough to eat in one or two bites, with a few flavour nods to the season. Prunes bring sticky sweetness that works beautifully against the savoury pork.

A plate of homemade sausage rolls on a table

Authors

Alexina Anatole in a while apron holding a bowl of green matcha tiramisu

Alexina Anatoletalent resident

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