The holidays are not only a time for family but also a time to spend with friends! We think the best way to celebrate the holidays with friends is through food. We have 8 simple ways to celebrate the festive season with friends and food!

1. Have a potluck meal with your friends in honour of the holidays! A potluck meal is a great way to enjoy lots of good food with friends without having to do everything yourself. Have each person bring a different dish and you’re sure to have a delicious feast. A pro tip is to decide beforehand what everyone is bringing and ensure that everyone knows. This ensures you won’t accidentally have duplicate holiday favourites.

2. Bake some delicious treats with friends! Baking evokes warmth and comfort during the holiday season. Spend time with friends baking festive treats such as red and green rice krispie squares or candy cane cookies.

3. Drop off food for friends you haven’t seen in a while! It can be hard to get together with friends sometimes when life gets busy. Dropping off food is a meaningful and inexpensive way to show them you’re thinking of them this holiday season.

4. Compete with your friends for the best gingerbread house! Gingerbread houses are a sure sign of the holidays and a fun way to spend time with friends. You can either bake your own gingerbread or buy a pre-made kit from the store. Put on a holiday playlist, light some candles, and have a ball decorating your own houses. Have someone judge at the end of the night to determine who has the best gingerbread house!

5. Participate in a Christmas cookie exchange! Exchange Christmas cookies and treats with friends on Christmas Eve. Have each person bake a different variety of cookie and do a swap or create a spread and try a little of everything.

6. Host a holiday snack board night! Snack boards became a popular trend earlier this year and have only become more creative as people figure out new ways to make the boards. A snack board can have any sort of theme. Some examples of snack boards include fruits and veggies, Christmas cocktails, mini appetizers, and desserts. We suggest having an overall holiday theme to everything to give it a little extra magic.

7. Attend a holiday-themed food event with friends! There are often holiday-themed events that happen during the months of November and December revolving around food. These include restaurants or bars that decorate for the holidays, festive food at holiday markets, and unique dinner tastings for holiday specials. A quick internet search can show you what is happening in your area!

8. Have a holiday food taste test! You may have noticed that earlier and earlier each year, the grocery stores begin stocking items that are only out during the holidays. They often feature festive flavours like peppermint, cinnamon, and marshmallow. Pick up some of these limitededition items and spend an evening testing everything out. Rate the foods on a scale and see which you’d pick up again and which you’d pass on.