Festive snacks for the perfect cosy night in over the Christmas break

The festive season is upon us and although Christmas is a time to spend with loved ones and feeling grateful for all that we have, it's also a time to eat great food.

Whether you're eating for one or cooking for 20 people, there's no denying this time of the year is a time for indulgence before, during and after Christmas.

Sweet, salty and savoury, there's no better way to indulge in the most delicious food while your sat in front of a classic Christmas movie, warm and cozy by the fire.

With that in mind, here are some recipes that will give your movie night that extra little touch of Christmas magic.

Starting off with drinks, whether you prefer alcohol or 0.0, these tasty tipples are sure to get you merry.

Baileys Gingerbread cocktail

The perfect combination of sweet and creamy with just a hint of spice from the warming gingerbread.

What you'll need:

• Baileys
• Gingerbread syrup
• Cream
• Amaretto
• Caramel Sauce
• Crushed gingerbread biscuits

Start by pouring 60mls of Baileys (or as much as your heart desires), 30mls of cream, 30mls of Amaretto and 15mls of gingerbread syrup into a shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously. 

Take your glass of choice and dip the rim into some melted caramel sauce then dip the rim into the crushed gingerbread biscuits.

Pour cocktail from the shaker into the glass and top with whipped cream and more crushed gingerbread biscuits. Simple!

Christmas Punch

A delicious cocktail that can be made ahead of time and enjoyed by the whole family. It may not contain alcohol but it still packs a punch!

What you'll need:

• 2 Sliced Limes
• 1 Cup Cranberries
• 2 Cups Cranberry Juice
• 1 Cup Orange Juice
• 1 Cup Ginger Ale
• 2 Cups Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Wine
• 3 Cinnamon Sticks

Grab a big jug and drop the limes and cranberries in.

Pour in the cranberry juice, orange juice, orange juice and ginger ale. Give it a good mix.

Top it up with the sparkling wine, drop in the cinnamon sticks and give it another mix.

Pour into your glass of choice and garnish with slices of lime. A sure crowd pleaser!

Christmas Charcuterie

What you'll need:

• Meats
• Cheeses
• Olives
• Crackers
• nuts
• Bread
• Fruits/jams/chutneys
• Dips like hummus and tapenades
• Herbs for garnishing

The best thing about a charcuterie board is that you can put absolutely anything you want on it. The key to a great one though, is variety.

Start by laying out all your ingredients and begin placing them on the board in small sections at first, once you figure out where you want everything to go you can start filling it up.

To make it festive, cut your cheese into triangles and pop a pretzel stick up the middle and garnish it with some green herbs and pomegranate seeds.

To make the salami flowers, take a glass and start laying the meat along the rim one by one until you can't fit anymore. Turn the glass upside down and remove the meat and place it on the board.

You can also had eyes, a nose, and a mouth to your dips using olives and carrots, like the picture above, to make a cute snowman.

Christmas Bark

What you'll need

• 3 big bars of chocolate (milk, white and dark - or whatever you like)
• Any toppings you want (maltesers, pretzels, sprinkles, mini marshmallows, jellies, nuts, fruit etc.)
• Toothpicks

This is a great recipe as it's super easy, super fast, and a great way to get the kids involved

Start by placing the bars of chocolate side by side on a lined baking sheet and place in the oven until just melted.

Once out of the oven, take a toothpick and run it along each bar of chocolate to mix it together in swirling motions.

Place the toppings of your choice all over the melted chocolate, use red and green sprinkles to make it Christmassy.

Once cooled, place it in the fridge for an hour to set.

Once set, take it out of the fridges and break it up into uneven pieces and enjoy...it couldn't be easier!