How to Host the Ultimate Christmas Party
Forget another formal sit-down dinner. This Christmas, bring everyone together with food made for sharing, dipping and diving into – for the ultimate festive get-together, or what we like to call a Chipmas party.
Whether you're hosting friends before Christmas, planning a Boxing Day get-together or filling the days between Christmas and New Year with something fun, a Chipmas party is easy to pull together. Build a festive chip board, create an edible Christmas wreath, put plenty of dipping sauces in the middle of the table and let everyone help themselves.
And the best part? If you're hosting after the big day, plenty of your Christmas leftovers can be given a delicious second life as Chipmas toppings.
Step 1: Build a Chipmas Sharing Board
Every Chipmas party needs a centrepiece, and a loaded chip board is guaranteed to become the most popular one.
Start with a generous pile of hot McCain chips or fries, then build around them with festive toppings, sauces and dips. Instead of everyone serving themselves separately, put everything in the middle of the table and let people mix and match.
Recipe inspiration
Pigs in blankets, melted Brie, gravy mayo and cranberry drizzle.
Gooey baked Camembert with crispy chips for dipping.
Leftover turkey, stuffing, cheese, salsa and sour cream.
Step 2: Turn It Into a Christmas Wreath
Want to make your food double as the table centrepiece? Arrange your chips in a Christmas wreath shape.
Leave space in the middle for a dipping bowl or your hero ingredient, then decorate the wreath with colourful toppings, herbs and festive flavours.
Take inspiration from our Hawaiian Dip & Chip Wreath, where crispy chips surround runny eggs for the ultimate festive dipping moment.
Step 3: Create a Festive Dipping Station
Every great Chipmas party needs plenty of dips.
Mix hot and cold options so everyone can build their own combinations.
- Melted Camembert - Inspired by Fondue Chips.
- Hot gravy - Perfect for dipping.
- Cranberry sauce - A festive classic.
- Curry ketchup - Great with Christmas Market Currywurst Fries.
- Garlic mayo - Easy crowd-pleaser.
- Crispy chilli oil - Perfect for brunch-style fries.
Step 4: Give Your Christmas Leftovers a Second Life
The days after Christmas are where Chipmas really comes into its own.
Instead of reheating another roast dinner, turn those leftovers into loaded fries.
- Chipmas Dinner
Leftover turkey, stuffing, sprouts and gravy.
- Salt & Pepper Festive Fries
Give leftover Brussels sprouts a five-spice makeover.
- Mulled Wine and Dine Pulled Beef Fries
Perfect for leftover roast beef.
If you're craving takeaway flavours instead, our existing Fakeaway Salt & Pepper Chips recipe is another great option for your Chipmas spread.
Step 5: Don't Forget Dessert
Chipmas doesn't end with savoury food.
Finish with something unexpected:
-
Black Forest Sundae Chips – inspired by the hot fries and milkshake trend.
-
Choccy Churro Fries – cinnamon-spiced fries with chocolate orange dipping sauce.
Hot, cold, sweet and salty? That's exactly the point.
Chipmas Brunch Counts Too
Not every Chipmas gathering needs to happen in the evening.
If you're hosting a Boxing Day brunch or a slow New Year's morning, try:
- Chipmas Brunch
Halloumi, avocado and crispy chilli eggs.
- Santa’s Smoked Salmon Chips
Smoked salmon, eggs and cucumber crème fraîche.
Make Chipmas Your New Christmas Tradition
The beauty of Chipmas is that there aren't really any rules.
Build a board. Make a wreath. Put the dips in the middle. Let everyone bring something to the table.
Whether you're serving Fondue Chips, Chipmas Nachos, Chips in Blankets or finishing with a Chip & Dip Sundae, the goal is the same: get everyone sharing great food.
And that's what Chipmas is all about.
Explore our 12 dishes of Chipmas.