Delight your Christmas dinner party guests with these imaginative chocolate ideas

As the days grow colder and the winter darkness becomes a familiar friend, we instinctively gravitate towards connection, comfort, and simple acts of kindness. One of those acts of kindness is caring for others, and the classic Christmas dinner party is the perfect excuse to make our nearest and dearest feel special. While the last-minute vacuuming and frantic kitchen runs can add a little stress, nothing’s more rewarding than seeing your guests leave with full bellies and warm hearts.

Hoping to see their eyes wide with wonder this year? Chocolate has to be on the menu. But why make it just for dessert? We’ve come up with a number of charming chocolate dinner party ideas that will surprise, delight, and thrill your guests.

Expect nothing ordinary, and everything extraordinary.

Take your tipples up a notch

A generic bottle of rosé from the local offy? You can do better than that. Serve up your festive tipples in style with a little help from our quality cacao.

Prepare an alcohol tasting session with a sumptuous twist

We may be slightly biased, but we believe there’s nothing better than a silky-smooth, cacao-kissed tipple, and our Velvetised™ Creams collection is here to prove that. Rather than passing around a bottle after dinner, why not charm your unsuspecting dinner guests by inviting them to take part in a delightful grown-up guessing game?

Offer a blindfold to each person around the table and pour them out a small, sample-size shot of Velvetised™ cream. Then, ask each of your guests to see if they can pick up on the tasting notes hidden within their glass. They’ll adore the drama of donning a blindfold and sampling these heavenly cacao creations.

Hot chocolate, reimagined

When it comes to alcohol and other beverages, breaking tradition is a wonderful way to amp up the playfulness of your dinner party. So, why not have a go at re-writing the rules on hot chocolate?

Our Christmas hot chocolate collection isn’t just for those quiet moments of contemplation. In fact, incorporating some drinkable cacao into your festive soirée is a guaranteed way to surprise your guests in the best way possible. For a serving that whispers ‘la dolce vita’, pour our heavenly 70% Dark Hot Chocolate into dainty espresso cups and add a dash of Salted Caramel vodka, before finishing with a side of biscotti and a dusting of cocoa powder. It’s a rich indulgence that’s as bold as it is beautiful. Bellissima!

Dress the Christmas dinner party table to impress 

A non-negotiable for a show-stopping soirée? Great table decor. Your guests will most likely spend the entirety of their evening sitting at that table of yours, so it deserves to be worthy of a standing ovation.

No clue where to start? Fret no more. These fabulous chocolate-focused themes will ensure everything they see, taste, smell and experience is nothing short of spectacular. Just make sure you take a photo as these lavish table treats won’t stick around for too long.

The enchanting woodland

Want to rekindle the magic of childhood? Take inspiration from our beloved imaginarium and transform your table into a scene from a classic novel or fairytale. Think a CS Lewis-style forest complete with an emerald runner, frosted foliage, faux berries, and countless chocolate characters tucked away amongst glowing lanterns and gold-tipped pine cones.

Not sure which of our playful edible pieces to pick? Start by dotting around some of our delectable miniature spruces, before scattering our magical supernovas and dashing dark chocolate reindeer over the table to create a whimsical woodland theme that your dinner guests will adore.

The simple Scandi table

Prefer to keep things pared back and minimal? Say more with less by opting for a Scandi-style table dressed with neutral linens, classic scarlet bows, and plenty of natural pine cones.

Where does chocolate fit into this elegant affair? We thought you’d never ask.

Adorn each place mat with a stack of simple white plates, then top with a printed menu and a Winter Puddings H-Box for after dinner. Those extra final touches will make every guest feel truly taken care of.

The modern maximalist table

The modern maximalist table is pretty much the polar opposite of the Scandi table — it’s a riot of colour, candy stripes, and out-there abstract shapes that wouldn’t be out of place in one of Roald Dahl’s fictional dining scenes. The perfect pairing for a table like this? A scattering of our playful chocolate Selectors.

Think hypnotising Triple Cherry Selector swirls propped up by punchy purple Kir Royale Selectors, zingy green Mojito bites, and huddles of waddling white penguins. Add a scattering of vibrant and tangy Passion Fruit Hearts, and you’ve got a table Wonka would be proud of.

The classic Christmas table

The classic Dickensian Christmas more up your street? Pull out that tartan tablecloth, get your hands on some traditional brass candlesticks, and adorn your table setting with miniature toys and quaint vintage nutcrackers.

The pièce de résistance for this nostalgic setup? An exquisite solid chocolate wreath that’s as eye-catching as it is indulgent. Place your wreath onto a circular gold serving plate or cake stand, then surround it with scattered foliage and clove-studded orange pomanders for a quintessentially Christmassy feel.

Want to really put on a show? Add an elegant brass hammer or chisel to the table and invite your guests to take turns at breaking into the wreath. Just make sure anything delicate has been removed from the table first — we don’t want your finest glassware getting caught in the chaos.

Break the ice with playful Christmas dinner party games

From breaking wreaths to breaking the ice…

Inviting new acquaintances or groups of guests who’ve never met can be daunting. Incorporate these chocolate-inspired ice breakers to add some joy and put everyone at ease.

The grown up treasure hunt: Who wouldn’t want to win a box of decadent Christmas chocolates? Stash away a selection of our classic Christmas chocolate boxes, offer up some cryptic clues, and invite your guests to search high and low for these sumptuous festive treats.

For that one chocolate box that takes a little extra imagination to find, pick something ultra-indulgent. Our Classic Christmas Luxe or our stylish Christmas Sleekster should do the job nicely.

The chocolate conversation starter: Want to get people mingling from the get-go? Try a cracker pull with a twist. Offer one of our delightful dinky chocolate crackers to each person who walks through the door and ask them to pull it with a total stranger. We’re not for one second suggesting that you bribe your guests into becoming friends (or maybe we are?), but there’s just something about seriously good chocolate that gets people talking. 

Swap the Christmas buffet for a festive fondue

Have you been toying with the idea of doing a buffet but can’t bear the thought of it being boring? Why not offer a fondue experience? 

Nibbly bits always go down a treat at Christmas. But when those nibbles also happen to involve two of life’s greatest indulgences — melted cheese and chocolate — it’s hard to go far wrong.

Fancy serving a spread that offers both a little savoury and a touch of sweet? At one end of the table, you could have a creamy cheese fondue section, with melted cheese and a selection of crackers, crudités, and charcuterie to dip. At the other, you could offer a decadent chocolate fondue for your guests to enjoy as a second course.

Melt milk, dark, and white chocolate in three separate pots, and serve it alongside an array of delectable dippables. Think fresh strawberries, chunks of banana, and plump, juicy raspberries. Want to really step it up? Throw in some crunchy biscotti and pretzels for a delightful contrast of salty and sweet.

The great thing about a festive fondue is that your guests will dip and mingle as they please, creating their own creative cracker combinations and playful chocolate pairings.

Afraid you’ll overheat your fondue treat? With our handy guide on the best ways to melt our chocolate, you’ll never burn another bar again.

Make your dinner party one to remember

As your guests leave with full bellies and fond memories, don’t forget to send them home with a little something to remind them of the evening.

Want to keep the dinner party magic alive? Give the gift of a Classic Christmas H-Box. This treasure trove of festive favourites contains more cacao, and less sugar, so it’s the perfect box for your guests to savour throughout the season.

After something small that you can tuck into their pocket without them noticing? Seek out something special from our stocking filler selection. Christmas is all about surprises, and a sumptuous stocking filler’s bound to be a winner.

Delight your guests, year after year. No matter how grand or intimate your festive soirée, these extra, edible touches will turn your dinner party into a warm memory that lingers. Just don’t be surprised if you get the same question from all your guests as they head home for the night… ‘When’s the next one?’