For several years, I hosted a holiday open house, similar in style/size to yours. I often would make 2 soups ahead of time, and since guests mostly mingled, I served them in holiday mugs.

There's nothing much easier than ham. Your current menu seems do-able, with perhaps the roasted veggies being the most prep.

Do you have a slow cooker? I would consider an appetizer made in one. You can buy frozen meatballs and add a bbq/jelly sauce. I don't care for these, but they are a staple for many. And no one noticed when I made the meatballs from scratch, so I started to just use the frozen. Here are some slow cooker ideas.

Trader Joe's has rosemary mixed nuts and other blends that are very good. Many in my group like TJ's dips, and while I love their cracker selection, I'm not a fan of any of their prepared dips.

One of the biggest sellers at parties like that that I've been too is stromboli. Make it ahead of time and then pop in the oven....I usually make 2 so they can come out at different times.

Another big seller is kielbasa in the crock pot with spicy polish mustard and apple jelly. Serve with small rye bread pieces.

Check your local pizza parlor. Ours makes "cheese bread" which is essentially pizza dough and cheeses or they make broccoli bread which is delish as well.

I like to make sure I have a mix of offerings....fruit and nuts...meats and cheeses...veggies...crackers/bread sticks and lots of cookies for dessert, especially at xmas time.

What always goes over well are some of the retro apps. Little smokies in a blanket (mustard dip), cold shrimp (with cocktail sauce) and platters of small cream puffs with chicken salad. Have fun!

maddielee, you reminded me of another oldie but goodie...we used to scoop the seeds out of cucumber, stuff it with tuna salad and then slice it about 1/2" thick for a nice appetizer.

Also you might check with your local grocery store. Ours will make platters for you with cold cuts for sandwiches or fruit platters or veggie platters.

I would have a ham platter with small slices already carved and either small rolls or homemade biscuits ready with condiments and that would be the main event. Other items would include a pretty and large cheese tray with crackers, dried fruits and nuts, and (separately) a baked brie with cranberry relish (instead of jam) and baguette slices or crostini, and a nice selection of petit fours and holiday chocolates or barks shards. That’s enough variety although you could also add a few raw veggies like carrots, celery and cucumber, all cut into sticks. We always serve wassail at drop ins in little Santa mugs at a separate bar and people can choose among a few different rums to slug their drink if they want to.

I know charcuterie is very popular right now but I just cannot stand the thought of people picking among pieces of meat on a big board with their hands, as some do that even if toothpicks or disposable cocktail forks are provided. At least cheese has to be sliced first by the guest so they’re not picking it up with their hands, and when I do pre cut cubes of cheese I stick a frilled toothpick in every. single. one.

If it were me, I would do heavy appetizers. KSWL has a good plan, although I would definitely add the veggies and possibly a fruit platter. Easy, peasy! Enjoy!!

I am not a fan of ham, so take that in mind with my answer. I do know people love good smoked ham as kswl described with biscuits (not rolls) with spicy brown and regular mustards. I love to make pork tenderloin sliders with biscuits or rolls and similar condiments. A plate of cheeses and olives is always nice imo.

If you do raw veggies, I always like the idea of putting in separate cups with ranch dressing so people can pick up the whole thing and eat it rather than dip from a communal dish.

A fruit salad would be easy and festive with cut strawberries, halved red grapes, kiwi, and blueberries and toss with lime juice and honey to sweeten. Delish.

There are always those mini cheesecakes from Costco that somehow find their way to many dessert tables and always seem to disappear.

Sometimes heavy appetizers end up being more work for me than a real meal for some reason. I just do so many of them. The soup in mugs is a great idea too. I didn't even consider soup, but having just a small mug with a handle would be pretty easy. I used to do soup parties and I have a couple this crowd liked, but neither really seem to go with other foods for this type of party. I love making soups though and I like the idea of how easy it is to have it on the stove ready to serve.

DH won't be thrilled with the ham, but he's not cooking :) I like a good ham sandwich.

The Stromboli is a good idea as well. Someone brought one of those to a potluck we had years ago and I can still remember how popular it was.

I think you are on a good track-- like OutsidePlaying, I don't eat ham but I know a majority of people do! I love the idea of roasted veggie -- a nice switch for the cooler months-- and I would happily eat roasted veggies instead of ham.

Soup would also work great with this menu-- and I think eliminates the need for a lot of appetizers! Offer 2-3 soups in crockpots, mini sandwiches, some nibbles, some sweets and that seems plenty for an open house.

You can always go with easy stuff too like apple wedges and cider donuts or cider donut holes.

If there is religious objection (or other animus) to ham you could easily replace it with a good beef tenderloin if you don’t mind the expense. Or pork tenderloin if there are no religious scruples, although you’d have to cook several of those for a crowd that big, probably four or five.

If you have soup—-delicious, but IMO changes the tone of the event from cocktail party to buffet supper with drinks—- do not let them serve themselves. Have a friend, relative or paid helper at that station ladling soup into mugs or you’ may end up with soup all over your counter and/or someone will get it on themselves. I speak from experience!

Speaking of help, once the guest list exceeds 20 I have always hired a waiter and highly recommend doing so. We live in a small town and I’ get someone who works in a local restaurant and I already know (or know their mother 😁). Since we moved here I’ve had helpers from the golf club restaurant. It’s only about six hours and they are usually glad to make some extra cash at this time of year. Of course one of the reasons I do this because DH is really no help at all, he still doesn’t know where everything is in the kitchen (insert a ”bless his heart“ here) but also because I want us both to be able to enjoy the party ourselves.

I think your plan is fine (though I'll throw out some other ideas below). I've been to a few parties that got by on Costco frozen mini-quiches and Yakitori Chicken skewers.

One couple I know hosts a Christmas party every year. They do a spiral cut ham and a smallish turkey, and the rest is potluck.

I think something crockpot would be great and easy. Carnitas, or some other slow-cooked pork is easy. If you slow cook, I would probably do pork butt over pork loin or tenderloin, and maybe cook a day in advance and reheat the day of. That way you can skim off the rendered fat.

I have done a very simple cream cheese dip with cocktail sauce and small (sized for dipping; you can use canned shrimp or visit the seafood counter and look for something that fits easily on a cracker) shrimp. The dip isn't mixed; just mix the shrimp with the shrimp and pour on top of the cream cheese. It looks more classy if the cream cheese isn't still in the shape of a brick, but I confess I've done it that way.

I have a lot of fun with cheese boards. I'll usually include a jam or two; I find fig jams tend to pair well with a range of cheeses. Grapes, berries, sliced apple, nuts.

I was also thinking deviled eggs. You do everything but fill the eggs the day before. If you put the filling in a piping bag (or a ziploc with the corner cut off) you can fill them really quickly when the time comes.

A spiral ham is my favorite and it offers easy access for guests. Wrap the ham in foil and heat until steaming, temp and time is up to you. To make it fit in a small crockpot, cut the slices off the bone, then cut the slices in half. It uses a smaller space on plates.

Cut up citrus fruit in a glass bowl is pretty and refreshing with ham...

These came up on my reels

legomom, You didn't mention if there will be available seats at a table, or just seats or possibly no seats, all of which require different sorts of food, in addition to different utensils, if any. So my recommendation is small bites of food and no soup.

Thanks for all the help! I think I have settled on a menu, trying a couple new recipes, so fingers crossed;) Ha!