Food and drink for celebrations guides
Party food, mocktails, punch, wine pairing, Christmas dinner, roasts, brunch, afternoon tea and picnics. There are 50 guides in this section, all free to read and copy from, with no sign-up and no paywall.
Every one is written for a specific moment rather than in general, so pick the closest fit and take the lines you need. Most people land here with a card half-written, a party half-planned or a present still unbought, and the quickest route is to open the guide that names your exact situation rather than reading the whole section.
The guides are written in plain UK English, with real prices, real posting dates and wording you can copy straight into a card without it sounding like it came off a website. Where a guide recommends something we sell, it is because it genuinely fits the moment - and where nothing we make fits, the guide says so and points you elsewhere.
What's in the food and drink for celebrations guides
This section collects 50 guides on food and drink for celebrations. They cover the wording, the timing, the budget and the etiquette side of the same subject, so you can read one and be done rather than hopping between five tabs. Each guide opens with the short answer, then gives examples you can lift word for word.
How to use them
Start with the guide whose title matches your situation most exactly. If you are writing something, copy two or three lines you like and change a name or a detail - that small edit is what makes a message sound like you. If you are buying something, use the budget sections rather than the pictures, because the right spend matters more than the right product.
Nothing here needs to be read in order and nothing is behind a sign-up. If a guide mentions a card, pin badge, print or gift we make, it is because it fits that moment. Where we do not make something suitable, the guide says so plainly instead of pushing the nearest alternative.
Every food and drink for celebrations guide
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Mocktail recipes
Easy alcohol-free drinks that feel special. -
Punch recipes for a party
Big-batch punch recipes that serve a crowd. -
Prosecco cocktails
Easy cocktails made with prosecco. -
Wine pairing guide
Simple wine and food pairings. -
Champagne gifts
Champagne gift ideas and what to pair them with. -
Christmas dinner timings
A countdown plan for Christmas dinner. -
Sunday roast guide
How to cook a great roast dinner. -
Brunch party ideas
How to host a brunch party. -
Afternoon tea at home
How to host afternoon tea at home. -
Canapé ideas
Easy one-bite canapés for any party. -
Picnic ideas
Easy picnic food, kit and places to go. -
Hot chocolate bar ideas
How to set up a hot chocolate bar. -
Classic cocktail recipes
Classic cocktail recipes you can make at home, from the Old Fashioned to the Espresso Martini. -
Garden bar ideas for a British shed
A shed, a counter, some decent lighting and drinks that pour themselves. -
40th birthday party ideas at home
Forty at home, done properly: good drinks, good light, no village hall energy. -
Christmas drinks party ideas
Two hours, a self-service drinks table, and a host who gets to talk to people. -
Summer garden party ideas
The British barbecue, upgraded: shade, cold drinks and food that arrives together. -
How to make the perfect home bar
One cabinet, eight bottles, five tools and a machine that does the measuring. -
Home bar spirits guide
Which spirits to buy first for a home bar, and how to enjoy each one. -
Best mixers for spirits
The best mixers for gin, whisky, rum, vodka and tequila, and how to serve them. -
Essential bar tools
The bar tools and glassware you need to make cocktails at home. -
Gifts for tea lovers
Tea sets, mugs and treats for the person who's always got the kettle on. -
Gifts for coffee lovers
Beans, grinders and gadgets for the person who isn't human before a coffee. -
Gifts for wine lovers
Aerators, glasses and tastings for the person who always brings a bottle. -
Gifts for sweet lovers
Retro sweets, chocolate and pick and mix for anyone with a sweet tooth. -
Luxury dinner party ideas at home
Restaurant-level dinner at home, without spending the evening in the kitchen. -
How to host a cocktail party at home
Three drinks, enough ice, and a bar that runs itself. -
Home bar ideas for a living room
A proper bar in a living room, without it looking like a student flat. -
Fine dining at home for date night
Restaurant standards for two, with both of you actually at the table. -
New Year's Eve party ideas at home
A New Year's Eve at home that doesn't sag at eleven o'clock. -
Christmas cocktail ideas for home
Five festive drinks, most of them made before anyone arrives. -
How to host a dinner party: the stress-free checklist
A countdown checklist so the host actually gets to sit down. -
Gifts for men who have everything
Ideas for the man who says he doesn't want anything. -
How to decant red wine (and serve it properly)
Simple rules that make even a supermarket red taste better. -
Funny Mother's Day gift ideas
Light-hearted presents for mums who'd rather laugh than cry. -
Stocking fillers for her
Small, cheerful gifts under £10 for wives, mums and sisters. -
Hen party recovery kit ideas
What to put in the morning-after bags, on a budget. -
Girls' night in ideas
A relaxed night in with friends, food, games and comfy socks. -
Funny 40th birthday gifts for her
Cheeky presents that make turning 40 a laugh, not a crisis. -
Adult pass the parcel prize ideas
Prizes grown-ups actually want to win, plus forfeits for every layer. -
How to host a wine tasting party at home
A relaxed, non-snobby wine night with a blind tasting game. -
How to host a DIY ice cream parlour party
Turn the kitchen into a sundae bar for birthdays and summer bashes. -
40th birthday gift ideas for a milestone
Memorable presents that match the size of the milestone. -
Luxury housewarming gifts for a new home
Wow-factor gifts for the forever home. -
Group wedding gift ideas for the couple
Pool your budgets for one present they'll love. -
How to make a get well soon hamper
What to put in a care package that actually helps someone feel better. -
Kitchen countertop ideas
Simple ways to make worktops look styled, not cluttered. -
Wedding gift ideas for couples who already live together
They've got the toaster. Here's what to give instead. -
How to make your kitchen feel cosy
Warm lighting, soft textures and a kettle on the hob. -
Gifts for people who enjoy the finer things in life
Lasting little luxuries for someone with good taste.
Other guide topics
- Best of: cards and gifts
- What to write in a card
- Messages by recipient
- Sorry, etiquette and awkward moments
- Money-free gifting
- Gift wrapping and presentation
- Sleep and wind-down
- Funny gifts
- Gifts by relation
- Just because gifts
- Luxury gifts
- Gifts for mum
- Prints and postcards
- Pets
- Pet gifts
- Pet care
- Wedding gifts and guests
- Graduation gifts
- Stag and hen
- New baby and christening gifts
- Funerals and condolences
- Housewarming and first home
- Exam results and school leavers
- Birth flowers and birthstones
- Gift cards and vouchers
- Letterbox gifts
- Posting and timing
- Black Friday and Cyber Monday
- Black Friday and Christmas gift guides
- Anniversary symbols by year
- Anniversary gifts by recipient
- Anniversary planning and practical guides
- Difficult anniversaries
- Pet portraits and pet gifts
- Kids and school
- How much to spend
- Joke cards
- Blog: deals, trends and buying tips
- Christmas cards
- Name and place cards
- Jokes and humour
- Puns and wordplay
- Rhymes, poems and quotes
- Riddles and quizzes
- Games and activities
- Party planning
- Decorations and how-to
- Fancy dress and themes
- Costumes and dressing up
- Plant gifts
- Wrapping a plant as a gift
- Home and living
- Music and songs
- Gifts for music lovers
- Easter, Valentine's and St Patrick's Day
- Father's Day, Mother's Day and other holidays
- Family milestones
- Celebrations
- Work and colleagues
- Speeches and toasts
- Cheering someone up
- Feel-good reading
- Christmas and seasonal
- Secret Santa
- Festivals and world celebrations
- Christenings and faith milestones
- Charity and fundraising
- Pin badges and pins
- Card design and how cards work
- How to: the questions people ask most
- Relationships, apologies and celebrating together
- Sympathy and difficult moments
- Card templates, gift ideas and game instructions
- Surprise trips and weekends away
- Experience days
- Proposals, weddings and big life moments
- Self-care and wellbeing
- Dates and calendar
- Gifts by budget, hobby and job
- Personalised gifts
- Character and fandom gifts
- The Traitors, murder mysteries and watch parties
- Gadgets and product guides
- Star signs, zodiac, tarot and birth years
Where to shop next
- All guides
- Card ideas
- Gift shop: anniversary cards, gifts and party games
- Browse all cards
- Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
- How to make a balloon arch
- Photo booth prop ideas
- Gifts to make someone smile
- Thinking of you gifts
Frequently asked questions
How many food and drink for celebrations guides are there?
There are 50 in this section, and the full directory has 2425 guides across 85 topics.
Are these free to use?
Yes. Copy any message, joke or checklist straight into a card or a party plan. You do not need to buy anything.