10 best Christmas Eve plates for serving up snacks for Santa

Best: Overall

Rating: 9/10

Sliding into our round-up is this creative Christmas sleigh serving board from Matalan. In the shape of a classic Santa sleigh, your Christmas Eve display will be taken to new heights with this playful serving platter. Sitting next to the fireplace, this sleigh is a merry addition that is large enough for you to present your most delectable treats. The slogan reads: “It’s the most wonderful time of the year”, and we couldn’t agree more. For us, this is a real showstopper that you’ll want to use time and time again.

Best: For durability

Rating: 9/10

This cheery festive board from personalisation specialists My 1st Years is simply adorable. Full of festive cheer with charming illustrations, the circular board can be personalised with up to 12 characters. There’s plenty of space for a drink, carrot and treat for the man of the hour and his trusty reindeer. Made from bamboo, we were impressed with how durable this platter is: it will see you through plenty of Christmas Eve rituals. Also, turn it over and you have yourself a lovely wooden serving platter for when Christmas is over!

Best: For style

Rating: 9/10

Go for gold with these porcelain reindeer plates from partyware brand Meri Meri. Lovingly crafted from high-quality porcelain and new bone china mix, you’ll be prancing the room with pride with these oh-so-stylish reindeer-shaped dishes. We love the gold foil antlers that glimmer in the light. Dishwasher-safe, this set of two plates can make even the crumbliest of mince pies look presentable. Keep the box and store away for next year, we’re certain you won’t tire of them.

Best: Illustrations

Rating: 9/10

Pooch-loving people, here’s a tray for you. Sophie Allport’s Christmas Dogs collection is pawfect for dog lovers. This small printed tray, handmade from FSC-certified Scandinavian birchwood, is 27cm in length, meaning there’s space for a festive tipple, mince pie and a carrot or two. We love the festive illustrations and super smooth finish of this tray – we’re sure you’ll find multiple merry uses for it!

Best: Personalised plate

Rating: 8/10

Let this be the remaining puzzle piece to your Christmas Eve traditions, by placing this uniquely designed Puzzle Board by the fire. Made from tactile bamboo wood, you’ll see designated space for a glass of milk, mince pie and a carrot-shaped hole that needs filling. At 30cm long, there’s also space to add any of your own Christmas treats if you desire. Personalise each board with up to 25 characters ­– whether its first names or a family name – or, if you’re sharing Christmas Day with another family, why not join your pieces together so that Father Christmas and his gang get extra portions?

Best: For activity

Rating: 8/10

Show Santa you care by baking up some treats on Christmas Eve. This sweet – quite literally – Christmas Eve baking kit is the perfect way to spend a few hours the day before Christmas, when excitable kids have time to kill. Make it extra festive by using a star or reindeer-shaped cookie cutter for these rather tasty vanilla-flavoured cookies – just make sure you save some for the magical workers and serve them on this joyous china plate.

Best: For toddlers

Rating: 8/10

You’ll have your festive receptacles all wrapped up with this two-piece set from JoJo Maman Bebe. Covered with cheery Christmas scenes, there’s even a dinosaur donning a Christmas hat to discover. These dishes make a fun way to display festive treats for Santa and the crew, plus you can double up and serve up your toddler’s Christmas dinner and dessert in this set too. Made from bamboo, it’s friendlier to the planet and can be bunged in the dishwasher after use. Winner, winner, Christmas dinner! This plate is currently out of stock but we hope to see more of it in time for Christmas.

Best: For fun design

Rating: 8/10

These supersize pudding serving plates (27cm in length) from Asda make a fun choice for Christmas Eve plates. Crafted from earthenware they feel robust and made to last – plus are dishwasher and microwave friendly. Place a pudding either side of the fire and fill with your favourite festive treats – we’re sure these will put a smile on Santa’s face.

Best: For slogans

Rating: 8/10

Have you ever had conflicted views from your little elves on what Santa and his chums should be served? M&S always impresses at Christmas, and these four side plates don’t disappoint, allowing for myriad munchable delights. With fun festive slogans, and themed motifs, these look lovely beside the fireplace, and equally can also be used for the big day. Moreover, these china plates are dishwasher safe and made with a “StayNew” technology which keeps them looking new for longer, meaning they’ll look fresh the following year too.

Best: Disposable plate

Rating: 8/10

When convenience conquers – and with many of us being so short on time during the Christmas period – if you need to opt for a paper plate, look no further than Meri Meri. Made from eco-friendly paper, this set of eight large plates will certainly accommodate Santa’s pit-stop snacks. We love the stylish gold foil border, while the illustrations are full of yuletide cheer!