What to Buy for a Winter Festival
A winter festival needs more than food and decorations. Plan for hot drinks, soup, cold hands, wet coats and a steady flow of guests through the serving area. Buy or borrow enough tableware for the confirmed visitor count, then add a small buffer for breakages and unexpected arrivals. Check equipment and power supplies before shopping day so you are not searching for extension cords or extra serving gear at the last minute.
What to bring
Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.
Furniture
- Tablesqty 12
- Chairsqty 110
- Foldable tablesqty 4
- Coat racksqty 3
- Blanketsqty 12
Tableware
- Dinner platesqty 120
- Dessert platesqty 120
- Coffee cupsqty 100
- Glassesqty 150
- Coffee spoonsqty 100
- Cutlery setsqty 120
- Serving plattersqty 12
- Serving spoonsqty 8
- Thermos flasksqty 8
Kitchen
- Soup kettlesqty 3
- Serving spoonsqty 6
- Cutting boardsqty 4
- Chef’s knives and bread knivesqty 6
- Measuring cupsqty 3
- Coolersqty 6
- Hot traysqty 6
Equipment
- Coffee machinesqty 3
- Kettlesqty 3
- Refrigeratorsqty 2
- Speakersqty 2
- Mixer
- Microphonesqty 2
- Extension cordsqty 6
- Power stripsqty 6
Lighting
- String lightsqty 8
- LED lampsqty 12
Decorations
- Christmas treesqty 2
- Christmas baublesqty 80
- Buntingqty 12
- Christmas wreathsqty 4
- Table décorqty 12
- Name badgesqty 120
- Balloonsqty 100
- Tapeqty 6
- Ropeqty 2
- Scissorsqty 6
Cleaning
- Waste binsqty 8
- Broom setsqty 3
- Mopsqty 3
- Bucketsqty 3
- Cleaning glovesqty 6
Catering
- Groceries
- Coffee - 3 packs
- Tea - 4 boxes
- Hot chocolate - 12 liters
- Milk - 12 liters
- Oat milk - 4 liters
- Coffee creamer - 4 packs
- Sugar - 2 kilos
- Sweeteners - 2 boxes
- Lemons - 12 pieces
- Whipped cream - 12 cans
- Marshmallows - 2 kilos
- Cola - 12 bottles
- Cola Zero - 12 bottles
- Orange soda - 8 bottles
- Apple juice - 8 cartons
- Orange juice - 8 packs
- Spa Blauw - 10 bottles
- Spa Rood - 6 bottles
- Alcohol-free beer - 3 cases
- Beer - 5 crates
- Red wine - 12 bottles
- White wine - 8 bottles
- Alcohol-free wine - 4 bottles
- Ginger beer - 6 bottles
- Cinnamon sticks - 3 bags
- Star anise - 2 bags
- Cloves - 2 jars
- Apples - 8 kilos
- Pears - 5 kilo
- Mandarins - 6 kilos
- Grapes - 4 kilos
- Paprika chips - 8 bags
- Plain chips - 8 bags
- Tortilla chips - 6 bags
- Salted breadsticks - 6 bags
- Party snacks - 4 kilos
- Cheese cubes - 5 kilos
- Liver sausage - 3 kilo
- Grape jam - 4 jars
- Baguettes - 20 pieces
- Butter - 2 kilos
- Cream cheese - 2 kilo
- Hummus - 2 kilos
- Mayonnaise - 3 bottles
- Ketchup - 3 bottles
- Mustard - 2 jars
- Vegetable soup - 35 liters
- Tomato soup - 20 liters
- Vegetarian soup - 15 liter
- Soup vegetables - 8 kilos
- Vermicelli - 2 kilos
- Sandwiches - 140 pieces
- Cheese - 6 kilos
- Ham - 4 kilos
- Chicken breast - 4 kilos
- Vegetarian spreads - 3 kilos
- Lettuce - 12 heads
- Tomatoes - 6 kilos
- Cucumbers - 8 pieces
- Christmas cookies - 12 packs
- Brownies - 8 trays
- Cake - 6 pieces
- Candy - 4 kilo
- Coffee filters - 2 packs
- Ice cubes - 20 kilo
- Paper napkins - 500 pieces
- Paper towels - 8 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Trash bags - 3 rolls
- Dish soap - 3 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 3 bottles
- Toilet cleaner - 2 bottles
- Disinfectant spray - 2 bottles
- Sponges - 12 pieces
- Disposable gloves - 2 boxes
- Aluminum foil - 3 rolls
- Cling film - 3 rolls
- Baking paper - 2 rolls
- Napkin dispensers - 8 pieces
- Quiz prizes - 15 pieces
- Colored pencils - 10 boxes
- Coloring pages - 120 pieces
- Glitter - 10 jars
- Craft glue - 12 bottles
- Colored paper - 10 packs
Tips
- Plan one dinner plate, one dessert plate, one cutlery set, one glass and one coffee cup per confirmed guest, plus 10% extra. For 50 guests, that means 55 of each item.
- Prepare at least 300–400 ml of soup per person if soup is a main warm snack. Use soup kettles or hot trays that can keep the full batch hot while people serve themselves.
- Allow two to three drinks per person during the first hour, then one drink per person for each additional hour. Chill drinks in coolers or refrigerators before guests arrive.
- Provide one coat-rack place and one blanket for roughly every two guests if people will spend time outside. Keep blankets dry and place the coat racks near the entrance, not beside the food.
- Test speakers, microphones, coffee machines, kettles, string lights and hot equipment before the event. Bring enough extension cords and power strips, and keep cables away from wet or busy walkways.
Frequently asked questions
- How much soup do I need for a winter festival?
- Buy or prepare 300–400 ml per person when soup is a substantial snack. For 50 guests, plan 15–20 litres, with extra if the festival lasts several hours or takes place outdoors.
- How many drinks should I buy for a winter festival?
- Plan two to three drinks per guest for the first hour, followed by one drink per person per additional hour. For 50 guests over three hours, that is about 200–250 drinks, depending on drink size and whether hot drinks are included.
- How many plates and cups do I need for 50 guests?
- Start with 55 dinner plates, 55 dessert plates, 55 coffee cups, 55 glasses and 55 cutlery sets. The extra 10% covers breakages, dropped items and visitors who need a second serving.
- When should I buy food and chill the drinks?
- Buy dry goods, drinks and disposable supplies two to three days ahead. Collect fresh produce and prepare chilled items on the day before or the morning of the festival, then chill drinks at least four hours before opening.
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