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Menu advice needed for post-Christmas fete
I know there have been alot of menu requests lately, and I want to get in on the good advice! Can you please critique my menu for a buffet-style meal? Don't pull your punches, I can handle it. 
6:30 pm on a Saturday party. It's an informal Christmas gift exchange my friends do every year. It's my turn to host this year. Most people are going to be sitting on the couches or random chairs and not at the dining room table because there just won't be room for everyone at the table.
So, I'm thinking no food can be served that requires a knife, because cutting food doesn't work when you have to eat on your lap! But, it has to be enough food for dinner based on the time of the party. Probably 14 people.
So, I was thinking -
Mashed potato "bar" with potatoes in the crock pot and cheese, bacon, sour cream, and chives toppings to add.
Meatballs, a little sweet and spicy - in another crock pot
Those mini hotdogs wrapped in crescent rolls?
Veggie tray
Pita and red pepper hummus
Christmas cookies
Chocolate Guinness cake OR cherry pies? Served with vanilla ice cream.
Drinks - lots of different craft beers, a few bottles of wine, pop, peppermint pudding shots, and I was thinking of having a hot cider but now I can't find cider in the grocery store. 
Should I have a special cocktail like a pear elderflower martini? It's not especially Christmas-y... Nobody drinks coffee in our group, so I'm skipping that.
My biggest concern - is the menu too "boring." Do I need to kick it up a notch? Any suggestions? Thanks!!
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Re: Menu advice needed for post-Christmas fete
I'll be honest that it's very meh. Will people get enough to eat, sure. Will it be exciting, meh. I've done the mashed potato bar and it did go over really well. I would consider adding chicken and some steam broccoli pieces.
I'd probably do either the hot dogs or the meatballs. Then find a different and new recipe to try. I don't have anything to really suggest, but go through your cookbooks and see if there is something you've really wanted to try.
Since it is a mealtime I might also add some little sandwiches or wraps. For Christmas last year my aunt did skewers of ham/pineapple/swiss and turkey/cheddar/tomato. They looked really nice on the tray, went over really well, and you could make any number of combinations.
The Guinness cake looks awesome. Someone else mentioned a brownie bar that would also be fun.
The reason I've taken so long to reply is that I'm with 6 that it's meh, but I don't know how to fix it.
Keep the mashed potato bar - they're novel for most people.
For a casual thing, do either the meatballs or the pigs in a blanket, but not both. For something a little nicer, try crostini, quiche, shrimp platter...
Add another veggie in the form of a dip.
And I guess it's just a quirk of mine, but fruit pies in winter don't work for me. Fruit = summer, so go for the Guinness.
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