The kitschy, the bad and the ugly: 18 vintage Christmas party appetizers you don’t see much anymore

1. Holiday “snack pie” made with Spam spread, sour cream and avocado (1972)

Because nothing says “Merry Christmas” like Spam spread.

Retro Christmas appetizer recipes from 1965

2. Trim-a-tree dip: A Christmas tree-shaped cheese ball (1967)

If this sounds like your kind of thing, here’s what you need for this dip:

1 package cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (2 ounces)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup minced onion
1 teaspoon chopped parsley
Few strips pimiento
Whistles, Bugles, and Daisy*s [snack crackers/chips]

Mix the first 5 ingredients until fluffy, then serve as suggested below.

You might also like these: It’s time for retro appetizers in fun shapes! Get these Cheddar-sherry, ham spread & cream cheese spread recipes (1968)

3. Another Christmas tree-shaped cheese ball (1970s)

ALSO SEE: Retro party food: 12 classic cheese ball recipes from the ’70s

4. Spam spread hors d’oeuvre balls (1967)

Adding some French to the name makes these fancy.

5. It’s a Christmas pickle tree! (1956)

Holidays are pickle days, and Heinz packs a pickle to please every taste, in jars so convenient and thrifty you’ll want to spark your meals with many kinds — sweet and spicy or tart and puckery!

6. Vintage Christmas appetizers: It’s like frosting for your crackers! (1962)

Simple! Tint cream cheese in varied food colors. Press out on Ritz with pastry decorating tube. Use sliced olives, nuts… whatever you fancy as garnish. Serve with confidence!

Fun! Squeeze out cheese in gay party patterns.

MORE: Fun with fondue & other recipes for a really ‘with it’ dinner party! (1968)

7. Celebrate with a layered party loaf (1981)

Now, take the cream cheese “frosting” concept above, and turn it up to 11.

20 frosted party sandwich loaf recipes to make… or avoid

8. Deviled ham frosty Yule log (1963)

If you like the whole loaf idea above, give this retro recipe a whirl! It’s just a couple of cans of deviled ham combined with onion dip mix, then frosted with cream cheese. It’s reportedly “excellent with corn chips, potato chips or crackers.”

9. Spammy mushrooms and fruit-adjacent Vienna sausage kabobs (1973)

These spiced Vienna kabobs are supposed to be served with spiced pineapple and minted pears.

10. Have a nutty Christmas tree (1956)

This is a lot of effort to serve a can of mixed nuts.

Guests can help themselves from this party nut tree! Cut tall can of brown bread into cone shape. Put 2″ candle stub in holder — insert candle in brown bread in previously hollowed hole. Bread should rest on lip of candlestick. Frost tree with cream cheese, softened with milk. Add tinted coconut. Stick Royal Nuts on tree with toothpicks, broken in half.

11. In the ’70s, it wasn’t a party ’til someone brought out the nut-covered cheese (1970)

Of all the vintage Christmas appetizers on this page, this one is one of the few you might actually see on a holiday table today.

Want to make one of these almond or pecan-covered cheese pinecones? Of course you do! Get the recipe here.

12. Salad… made to look like candles. Because of course. (1966)

Cranberry sauce, jello, and mayo. Oh yeah, this is some seriously retro food here.

As a bonus, this wasn’t the only recipe for cranberry “salad” candles out there, either: See another version (and get the recipes) here!

13. Christmas candle salads: Cherry and banana mold (1956)

Okay, seriously now: What was the deal with all the candle salads?

14. Vintage Christmas appetizers: A fruit turkey with olive “feathers” (1970s)

Odd, yes, but strangely cute — right down to the sunflower seed nose.