Even with the great inflation spike of the past three years, Americans are surprisingly spending more money during the holidays. The average amount spent in 2006 was $907. This year, the average is $1,014. And while gift giving will vary on Christmas Day, the same goes for Christmas dinner. Ask five families what their go-to Christmas meal is, and you’ll probably get five different answers. So if you’re planning to go to a Christmas party (or host one), here are seven Christmas potluck ideas for hosts and guests that don’t require multiple hours of cooking or force you to get out of the 15 items or less line at the grocery store.

Gingerbread Cookies

This may be the one item on a Christmas menu that is the norm for everyone: Christmas cookies. For some, that means building a gingerbread house. For others, it’s bringing a platter of sugar cookies that often have sprinkles, icing or candy on top. And if you want to copy your grandmothers, you’re welcome to empty the cookie container onto a plate and put the usual thread and needles inside.

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you are not into traditionally sweet sugar cookies or ready-made tins of Christmas cookies, or looking out for your diabetic relatives or vegan guests who aren’t big on dairy, try vegan chocolate chip cookies instead. They have oat-based flour and plant-based chocolate chips instead. To put the calorie count into perspective, one chocolate chip cookie from Whole Foods Market is 128 calories with 9 grams of sugar versus one vegan chocolate chip cookie with 100 calories and 6 grams of sugar. However, there are vegan recipes that can be as packed with calories as dairy cookies, so choose your recipe wisely.

Strawberry Santa Hats

For Christmas potluck guests and hosts who have zero interest in cooking, these no-bake strawberry desserts are very easy to make. The first way is to use mini donuts as the base, add a bit of white icing (or cream) and place upside-down strawberries (with the tops cut off) on top.

The second way is to cut each strawberry into two pieces (pointy end longer than the flat end), and add a dollop of cream cheese or icing in the middle. The third way is much easier; just dip strawberries (with the stems cut off) into mini cupcake wrappers of white chocolate filling, and add a small dollop of white filling on top to complete the Santa hat.

Spiked Eggnog

Like fruitcake, eggnog is one of those refreshments that people either love or loathe, and there is no in between. But even those who don’t find it appetizing to drink a cup of egg yolks, sugar and milk may rethink that idea when the eggnog is spiked. Grab a bottle of rum and a small seasoning container of cinnamon and nutmeg, and enjoy being the Christmas bartender at the potluck. (You could also try Advocaat, or Dutch eggnog, which includes Brandewijn or vodka.)

Potatoes Au Gratin (Or Scalloped Potatoes)

Although this is one of those side dishes that can be eaten year round, these thinly sliced potatoes with cheese or cream sauce are an easy dish to make everybody happy for Christmas. Who doesn’t like potatoes? Is anybody going to care whether it’s potatoes au gratin (with cheese and panko breadcrumbs) or scalloped potatoes (with cream sauce)? Both options go well with vegetables and meat, but you’re welcome to eat them on their own. Even the boxed versions are good. Make homemade scalloped potatoes with dairy milk or a vegan scalloped potato dish. If you’re not sure if the other guests eat pork, skip the bacon and chicken broth. Choose vegetable broth and imitation bacon bits instead. Just make sure to prepare a large dish. Like cabbage and collard greens, sliced potatoes decrease in size as they’re cooked.

Fruit Platter

While a considerable amount of fruit is out of season in cold-climate areas of the country, winter fruits are easy to find in grocery stores. Slice or cut up a platter of winter fruit, such as apples, clementines, grapefruits, kiwis, oranges, pears and tangerines, and add your fruit appetizers onto a holiday party platter.

Hot Chocolate Bomb Balls

Instant brown powder with those little dots that are supposed to be marshmallows are “meh.” Buying or making hot chocolate bombs is much richer and melts better. If you’re making them from scratch instead of buying them, you won’t be able to get far without buying a sphere mold and a paint brush. After that, it’s just a matter of mixing dark melting chocolate wafers, hot chocolate mix, cinnamon and salt before refrigerating them so they’ll harden. Once you get the hang of making them, you can get creative with hot chocolate bomb balls that include sprinkles, caramel, marshmallows or peppermint in the middle. Some Christmas guests may prefer a surprise in their cup, but label them all anyway.

Becoming the Hit At the Potluck

Any of these seven Christmas potluck ideas for hosts and guests are easy to make, often don’t require much time in the kitchen, and are a happy medium for Christmas guests looking for something filling without being loaded with sugar. When guests leave the party with a happy stomach, they should be singing along to Christmas songs and wishing anyone within earshot a merry holiday.