If you’re looking for holiday party potluck ideas, here’s one that will bring folks together to celebrate the season: a seafood potluck. Fish and shellfish are big crowd pleasers and lend a bit of specialness to a party. Throwing a party often means tons of prep, cooking, and cleaning, but a seafood potluck shares that work out among all the partygoers, and means you get to see how each person infuses their own touch into the dish.

There are a million holiday party potluck ideas, but organizing yours around seafood makes a good way to ensure a memorable party—seafood naturally brings a ton of bright colors, tends to be less filling than meat dishes, and the theme means it won’t be the same old stuff as last year. Left to their own devices, people rarely think to bring seafood. Seafood potluck ideas are key to encouraging your guests to branch out and embrace a new, unique experience. Seafood adapts easily to gluten-free or halal diets, and is light and healthful—no food coma naps needed after this party!

But before you dive in too deep, we’ve got a few thoughts on how to translate your holiday party potluck ideas into the festive meal you’re dreaming of. The main key to a great seafood potluck is having a ton of variety in both type of seafood and course, so as you plan, consider having guests sign up for their dish ahead of time. If you’re hosting, you’ll want to take on any dish that requires last-minute touches, like a crispy-skin salmon as the main dish or a memorable bourbon shrimp flambé, if you like a real show. As a guest, you’ll want to think about holiday party potluck ideas slightly differently: there are tons of seafood dishes that transport extremely well, from the classic shrimp cocktail to a Dungeness crab dip. For a casual seafood potluck, rockfish tacos or salmon sliders work well, and if the event is a little more upscale, a tuna Niçoise salad or lobster shepherds pie will make an impact. Just don’t forget to assign someone in the group to the dessert table—and let them forgo the seafood!

With these seafood potluck ideas and holiday potluck main dish ideas in mind, your celebration is bound to be a resounding success. So, let the seafood feast begin, and watch as your guests indulge in the ocean's bounty, creating unforgettable memories and savoring the taste of the season.