I need to breathe

[district12ravenclaw]

So since we have this nice new house (new for us) and a new baby, I decided to host Christmas at our house this year. With my family, Steve's family, and the three of us, that makes 9. Add my grandma, my uncle, and my cousin, and we have 12. Getting a little tight here. My aunt wasn't sure if she had to work on Christmas, but it turns out that she doesn't, so she's coming over too. With her family, that makes 17. I'm stressing a little.

But wait, there's more! My mom called me tonight to let me know that her cousin and her cousin's husband will be coming, and my piece of shit cousins will also be coming with their 2 babies. All in all, we're going to have 23 people at my house, ack! I'm having an anxiety attack just thinking about it. We don't have enough room for all these people, but I couldn't turn anyone away, it's Christmas!

Any party planners have any tips for me?

Comments

[lilferret]

The most I had was 16 for Thanksgiving 2 years ago. We host every year, but it's normally about 8-9 people...and every family brings at least one dish with them. We just cook the main dish and a few sides, and provide the pies and rolls, etc.

But our diningroom is set up perpendicular to the living room, so we were able to set two dinging room tables, a card table, and the outside plastic table up with tablecloths and there was room for everyone, extending into the livingroom.

If your backyard were bigger I would suggest some plastic folding tables and chairs, and some heaters...and doing it outdoors. *pout*

[stevesbabygirl.livejournal.com]

It worked great in our old house to put everyone outside, but our backyard is so much smaller here :(.

[lilferret]

....the shower's nice and roomy...

HEH

[t-marie-o.livejournal.com]

Do you have a big patio or anything? I alway throw people outside. Or for thanksgiving last year I put our couches outside to accomodate to long cafeteria style tables to run through our living room/dining room area.

Get creative. :)

[stevesbabygirl.livejournal.com]

Nope, no big patio :(. Our master bedroom sits on what used to be the backyard, so we don't have much room back there.

[jarm.livejournal.com]

Creative furniture arranging. Do you have any big pieces of furniture you can move out and bring in folding chairs? What are you serving? You might be able to do it buffet style and have them sit wherever they can find a spot. I actually prefer sitting on the floor so you might have some floor sitters. Good luck!

[stevesbabygirl.livejournal.com]

We might be able to move some big pieces. We're serving ham and tri-tip (so Christmas-y, I know :D!). We have hardwood floors, so I don't know if people will want to sit. Unfortunately, we have cat who has elimination problems, so we've never been able to set down a rug anywhere. But maybe we can just for that day.

[jenjunum.livejournal.com]

I'm jealous. A. Of the house. B. Of hosting a holiday.

Yes, make people bring things. You'll definitely need some card tables and chairs. Hopefully you &/or other attendees have some. Also, make stuff in advance.

[stevesbabygirl.livejournal.com]

We have our regular dinner table (seats 6), a banquet table (seats 6-8 I think), and a card table (seats 4) which is being used to hold my Rudolph village. We also have patio table outside, but Steve insists that he can't get it clean enough. Hmm...

[jenjunum.livejournal.com]

Take a Mr Clean Magic Eraser to it. And if that doesn't do it put a long table cloth over it. It sounds like you'll have enough space though especially since some of the people are babies.

[stevesbabygirl.livejournal.com]

That's not a bad idea!

[staciebratton.livejournal.com]

Good luck! That is all I have to give!

[stevesbabygirl.livejournal.com]

Haha, thanks!

[dukes-flygirl.livejournal.com]

I did that when Ryleigh was 6 weeks old..we had 19 of us (including kids) at our house for Christmas. I will only have my parents, my gram, my sis, my one BIL/SIL and their 2 kids and us 4 this year. You will find room for everyone, and it will be great!

Have others bring the sides, so all you really have to do is the turkey and stuffing!

[stevesbabygirl.livejournal.com]

Wow, 6 weeks old?!

[dukes-flygirl.livejournal.com]

I think she may have been 7 weeks old then, but yup! Crazy am I!

[dpangel33.livejournal.com]

I feel your pain, we're hosting this year too for both sides of family which means two separate events.

For Christmas dinner everyone is bringing a dish and we cheated by ordering a turkey from Dickey's. Now I just have to figure out where everyone is going to sit LOL.

[stevesbabygirl.livejournal.com]

The seating arrangement is the problem I'm having too. Food is easy, because we always assign to people.

[dpangel33.livejournal.com]

I think we'll end up borrowing a bunch of card tables and line them up in the formal dining. It'll be the only way to fit everyone without buying a new expensive table to accommodate.

[lmc00.livejournal.com]

do you even need a seating arrangement? wouldn't they seat themselves? tom's family is huge -- at least 25 people for every christmas, thanksgiving, easter, etc. no seating arrangements except for, if the kids need help eating, parents sit with their kids. that's it. it's worked fine. seriously, with everything else you have to worry about, i really wouldn't add this to your list of stressors -- honestly, let them organize their own asses! :)

as for other advice, sometimes buffet isn't the best way to go with so many bodies. if you can, recruit two other family members to bring stuff out from the kitchen, make sure it gets passed around, and then bring it back into the kitchen, there will be less movement and less chaos. it worked really well for us at thanksgiving.

good luck!!!

[stevesbabygirl.livejournal.com]

Well I guess we don't. With that many people, it would be impossible. We have a big pass-through in our kitchen, so I think the traffic control would be pretty good with that.

[rockysmomma.livejournal.com]

I have never hosted a party that big before so good luck! :-)

I agree though on borrowing a bunch of card tables and setting them up.

[stevesbabygirl.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[luvnu43.livejournal.com]

Ugh, it is like my Thanksgiving all over again. Although, I had 10 under 10, so maybe not so bad.

Do you HAVE to have a seated dinner? Can it be more buffet style? That way you can set up chairs but not necessarily tables.

I don't know about some people's families, but we are huge fans of TV trays. Using them meant we were all together, eating great food, having a great time!

Sorry, but I just can't wrap my mind around outside dining for Christmas!! (here, I am sure we could carve seats out of our snow drifts!!!)

Good Luck!!

[stevesbabygirl.livejournal.com]

We do have a few TV trays, so I guess we can bust those out.