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

[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.