Is this too many people for Christmas?

It's not doable unless you can provide more tables and chairs.

I don’t even think it would be ‘fun’ with that many, it’ll just be a chaotic mess from start to finish- awful.

If you can seat everyone for dinner then it’s not too many, otherwise where will people eat.

My aunt hosted a similar Christmas, we all chipped in £50 and she hired some tables and chairs (for 28 people) and turned her long living room into the dining room. Everyone could then sit and eat for dinner.

After dinner we just drank, mingled, sat on sofas / on the floor, stood to chat. It was a mixed bag but It was fab. As long as you can seat everyone at the same time for Christmas dinner.

I would recommend getting hold of a hostess trolley, they are a godsend for these large family meals.
My DH made a bigger table top from a piece of 8x4 plywood sheet fitted to sit securely on top of the existing table. We used to seat 14 comfortably that way. Every seat we had was used and we had a few folding chairs kept in the shed for this

Do all these people know they won't all get a seat, there'll be 32 people crammed into the room and no proper dinner?

That will likely result in the number going down. Sounds absolutely awful.

@thebradybunch This sounds really and sweet! I'd love to attend. Do you have room for one more? 😂 I'm great at cooking and helping out

My husband has a large family like this and they actually hire a hall for their christmas meal, they all take charge of the starter, main and pudding and all help out in the kitchen.
This would probably be the best idea for your family. There's no way I would have that amount of people round to eat if we couldn't sit together.

Do family live close by? That will help as heating stuff up plus cooking in a single oven is hard.

Are you close to your neighbours and are they around over Christmas? Could ask if you could use their kitchen?

Also, think about practical things like cups, glassware, crockery, cutlery. Serving platters. Label stuff not yours. Fridge space. Maybe ice in a bath for drinks??

Have someone (older teen?) in charge of games for kids- get them out of the house. Pre lunch treasure hunt near by??

Oh and I think you are absolutely bonkers to agree to this. But it will be an experience to remember!!!

I couldn't do Christmas for that many. I have seated 10 and could seat 12 at a push, but I like a proper Christmas dinner and that means seats round a table to me.

That is only my preference though... Other people may be happy with a buffet type arrangement where people eat where they can, when they can, that seems like an awful lot of work for the host/hostess to me. My way is a lot of work beforehand, but once dinner is served I can relax. The older grandchildren clear the table between courses and at the end of the meal and the adult children wash up/fill/empty the dishwasher. My DH deals with any leftovers. I sit in my chair and allow it all to happen.

Be realistic about the work that is involved, how many seats you have, whether you have enough p!ates/cutlery/glasses or whether you will use disposable, who will be clearing up, who will be replenishing food and drink etc. Then decide on what will work for you.

From experience it's too many. Last year my dsis hosted for 21 people- 15 adults and 6 dc. Everyone brought specific food- one did the hams, one the turkey and stuffing, one a roast beef. Dsis did the sides. House was big enough to sit everyone around tables. Myself and dsis served the food. By the time I sat down to eat most people had finished. Then we served deserts, then later cheese boards etc. Then the clearing up 😭. Didn't get to just chill and it didn't feel like Christmas. This year I'm having it at home. I think 10-12 is max I would want.

It's a lot! I think its doable if you have a decent amount of space, have they all been over at once before?
I think it would have to be a buffet, and I'd get some decent quality disposable plates, cutlery foil trays, and glasses. No one wants to spend Christmas night/Boxing Day dealing with the cleaning up!

You're going to need some emergency chairs lass!
😆

And definitely a buffet! No need to stick to what's perceived as traditional! All rules out the window!

😂. It’s a semi but I’ve a long kitchen diner that usually has one 6ft dining table in. I put another 3x6ft trestle tables in for Christmas. It’s quite cosy and the last table goes up once I’ve taken the turkey out as I can’t open the oven otherwise!

Yup! Unless you have the room to seat everyone around the dinner table AND enough comfy seats in the living room at least for all the adults you won't enjoy it, no matter how well you all get on

And you are going to have a newborn yourself too? Recipe for disaster IMO and you are braver than I would be!!

It might be an idea to turn one of your bedrooms into a quiet room. Low lighting and soft music. That way children and adults alike can go and chill for a bit as and when they feel like it. It's good to have a bit of downtime.

32 people!!

That's a whole school class worth of people that you're attempting to feed what's already the most stressful full-on meal of the year.

I don't think this can work for a Christmas dinner. More of a pot luck buffet thing and it will still be crowded / crazy.

We hosted 24 family members 2 years ago & I cooked the traditional Xmas dinner

We have foldaway table & chairs which can seat 16 & we used the kitchen table which seats 6 for the kids
It was a LOT of work but it was OK.
I won't do it again, at least not for a long time but I'm glad we did it & dc loved it

I think it's too much unless you are used to hosting this many people and the type or person that really enjoys it. Personally I would find this stressful.

I like a big busy Christmas. But not as a sit down meal instead we have a buffet. Everyone brings a dish (host organises who brings what) and we all throw in money for drinks - usually £10 per head for those drinking and £5 per head for those not drinking. We aren’t huge drinkers - maybe a couple of glasses of wine, a glass of fizz and maybe a mixer but there is always plenty. And any left over is shared out/sent home with host keeping any open bottles.

You will need to make sure you have enough chairs (I rented from a local village hall - I think I put £30 in their fundraising account to borrow 20 chairs from 23rd Dec until 27th Dec (those dates were just what the key holder could do).

Good luck - hoping you enjoy it.

I would consider that many for a buffet style party, but not a sit down dinner

Do you mean the newborn will be yours OP? Bloody hell, rather you than me! Surely someone else can host this year?

Do you live in a Manor House?!!!

This is absolute madness.

Especially if you don't have seating, crockery, cutlery etc for that many people. That's not dinner, it's a party. I'd look at booking out a church hall or something.

my first thought to be honest! how big is your oven OP? 😂

If it was me, I would make it a christmas buffet no way a sit down.