I want a Christmas table

[Wishmas]

I don't have a dinning table . I have no room for one. Not even a folding type. We normally eat dinner on our laps. But I would love to have a Christmas dinner table with everything nicely set out. I did look into hiring a table but it's expensive. I look on amazon at folding picnics type tables but they are quite narrow. And time I find chairs that will work it will probably be expensive. I need to seat 8 people. In reality it's for 1 meal . But I just wish it could be nice at a table.

Can you give us an idea of your floor space/furniture layout? Do you rent or own? House or flat?

I rent . I have floor space to have a dinning table up for 1 meal. But no where to keep it longer term . As I said in my post not even a folding 1. And it won't get used apart from that 1 meal

Is there any budget to buy one from marketplace / charity shop, then donate back to them? It could be cheaper than hiring one depending where you're looking to hire from!

Market place or simlar . I don't drive people just go for who ever can pick up .

Charity shops are expensive now

Could you borrow a garden table from a friend/ family for the day or use a low coffee table/ pallets and cushions on the floor as a one off ?

Ask on a local Facebook or WhatsApp group if anyone can rent or lend you a suitably sized table (and chairs).

Have you looked at any charity shops?

This should just seat 8. My dining table is 90cm square and extends to 180cm by 90cm and you can fit 3 people down each side and one at the end when extended. Then it folds up and you can store under the bed or somewhere when not needed. With a festive table cloth no one will care when it’s like underneath! https://www.amazon.co.uk/Denny-International-Folding-Catering-Camping/dp/B01HO768TS?ref_=Oct_d_obs_m_28967748031_0&pd_rd_w=N6kW0&content-id=amzn1.sym.3b0c9418-445c-46b0-b352-cf2708caae04&pf_rd_p=3b0c9418-445c-46b0-b352-cf2708caae04&pf_rd_r=E8NHEPTT066EZGKZYJJV&pd_rd_wg=4hj9j&pd_rd_r=e68c435f-55e4-4092-9517-5bacd6b2eb6a&pd_rd_i=B01HO768TS

I did look at something like this but then I would need chairs as well . I will need 8 and to make sure the height is right thryvwould need to be folding to.

Worth asking at your local church or community centre - quite a lot of them have folding tables and chairs for when people hire the hall for events. They may well be prepared to lend you a table and chairs over Christmas

I think asking on a neighbourhood group if anyone has something like a folding table and chairs you can use for the day. Maybe someone has a garden table packed away for winter in their shed they would lend you. Maybe post on Olio too.

Could you ask everyone to bring a chair, or buy some stools which are probably cheaper than chairs?

Oh @londonmummy1966 thats a good idea!

I'm assuming you have Dc as you say "we eat". Where do they do their homework? It might be easier to look at two small foldable tables rather than one larger one. Of the 8 people, are any young children?

What about two folding tables that store the chairs inside. Then store one in a bedroom and the other in the hallway.

I thinks it’s definitely worth asking on Facebook to see if someone could help out. You never know someone might have just the thing sitting in their garage not being used this year.

I would probably set on fire if i went in a church 😔

Local scout group or similar??

How about a paste table with a nice table cloth over it. Try to source some folding chairs x

Do you have any friends or relatives who could store it for you? You can get folding chairs relatively cheaply - either online or at office auctions - to go with the folding table or a paste table as a PP said.

ETA - or stools.

Wooden crates/pallets? Can make it all rustic with twine and burlap etc or could cover in lovely tablecloth and velvet ribbons?

I’m sure you’ll be able to get hold of them cheaply or maybe for free and can then sell on afterwards if there’s no way to store them for next time. Have a look on Pinterest at wooden crate wedding ideas and see if anything might be applicable.

Your post is very woe is me. People have given you suggestions and now you need to be proactive. If the post was just a space to rant then that's fine, loads of people will be in similar positions.

Two wallpapering tables, set up side by side rather than length ways, covered with a nice table cloth.

IKEA stacking stools are a fiver https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/marius-stool-white-90184047/#content

We bought IKEA trestle legs for £6 each and 2 table tops which we bolted together and we bought light folding chairs and we're able to seat 12 at that table.
We store it in the attic but as it all comes apart you could slide it under a bed or behind a sofa etc.

Covered with a table cloth it's perfect and was an inexpensive solution. We've used it absolutely loads over the couple of years we have it

I get it OP. It's annoying to not have the space to have proper furniture.

But you'll drive yourself crazy and spend money you don't have trying to find solutions that don't quite work, all for the sake of one dinner.

I'd accept you're eating on your laps until you can move to somewhere with room for a dining table. It's not the end of the world. Or tell everyone you don't have the room to host and someone else will have to.

I don't know what woe means . But to be honest probably is just a moan . In reality there's no point in making a fuss over one meal. Its not like I'm having actual visitors it's just me and kids/adult kids they won't care