To ask you for your best party planning tips?

[verybookish]

Posting here for traffic and also because with Christmas almost upon us this might be of interest to others!

I am throwing a christening party for about 30 adults and 10 children at my place. I don’t want to break the bank but I also want to make an effort as some are traveling internationally to be here. And because I feel that being a good host is important. The party will start at noon and finish around 3.

Things I am worried about:

• how can we entertain the children (most of them toddlers) so that they don’t cause havoc?
• how do I keep from all 40 guests from squeezing in the space between fridge and sink in the kitchen as seems to happen most times I entertain at home? ( the house is big, there is plenty of space, but often guests seem reluctant to use it)
• what do I do with 40 coats?
• how do I make sure people eat and drink without me having to run around like a headless chicken, filling up people’s glasses and plates (initial thoughts are a drinks bar and putting food out throughout the house and asking some family members to be ushers of sorts?)
• would it be a good idea to have a time outline of what will happen when (welcome, drinks, food, desert, speeches) to share with dh and ushers to help with the momentum of the party or would that be utter madness?
• food will have to be eatable standing up and without cutlery. Any bright ideas?
• I will also be hosting family from abroad that weekend. How the hell am I going to keep them, as well as two little people happy whilst getting them house ready for a big party?!

Remind me again why I through this was a good idea...

My tops tips are to designate one room/a space for the kids and hire an entertainer.

Set up a generous bar and let people help themselves.

Non messy crafts for kids - paper and stickers, pipe cleaners etc in one room, preferably with a tv so you can stick on a dvd if they get bored.

Buy a cheap coat rack for one room for everyone’s coats - can get them in ikea for a tenner.

Food - nice frozen canapés you can just stick in the oven then put on trays, and a decent cheeseboard people can help themselves to. Get responsible older kids or family members to circulate trays and bottles.

Have a timeline if it helps you relax!

Be prepared for people still to be there HOURS after 3pm or have a plan to get rid of them - suggest all going out for a brisk walk?

Little gift bags for the DCs with windmills, little book/toy/bubbles and they get it when they arrive. If you have a garden, throw the DCs outside with a designated adult.
Agree with PPs about finger food or/and leaving food on tables with a bar/drinks corner.

If it were me I'd just lay all coats on the biggest freshly made bed in the house.

The kids - separate room if possible. Agree with colouring, stickers etc. Could even run a few competitions and give out prizes?
If you can stretch to hiring someone in the keep them occupied, then even better!

Food I would collect from the likes of M&S or Morrisons if there's one near you. Sandwich platters, quiche, party eggs, coleslaw, prepare a salad and get their mini desserts. Lay it all out so it's less steer. Then Buy paper plates and disposable cutlery and the jobs a good 'un! You can get some really nice chrome looking sets these days.

Drinks bar as pp suggested and let guests help themselves. Giant buckets outside is a good option with ice and water in to keep drinks cold. Fridge space will probably me needed for food!

It's going to be stressful enough as it is so do whatever you can to ensure you get to spend as much time as possible with your guests on this important occasion.

Point your guests from abroad to a nearby attraction and make them take your kids.

Set food and drink out on buffet table in the sitting room/dining room and leave people to help themselves. It’ll keep them out of the kitchen, too.

Children: set them up in a separate room (bedroom?) with a despicable me dvd.

Coats: on bed

Food: buffet food. Nice bread, cheese, cold meats (you could roast a couple of large joints the day before),salmon (either poached or smoked, salads, baby roast potatoes.

Or if you want something warming do a large vat of chilli (one meat, one veggie) with rice and all the trimmings. You do need cutlery, I admit, but only a fork and it can easily be eaten standing up. If you make it mild but have bowls of chopped chillies to sprinkle over then it will be fine for the kids, too.

As other posters, simple activities for the children, I get the older children to hide chocolate/sweets in the garden then treasure hunt, pens, pencils, dvd at the ready. Coats in a bedroom.

Food: warm nibbles to pass around, cold buffet food on table. I do cold pork/ham (roast the day before) two different salads, dips and crudités, smoked salmon, cheese board, bread and pate. Could you borrow knives and forks from someone? Warm food, pigs in blankets, supermarket pastry nibbly things, garlic bread, etc. You could do bread and pate bite sizes, quiche, pizza, smoked salmon blinis and sandwiches if you don’t want to use cutlery. Leave a cheese board, fruit, bread and crackers on a table for people to help themselves.

Drinks: first drink we serve, then it’s help yourself or dh goes around topping up glasses.

Tidy up but don’t bother deep cleaning (apart from toilets/kitchen), no one will notice and you’ll just have to do it all again once everyone has left. Make sure you have plenty of toilet roll, spare wet wipes for toddlers and turn the heating down. I have no ideas about how to get people to spread out, people naturally gravitate towards the kitchen in our house!