Hosting Christmas NCT gathering

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Our NCT group have been rotating hosting which has included nice BBQs and sit down dinner (lunch) parties. There’s 6 couples. My husband volunteered us to host a Christmas get together in November but we have one of the smallest houses in the group and the babies will be 6 months old so most crawling by then.

I think cooking a Christmas dinner will be too hard and we don’t have the space for everyone to sit around a dining table.

We have a kitchen with an island, 6 seater dining table and a couple of arm chairs. Then a separate living room which has a two 3-seater sofas. We’ve hosted around 20 people in the past but it was a summer gathering so put food out on the island, opened the patio doors and people spilled out into the garden. But this number seems more difficult as we tend to all sit around together as one group when we get together but neither room allows enough space!

Also struggling to think of what the “focus” of the afternoon can be - please can you share ideas?

I feel like it’s too awkward to back out!

Mulled wine and Christmas canapés/nibbles/buffet would be great. No need to sit down and you can serve them to the island. Make it a bit more lively with an area set up for the babies?

Babies In the front room, parents spread between both and food on the island to be served buffet style. Focus on Christmas sandwiches - salmon, roast chicken and garlic Brussels (yum) with slaw and tiny roast potatoes - easy to plate and yum. Then
choc log and fruit cake for pudding. I would come.

no one cares about house size - two rooms is great. Have fun!

This! The babies will be leading things as they'll all be off in different directions anyway, by the sound of things. Mats on the floor, arrange seats facing inwards to the room, facing any floor space, wherever people can perch. If you're feeling adventurous you could theme each area! Personally I'd beg, steal, or borrow as many big floor cushions/floor mats as you can. With the best will in the world it's where everyone who can will end up...👶

A Christmas cookbook here will be your friend. Just lots of Christmas after dinner stuff like pan forte, flavoured shortbreads, apple cake and the like.

Search on here for Christmas Picky Bits and you will have loads of ideas.

Have a Secret Santa, a bit of tinsel hanging from the light fittings and you are done.

Have a packet of baby wipes in each room used for easy cleanups.

A buffet would work well as parents can eat on the move which will be essential with babies of 6 months old. Just something they don’t need to sit down for with a knife and fork. What do others serve when it’s their turn?

Christmas buffet! Roast a turkey and cut into slices, some Brie, cranberry sauce, baguettes, maybe some stuffing, cocktail sausages or pigs in blankets (you can never have too many of these), a nice big salad, apple pie and custard, Christmas cake or Yule log type thing. People can eat where they like, or wander. Something mulled - wine for the non drivers, AF cider for the drivers/non drinkers.

We did this when our babies were six months old. Secret Santa sat on the lounge floor with gifts for the babies. Otherwise we just all chatted, it was great. Relaxed, buffet, Prosecco. Don’t overthink it, enjoy!

I agree with a buffet because if you had a sit down meal, everyone would be up and down seeing to their babies, or struggling to eat with a baby on their lap! So easy picky bits that can be eaten on the move.

If the babies will be six months old then most won’t be crawling so that should make it easier

Lots of good suggestions here already. Sounds like you do have quite a spacious area and would be doable - the question is do you actually want to do it ? Just because others have hosted (clearly when babies were younger and not on the go and could all just cuddle them the whole time ) doesn’t mean you have to. Free yourself and use your no if you actually don’t want to do this - life is hard enough or ask your DH to sort as he volunteered you 🤣.

I love socialising but I’m not a hoster and certainly not for 12 people and each of their babies! I’m always happy to contribute when other people host whether it’s a dish or money but it’s just not for me. If this was me I would be looking at getting a function room somewhere or a local church and taking picky bits over. Ofc if you do actually want to do this then use some of the tips above !

Yes def don’t cook a full roast for 14 plus 6 babies. It’s nightmare for you cooking, for lack or table and 6 high chairs.

Like others said invite over for casual afternoon around 3pm. Muelled apple, muelled wine, Xmas biscuits, mince pies, cheese and crackers.

also then it doesn’t matter if someone is late due to baby napping, or if a couple want to leave after 30mins as baby screaming only. Etc

If you wanted to do proper food a large vat of veggie chilli / rice / guacamole / tortilla crisps help yourself then sit where you like. Hosts did this at weekend for 25 in decent size but not enormous house and worked v well. And is cost effective

Especially as it’s November so you have option to have autumnal vibe rather than actual Christmas

Out of ten babies, none were crawling at six months (half weren't even reliability rolling) and only two were crawling at seven months. Think it's unlikely that they'll all be mobile. Also sounds like you have loads of room! Agree with doing it buffet style and letting people plonk wherever.