8 coming for Xmas lunch, can only fit 6 round the table, and only 1's a child

[bbpants]

I'd REALLY like to do a proper sit down lunch but can't quite see how to make it work. 8 for dinner, space at the table for 6, only one child so can't have a kids' table.

So it's got to be some sort of buffet, but how to make it special?

Can you really squeeze in and do all the serving etc in the kitchen so you have more space on the table?

My dm brings in garden table and chairs to make extra seating space for Christmas dinner, just cover with festive cloth.

My dm brings in garden table and chairs to make extra seating space for Christmas dinner, just cover with festive cloth.

Would there be space around the table for more if it was bigger? If so could you get hold of a large piece of plywood to lay on top?

We have friends who used to have a small snooker table which doubled up as a dining table with a board on top. You'd need to have somewhere to store it though

Oh, Sanity beat me to it

Invite the guests you like least to an earlier event and poison them?

Oo thank you everybody. I am now wondering if we moved a set of shelving out of the dining area whether we could go down the 'adding a garden table' route. We would still have to serve everything from the kitchen as there wouldn't be much room on the table (might just about manage a veg dish).

Is the plywood option stable? (Disclaimer: I'm REALLY clumsy!)

Just seen your suggestion chantico - so very tempting!

If there's no space for a larger table top can you reduce the size of the seating by using stools in place of a couple of chairs? That way you could squeeze an extra one on each long side .

We used a wallpaper pasting table last year, to extend our usual table. We moved both tables into our living room instead of our kitchen diner, to have more space. It worked brilliantly. Nothing like a sit down meal with lots of people - a buffet doesn't come close!

We have a table that seats 4. Got 8 n a toddler. Patio furniture is coming inside!

What ever you do never buy a bigger table, we've had 8 fitting around a table for 6 for yrs, until last yr when we had 13 around our new table that sits 12.

If the table is actually for 6 you should be able to squeeze a couple more round it especially if it is oval. Otherwise plyboard on top.

If you got reasonably thick board it should be fine, but perhaps you could attach it to your table with half a dozen lumps of well-squidged Blue-tac to guard against jolts?