How many is too many for Christmas dinner?

[Mommabear20]

This is for in the future, not during covid!

DH and I are hoping to buy our first family home this year and now we have our DD (6 months old) and are excitedly expecting our second baby next summer.

Yesterday was the first year we stayed home by ourselves for Christmas Day as we have always been to his parents in previous years, and as much as I loved yesterday with just our daughter, we missed the craziness of being around family and have decided when we move (because our current house is tiny so simply not big enough for more than 2 guests), we want to invite our families over for Christmas dinner, however he says just parents (5 as my parents are separated and 1 has remarried), but I'd love to invite parents, siblings and partners and kids, which would total 17 people. Is that too many?
YABU - 17 people is way too many!
YANBU - 17 people sounds good!

Presumably you're talking about 7 + your 2 children or 19 + your 2 children for people to feed and water in total? As 5 when there's four of you would only be one extra?

21 in total would be pretty hard to fit into most houses, I don't think we would have room to all sit down. We have this many for new year but that's a buffet job so easier to manage.

What would you do about table space?

YABU - I have 8 max usually and that is plenty. 17 fine for a big buffet but a hell of a lit for a hot lunch I think.

A large succulent plant for DD1 (19).

Bubble Tea making set for DD2 (16)

Thor’s Hammer for DS (9)

Also cashmere socks for my mum were a big hit.
They all had more expensive presents than these but these were particularly popular.

Sorry. Wrong thread!

You also need to take into account serving utensils, crockery and glassware. We bought a double set of everything, and keep the second set in the loft. Not a bad investment, because we can tolerate a lot of breakwater before we will have to replace anything (and we bought it all in sales).

Formal sit down is likely to be not fun above about 12-14.

My grandparents used to manage large groups by having adults vs. teens vs. children's tables. Toddlers (me) at high chairs nearer the adults.

Nowadays Aunt hosts up to 70 people for Christmas and it's a huge buffet event.

One side of the family is fine. Every 2 years we have 16 adults, 6 kids, it’s a squeeze but we all get on and know our roles.

I personally wouldn’t mix both sides of the family at that level of chaos.

As a child my mother used to host for the whole family between 20 - 24 every Christmas. It was a lot of work, but my mother loved cooking and all the aunties helped out with the cooking. My dad and uncles used to do all the washing up (pre dishwashers).

I had lots of fun being with my cousins, very happy memories.