OH GOD - WHAT WAS I THINKING

[hoarsewhisperer]

OK, I'm oficially stressing now. We have invited a few friends round for drink on Saturday which has got a bitout of hand and is now something liek 40 people coming. Our house is not massive.

Anyway- we are planning on clearing all the toys out of the playroom (3meters by 5 meters), removing one of the chairs from the sitting room and taking the chairs away from the dining room table so that there's room to move round it easily. (sitting room/dining room were two rooms originally - now one open plan) AM now thinking maybe i should put the blasterd table in the garage for the night. The farking tree takes up a massive amount of space as dh wanted "a big one" and it's like 7 foot..which means its quite wide as well.

We've organised wine, champagne, beer, and will be having mulled wine too. Re eats was planning to do some dips with crudites, some smoked salmon blinis, some goats cheese on bruschetta, mini sausages and the usual nuts and so on. Have got the neighbours daughter coming to help out (paid teenage help). SHould I just put the food on the side table, or should I get her to do rounds with the stuff?

ANy suggestions for me to make it extra special. i always stress before these things, and I'm sure that once everyone has got enough rocket fuel down them, they'll all have a great time, but i feel a bit paniced.....

Push the dining table against a wall and use it as a food and drink station. Put out plenty of glasses and plates and let people help themselves. Refresh drinks and food as required. Make sure everyone knows where the loos are and get the helpers to keep on top of the washing up and rubbish removal.
Have a glass of bubbly about 30 minutes before everyone arrives and keep topped up throughout the duration...

well how about inviting me hunni?

xx i'll make it special, i like parties

Trust me, I am an inveterate party giver. All you need is:

• plenty of booze
• plenty of nibbles (wouldn't worry about circulating if it isn't a large room)
• some music - cheesy Christmas CD (Mariah Cary, Bing Crosby etc!) perhaps?
• most importantly - a relaxed hostess!

People don't come to these things expecting you to entertain them. They want to have a few drinks and chat to friends.

I don't think you need to do any more than you have already planned. What time should we all be there?!

I can't push the table against a wall as there's a sideboard on one side of the room and a piano on the other side...thought if i removed the table i could maybe use the sideboard for the food......would a night in a cold and damp garage spoil my lovely table?

We've hired 30 wine glasses, 30 champagne flutes and 30 beer glasses and will probably just bung all that on the kitchen table to keep itout of the way....

arghhhh....I need to declutter my house...tonight!

Do you think people are ok with the concept of traipsing upstairs to put their coats on the bed in the spare room?

Darlings....you are all welcome to come...if you can make it to Holland by 7.30 pm on Saturday!

We are having drinkies on Sunday has worked out at about 50 people from 2pm
We will have moved the diningroom table to one side and I will have all the drinks out in the kitchen - we will serve to start with then it will be self service.
I am going to lay the food out in the dining room but then ask some things to be circulated.

We are serving winter pimms and non alcoholic punch as well.

Extra special could be little deserts - I think M&S & Waitrose do mini deserts cheese cakes and chocolate eclairs and stuff.

We have quite a few children coming so in the study I am setting up some games - buckaroo - Kerplunk - lego etc.

DS1 has his train set out at the moment in his bedroom so some of the children will probably be in there.

People will take their lead from you so if you are relaxed and enjoying yourself they will too. Light some smelly candles - drink some bubbles and relax!

just dont ask people to take their shoes off before they are in the door or at all actually..

x posts didn't realise you were in Holland & that it was in the evening ignore the kids stuff & M&S recommendations!!

we have wooden floors, so no problems with non shoe removal....that's more my mothers style!

I am planning on lying to my chilren about the time, so that they are in bed already by the time everyone is there...luckily they are too young to tell the real time! (I am mean!)

Jen - I think you are incredibly brave having children too.....last time we did that the house looked like a war zone afterwards from 10 children under 6 running amok....the hyperactivity levels seem to feed off each other!

The best drinks parties are always a little crushed. No point in having 3 people standing by themselves in a room.
Have a great time!

HW we have gone for daytime with kids as it was the best way of catching up with friends - evenings seem to be filled with babysitter issues or previous engagements (even though we started talking to friends about it in October)

The kids will be fine - they will eat too many snacks run around like loonies then go home and sleep!

Most people will make their way home around 6-7pm but we are expecting our friends without children to stay into the evening.

Hope you have a lovely time

you too! I'll be horribly hung over just as you are getting started

Ooooooo, I'm in Holland (Den Haag). Where are you?

Gooise Vrouw territory!

How long you been over here?

4 years already. How about you?

ten!! Well and truly stuck...married a cloggie and have children. I like it here though, but it took me a long time to settle. speaking the lingo really helped.

have to dash - need to go sit in the usual traffic jam on the a1 for the next hour now! i;ve been wasting time at work on here all afternoon as it's so dealthly dull....

CAT me, or send me an email if you fancy a chat to hoarsewhisperer at hotmail dot com..