House Warming Party Planning- tips and ideas please

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Hi
am a busy workng mom of two (well lazing on a week's holiday in Mallorca hence why I have time to even post) and am planning our house warming party for October.
I would love to hear your help ideas tips and suggestions to make it easier for me.
i am hoping to employ our babysitter to help supervise my two kids so I can be a host rather than just be mad mom running after kids.
i would love to make it an early afternoon start so we can have famllies during the day and more couples staying on through the night,
Food- we would prefer to do hot food as the weather is likely to be colder up North
We have lots of freezer capacity
I amy be able to borrow a few people to help and as it will be my friends, there are bound to be some offers of help in serving and providing food.
So help, keeping friends entertained, kids entertained and in the whole food malarky
And I like thai and spicy food and am happy to cook loads. Just want to enjoy the party too

There will be at least 40 people and a mix of age ranges
we have a large garden

I had a party for about 50 recently and did this - scroll down for Donnie Brasco recipe

Its a real showstopper, its very easy and isn't massively expensive as its a cheap cut. I did a whole shoulder - it only just fit in the oven, cost about £35.

I served it with rolls and apple sauce.

I also did little sausages for the children, a sushi platter and some very large crevettes with a Thai dipping sauce.

For puds I did chocolate brownies, my friend brought a choc croissant pudding, a lemon and passionfruit cake and a berry platter with cream.

You can make pancake batter ahead of time, to make pancakes on the night, to serve with sour cream and dill, smoked salmon, etc...

I always do curries and stews for big groups like this - you can make in advance and freeze or even just in the morning and leave ont he stove all day. Whichever is easiest for you.

I normally find it's better to do at least two or three different things though. So perhaps a lamb stew (ie no chilli), a chicken curry (some heat) and then some kind of vegetable curry/casserole option as well.

With lots of bread and savoury rice. It always goes down well and also allows people to eat at different times as they want to.

If you are not inviting the neighbours, do inform them that there will be noise. It is amazing how much more tolerant of noise people will be if they know in advance.

Given it's October- how about a little Oktoberfest...

Each year we have about 25 people over at this time of year. I get a variety of good, meaty sausages (some flavoured, some not) from the butcher, make home-made baked beans, jacket potatoes, bread and sauerkraut. Put lots of pickles, chutneys and mustard on the tables. Ask people to bring beer (or be generous and provide some...)

Easy peasy and you could easily do enough for 40.

Kitsch oompah music optional!

Good luck with your party. We'll be doing the same in November, so may be asking for some advice then :)

thanks loads, like the ideas especially mixing type of curry. Also telling neighbours! though they will be invited, but may not wish to come

Oh, damn!

Forgot to tell neighbours!

Have forgotten, actually, to introduce ourselves to neighbours.

Definitly cook curry or somthing in large pots. This frees up your oven for breads or a handy thing is a big tray of baby potatoes. Par boil first then throw into deep baking tray with onions, peppers,etc good glug of olive oil and butter. Put either chilli sauce or some herbs whatever you prefer over them too.

As you're kind of thinking of having two sessions, make sure you have enough food for two, possibly three (depends on how late you're expecting it to go on) feeding times. Do you have something like a hot tray you could put the food out on? Or else are you going to have it on the stove - you then need to make sure the kitchen's ready.

If people are willing to bring food - maybe ask them to bring their signature salad/dessert and then also provide lots of baguettes for people to munch on.

For drinks, as it's going to be cold, you could do a big thing of mulled wine (yay! Mulled wine season's returning!) and maybe a hot cider.

For the garden - could you have a fire later in the evening for people to sit around/toast marshmallows on? You could even use your BBQ if you possess one.

lots of lovely ideas everyone, thanks. I like that idea for the little baby potatoes. Will have to try a dry run first. a fire would be nice too but we will have little ones around so we will probably put lots of candles in lanterns out. I am ok now with food for adults I think I have a plan. It is just the kids I need to sort next. I was thinking 3 feeding times, one for kids about 4ish, adults about 6 and then a late night session for the serious party people around 9