40th party at home - lots of ideas needed please!

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Have decided to hold 40th party, at home. House isn't huge (front room has 2 settes for 6 people), biggish conservatory to put food plus about 8 chairs in, dining room for dancing in. Thing is I want to invite about 35 adults and 20 kids! Do you think there'll be enough room? I'm thinking lots of the kids will go upstairs and play on the Wii etc, at any given point 10 or so will be dancing, half a dozen will be milling around in the kitchn and one will be in toilet! Do you think this is too ambitious? We have doors that lead onto patio, but probably will be too cold in feb. also, how much food/booze would you think necessary? never really done this before so have no idea. thanks you lot - i know some wise and wonderful person will put me straight

We have had 40th parties at home in the winter for both myself and DH. Both times we hired a marquee to butt straight up against the house, with a heater (can he hired from HSS). This enabled us to have 80+ guests. It cost around £200 - marquee hire companies are quiet in the winter and often prepared to cut a deal. Does your house have only one toilet, if so you may want to get a portaloo? Had canapes for my 40th but had more time and money than sense. For DH's 40th (post children, and I had a broken arm at the time), cooked a couple of salmon, made some salads, ordered a ready cooked ham from the Real Meat Co and a good cheeseboard.

But actually the main thing for a party like that is to achieve critical mass - and 35 adults and 20 kids sounds like critical mass to me - and have enough booze (1/2 bottle wine per head should be enough if most of the people at the party have children, otherwise allow up to a bottle and get it on sale or return. If you run out of food you can always send out for pizza.

Have a good one!

I am doing exactly that next weekend for my 40th! I'm actually 40 tomorrow, but party is next weekend. I have said adults only for a start. Love the rugrats and hate to do it, but its actually gone down rather well with the parents! I will gladly give you some do's and don't's once I know what they are!

thanks guys. unfortunately we can't have marquee up to the house as the garden as there's a small patio then steps up to the lawn. good idea about ordering salmon/ham though. be nice to go a bit posh for a change! Maureen - many happy returns for tomorrow! would love to say no kids, but unfortuantely most of my close friends struggle with babysitters, so wouldn't be able to come otherwise. am hoping ds who's 5 will conk out about 9.30. dd is 11 so will party the night away without too much trouble. are you having just friends or family? as dp and i aren't married we've never had the sort of do that you have at a wedding, so quite tempted to invite elderly relies too (sure they won't stay too long tho) Any more advice much appreciated.

We had about 30 people at ours (adults) in a house that sounds similar to yours. We found we had loads of room in most of the house as everyone crammed into the kitchen ! Only about 5 at any one time were dancing & no one sat on the sofas !! I think the number of kids at yours sounds the biggest challenge, especially if you will need a referee to keep the peace !

Oh god no! Never mix family and friends! Friends only. Apart from my brother, who is a friend now!

We're keeping food really simple. Canape style stuff, that can be picked at. There's not enough room for everyone to sit with knives and forks. I've done a huge playlist of music from my best clubbing years. No current stuff at all! I've put it all on a memory stick that I'll just play through the USB port on the stereo.

I have a couple of smokers coming, so I plan to borrow nextdoors patio heater and put a couple of deckchairs outside for them.

Drink wise our friends never come empty handed! However, I plan to buy 2 boxes each of red and white wine and 2 crates of beer. I know that will be plenty. Plenty of ice in the freezer and I might fill up a box with ice and stick it on the patio with extra cold drinks in.

Go, we had the patio and steps too, they did us two marquees and hung a tarp over the gap - do check with some local companies as you may be surprised what they can manage.

I am so glad not to be the only one hiring a marquee in January!! I too am having my 40th party this weekend - Its 80's fancy dress. I am having daily panics about numbers of people coming. Have about 60 ( all adults ) -no family, aside from sister and brother in law.

Have ordered Sainsburys sandwich platters and cake ones, am planning to do the rest of the food on the day. All cold - its only really nibbles to soak up drink!! as party doesnt start till 8.

Have allowed a bottle each for wine drinkers and 6 beers each. Also a few smirnoff ices and bicardi breezers. All music is on the ipod (8o's classics) and have an amp.

I am getting posters made with 'relax' 'frankie says' etc on them.

Cant think of anything else!!

I do loads of parties at my house and I either order party platters from Sainsbury or M and S or I do it myself keeping it simple, my modus operandi is always the same

a poached salmon (cooked in the dishwasher LOL comes out perfect)
a cooked joint of beef
a cooked ham
various salads, rice, potatoes, french bread
cheeseboard
fruitsalad and/or shop brought cake

Believe it or not it is easier to cater yourself. The problem with shop brought platters is that in the shop they are stored in huge walk in fridges and we only have small ones at home - so - someone obviously has to leave the party to go and get the platters because they can't be collected early and left standing around for hours.

We're doing a party in a few weeks for dp's 40th. We're having about 20 adults and about 8 children. I'm doing the usual cold buffet stuff but then, for later, a huge pan of veggie chilli and rice, with all the "trimmings". Entertainment-wise we're doing fancy dress, with prizes; a quiz; the Wii and a DVD for the kids. Drinks wise I'm allowing for 4 or 5 lagers each for the beer drinkers, or about half a bottle of wine each; I'm also doing Pimms, juice etc. This is an afternoon party though, so 'm banking on quite a few people driving and not drinking!

I'm having a similar worry about the number of chairs but am banking on establishing dp's retired parents in seats and letting everybody else perch as and where they can.

Sending out for pizza later is actually a good idea!!!!

nametaken - how do you cook a salmon in the dishwasher? Would love to know.

You will always have a good time with a house party because its your best mates and everyone always brings booze!

I can't for the life of me remember who taught me to do it this way but all you do is wrap the whole boned fillet (you know, a side of salmon) in foil, put it in the top part of the dishwasher (clean dishwasher of course, no dishes or detergent LOL) and put the normal cycle on (not the glass one or the saucepan one).

I kid you not it is the perfect way to cook salmon. No-one ever believes me till they try it.

Thats brilliant. I wonder what else you can do in there!!