Community Chat

[gidgetgh]

I am going to come from a different place here. 

Holidays are not about the food. Not at all.

If you are fortunate enough to have a family that gets together, it's about the gathering. Period. Whether you sit at one table or 4 tables or have turkey or ham or heavy appetizers only and everyone finds a place to sit in the living room watching a football game, it is the gathering that matters. All that other stuff is just stuff. 

Nothing else. In the grand scheme of life does all the rest of that manufactured angst really matter?  To me it doesn't. 

[millieshops]

@petepetey   Similar situation in my childhood home which was a gathering place for many extended family occasions, frequently 2 or even 3 tables.  

Of course the era I remember was the 1950's.  I don't remember any objections, but maybe because the alternatives were worse.  

The number of family who showed up for those occasions diminished only as the families moved too far away to drive in an era when it was mostly the wealthy who flew.  The rest showed up without anyone fighting for a particular table when good food and good talk were the goals.

[JeanLouiseFinch]

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@petepetey wrote:

Do you fit all of your holiday guests around one table or do you have more tables you use to create space for all?

My sister has a growing family of adults/babies. Right now christmas dinner will be for 12.

She only has one dining room table that she just bought and it seats 8 comfortably and maybe 10 if you squish. She refused at first to set up another table (card table type) and seat people at a nearby table. 

So, she thought she would opt out of a meal and just have walking around appetizers---For Christmas dinner, perhaps one of the best meals of the year.

My 91 year old mother calmly suggested she was not a fan of that and my sister opted to back down and have 2 tables. 

She just loathes the idea of 2 tables---like everyone in this country has tables that seat ALL of their guests in one spot.

Thoughts?  

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We had a similar situation for our family Thanksgiving, held on the 17th.  Our dining room table, fully expanded could not seat everyone.   DH and I decided to get two folding banquet tables and place them side by side on the long ends, to make a square, and we all sat together.  We used the dining room table, unexpanded, as the staging area for the food and served buffet style.  Yes, we were eating in our living room, but it was fine. 

[Isobel Archer]

On another note, I frequently host two or three tables of bridge - and recently did several tables for bunco.  These included lunch.

It is not nothing, in addition to preparing food, to also have to set up tables and chairs and even sometimes to have to move other furniture to accommodate the extra tables.

Is the OP offering to help with the setup and cleanup?

[Mom2Dogs]

We had a large family at one time...there were two tables... who has a room and a table to fit EVERYONE?  

We had a kids table - it was very close to the adults and everyone could chat and also watch/help the smaller ones.

[Jo1313]

My grandma used to cook for 26 people..all the tables linked together..it went from the kitchen through to the living room plus a kids table.

DH used to eat and run..he was an only child and couldn't deal with all the confusion..LOL

WE were a big loud Italian Family!

[beckyb1012]

We use two tables in two different rooms and the bar stools around the bar.  Only about 15 but no one minds not having the tables put together.  All we care about is the Family Food and Football.  My niece now hosts Thanksgiving instead of her Mom and she does the turkey and dressing and the rest of us bring items. 

We have a family link on Pot Luck .com with our names and what we are all bringing.  Last I looked other than the turkey and dressing my niece is doing their are 8 more sides coming and 7 desserts. The only thing I will not try is the cranberry relish, ugggg. 

My dessert plate will have a bit of all.  Favorite day of the whole year.  

[AuntG]

Very few of us have dining rooms/tables that can accommodate a large group. In my case, we'd need a table for 30. Our family rotates hosting holiday meals, and while we never skimp on the food, we "make do" on table space, using card tables, TV trays and so forth. 

[Seminole2]

2 tables!  For Thanksgiving we are having 9 and our table only fits 6.  We have other tables that sit 4 inside and outside.  OR we can set up card table.  As long as people are together I am not sure it really matters if there is more than 1 table.  People can mingle around with each other pre dinner and have fun and then eat!

[Marsha2003]

We served Christmas dinner for 30+ every year, so there were always multiple tables.  The oldest generation usually sat at the dining room table and everybody else sat at whatever table was available.  As one of the hosts, I usually ended up eating while standing because I needed to be on hand to refill platters and drinks.  Frankly, I'm so happy that the tradition stopped in 2020 and was never resumed.