I just volunteered to host Christmas eve dinner - problem is . . .

[Whipperwhirl]

we leave for Disney Christmas day - I must be crazy. Whip

 

[alexis_fate]

Sounds like the crazy stuff I get myself into . Time will fly by while getting things ready for the big dinner though.

Tracy

 

[Whipperwhirl]

you're right - it might help - thanks

 

[alexis_fate]

It really does, this past month I have had something going on every weekend between birthday parties, Halloween, and family stuff. I almost feel now like it has snuck up on me.

Tracy

 

[DVCsince02]

Try a pot luck, or order it pre made.

 

[java]

Are you crazy?? It seems like a good idea now- when you are running around trying to pack and are doing dishes - not so good. BACK OUT NOW!!

 

[mamacatnv]

I did it 2 years in a row and several times over the past 10 years. We usually fly Christmas day since it is a great air fare day. 20 for dinner on Christmas Eve and departure for the airport Christmas morning, fly cross country to FL. Piece of cake

First - you must be packed and completely ready to go the day before Christmas Eve - I highky recommend earlier if you can pull it off.

second - Try and have dinner "early" so your house is not filled with people until midnight, we usually got everyone out of here by 10 p.m.

Third - if your kids are young figure out now how to handle the "santa" arrival. One year we got up at like 4 a.m. to open our Santa presents and head to the airport at 6....that was a long day

Dinner: Use fine paper china, have plenty of disposable containers to dispatch all leftovers since you won't be home. Keep dinner simple, we have a tradition: baked ham, carrot raisin salad, scalloped potatos, green bean casserole, green salad and rolls.

My family and friends bring the appetizers and the desserts and take all leftovers home.

Christmas is in the middle of the week. That leaves you the weekend to prepare. Don't go overboard on decorating the house. Clean the week before and then do a "sweep & swipe" the day before Christmas Eve when you are done with the packing.

Don't overpack. We now all have 1 duffle per person and 1 extra duffle for stuff to come home. If it doesn't fit in your duffle, it's not going. I line the duffles up on the dining room table and dispatch the family to retrive their 5 pairs panties, 6 shirts, 6 socks, 6 shorts, 2 bathing suits etc. They then bring it to the table and we load up the duffles. I now try and pack a full week in advance, then I don't stress and it helps me find the things that I forgot to pack.
When all packed, the duffles get stacked together in a pile in my bedroom with the cameras etc....ready for the cab to arrive. No one touches that pile, ever that is how DD's Brown Bear almost got left home one year......

Do the grocery shopping on Thursday or Friday to avoid the holiday rush. Spend Saturday doing last minute wrapping, errands etc. If you packed early and cleaned late in the week, now would be a good time to chill out and relax a little bit. Christmas Eve morning or the night before, get the food prepared, the table set and the kitchen cleaned up. Run the dishwasher and get it unloaded so it's ready to go after dinner.

When dinner is over, throw away the dishes, pack up the leftovers and all you have to deal with are the dishes from the actual cooking and their serving dishes.

It's not impossible, have a great time

 

[Whipperwhirl]

It's not impossible, have a great time

mamacatnv - What excellent and thoughtful advice thanks! I will use most of it - I can't back out there is no one else to do it.

 

[glesgalass]

I did it 2 years in a row and several times over the past 10 years. We usually fly Christmas day since it is a great air fare day. 20 for dinner on Christmas Eve and departure for the airport Christmas morning, fly cross country to FL. Piece of cake

First - you must be packed and completely ready to go the day before Christmas Eve - I highky recommend earlier if you can pull it off.

second - Try and have dinner "early" so your house is not filled with people until midnight, we usually got everyone out of here by 10 p.m.

Third - if your kids are young figure out now how to handle the "santa" arrival. One year we got up at like 4 a.m. to open our Santa presents and head to the airport at 6....that was a long day

Dinner: Use fine paper china, have plenty of disposable containers to dispatch all leftovers since you won't be home. Keep dinner simple, we have a tradition: baked ham, carrot raisin salad, scalloped potatos, green bean casserole, green salad and rolls.

My family and friends bring the appetizers and the desserts and take all leftovers home.

Christmas is in the middle of the week. That leaves you the weekend to prepare. Don't go overboard on decorating the house. Clean the week before and then do a "sweep & swipe" the day before Christmas Eve when you are done with the packing.

Don't overpack. We now all have 1 duffle per person and 1 extra duffle for stuff to come home. If it doesn't fit in your duffle, it's not going. I line the duffles up on the dining room table and dispatch the family to retrive their 5 pairs panties, 6 shirts, 6 socks, 6 shorts, 2 bathing suits etc. They then bring it to the table and we load up the duffles. I now try and pack a full week in advance, then I don't stress and it helps me find the things that I forgot to pack.
When all packed, the duffles get stacked together in a pile in my bedroom with the cameras etc....ready for the cab to arrive. No one touches that pile, ever that is how DD's Brown Bear almost got left home one year......

Do the grocery shopping on Thursday or Friday to avoid the holiday rush. Spend Saturday doing last minute wrapping, errands etc. If you packed early and cleaned late in the week, now would be a good time to chill out and relax a little bit. Christmas Eve morning or the night before, get the food prepared, the table set and the kitchen cleaned up. Run the dishwasher and get it unloaded so it's ready to go after dinner.

When dinner is over, throw away the dishes, pack up the leftovers and all you have to deal with are the dishes from the actual cooking and their serving dishes.

It's not impossible, have a great time

PLEASE can you adopt me? I'll be very good, and I'm a great baker! pretty please?

 

[Jenn]

We did the same one year. We were flying up north on Christmas Eve to spend the holiday with my DH's family, so we did Christmas Eve Eve (the
23rd) at my house with my famly. We did chinet plates, an easy meal, and they all took home the leftovers. We opened gifts with my family that night, took off the next morning. Santa arranged to have the gifts at Nanny's house up north.