You’re cordially invited to our first ever Christmas dinner! There were 15 people here in total (and 4 of them were under the age of four) so it was lively and our house felt full in the best possible way. Not only did we not set the house on fire, we didn’t even burn the ham. Cue the collective sigh of relief. Actually, although we’ve hosted Clara’s birthday party last year & the year before (oh yeah and our wedding) they were all outside – so this was the first time we’ve had a big inside gathering. I kinda went into it worried that we’d be bad hosts/wouldn’t have any fun, but it was truly awesome. Really. Not just saying that. We had fun pulling out a few simple and affordable stops to make everything feel festive without spending much money/time – and we even learned a few tips along the way (aw yeah, there’s gonna be a bulleted list up in here). In summary: it wasn’t that scary. Plus I got to break out my cloth napkins. Not gonna lie, I’m a giant nerd for that.
Oh yes, and that chandelier in the dining room is new so we have to spill those beans soon. In the meantime, let’s focus on the party. I played around with a few different centerpiece ideas (three different feather trees = too tall & face-blocking, a group of silver candlesticks = not enough color) before finally landing on this little trio.
Nothing was too tall to block the view across, but thanks to the little white feather tree, some fresh flowers (which John surprised me with after a grocery store run), and a very special homemade reindeer, it was casual, fun, and most of all meaningful for the family. See, that reindeer was actually made by John’s late grandfather, so everyone who saw it commented about how great it was to have him with us at the table.
And since the stuff in the middle of the table didn’t take up much of a footprint (our whopper of a round table is 72″ across) there was still plenty of room for all the serving dishes to be set down and for food to easily be passed around.
Maybe my favorite part, besides getting to use our cloth napkins (you guys remember Sue, right?), was something I literally whipped up in the last thirty minutes before everyone showed up: the DIYed “placecards.”
I thought some casual place cards to help people with seating might be nice (I like to be told where to sit at parties so I don’t commit some accidental faux pas and sit in the wrong place), so I plucked a few nice glossy leaves off the magnolia tree in our front yard, rinsed them thoroughly, and scribbled every guest’s name on one with a gold sharpie paint pen that we already had in our craft drawer. Total time spent: six minutes. Seriously, I looked at the clock.
As for how the seating worked, we had seating for eight people at our dining table (we alternated between white bentwood chairs that usually live in the living room and four of our normal dining chairs so everyone had some nice elbow room) and three more spots at the nearby kitchen peninsula, while the little kids sat at the kids table that we set up behind them. They even had little crayons and color-able place mats (thanks Dollar Spot at Target) which kept ’em seated for just a few minutes longer so we could all scarf a little more food.
Update: And as for the people at the peninsula, it ended up just being our 14 & 12 year old niece, who were happy to be at “the cool kid’s table” (John’s sister ended up tending to a restless one-year old, so she offered up her spot at the table to me since I had planned to sit at the peninsula to be near the kitchen and grab things for people). I just scarfed my meal at the table and then Katie came in and got to sit down and enjoy hers. Three cheers for staying flexible!
Here’s a better shot of the kid’s table (minus the last two chairs that we brought in right before everyone showed up). I think they had the best spot, right under the chimney. It seemed especially appropriate for Christmas.
Oh and in the “practical tip” category, I quickly jotted down this note for the hall bathroom since we have a dual flush toilet button (more on installing that here) which tends to confuse people sometimes. Nothing like a little note to make you confidently exit the bathroom instead of slinking out stammering “I hope I pushed the right thing!”
But now that you’ve seen the table all set up and ready for guests…. bring on the food!
Our family always does pot-luck-ish gatherings for major holidays, so John and I covered the ham, a few appetizers, the beverages, and some dessert while family members each brought along their specialty side dish (which meant we ended up with sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, homemade gravy, a cheese plate, and a yummy broccoli-cheese dish). Oh and see the platters and bowls? I set them all out when I set the table a few days in advance (it was easy to count what was coming and make sure we had the right container on hand for each item). Then it was just auto-pilot when it came to setting things out that night when people arrived.
As for where we got stuff, the serving platters/bowls were all from HomeGoods, purchased over time (I got 2 large rectangular dishes last year, 2 large square bowls the year before, etc). It was actually pretty surprising that we didn’t have to buy any extra serving stuff (the largest “dinner thing” we had before this has was eight people and we ordered pizza sans silverware – so it’s safe to say we’re no pros). But even things like the old green Pottery Barn runners have been ours for years (we used to break them out in our first house) and the little reddish cups were leftovers from Clara’s party. Use whatcha got, right?
Gratuitous bar-cart shot. Mad Men, it’s not – but it was fun to break out secret book project #5 (the cart) just for the practicality of serving up things like apple cider, ice water, soda, flavored seltzer, and wine (that got broken out after this photo was snapped).
We debated putting a tub of ice on the bar cart or even placing everyone’s glasses there, but in the end we just set the table with the cups at each person’s plate and left the ice in the ice maker and everyone seemed to have no trouble grabbing their glass, getting ice if they wanted it, and pouring themselves a drink. We must be a family of do-it-yourselfers, haha.
For dessert we had homemade cookies, ice cream, and an awesomely chocolatey yule log. Here’s Clara and her cousin John demonstrating that sharing holiday spirit. I love her chocolate-sauced face and how John opens his mouth while feeding her.
It wasn’t all place settings and food-scarfing. There was definitely a lot of kiddo fun, like this reading session in the corner of our living room (are Todd’s socks not fantastically festive?).
And Clara logged some quality time with her older cousin Jake.
We also exchanged presents after dinner. Here I am in the background beaming at John. It was awesome to have everyone over at our house. I was dorkily giddy the entire time.
Ah, the beautiful chaos of gift-opening. The kids were so excited about every last book, shirt, and toy that they received. It was very sweet.
And speaking of the kids, here they are all lined up on our couch. That’s Jake and Olivia on the left, Ben’s in Olivia’s arms, and then there’s Emanuel, John, and Clara. The fact that no one’s crying? Unexplainable. But priceless.
And since I promised you a bulleted list, here’s what seemed to work well for us when it came to prepping/hosting this dinner gathering:
- Food Plan In Advance. About two weeks in advance we planned the menu (in general, we prefer to break all bigger “projects” down into smaller bite sized tasks and tackle them over time – you know, instead of freaking out at the end and having to toss everything together in a mad dash).
- Set The Table Ahead Of Time Too. About two days in advance I set the table. Since I knew what we’d be serving and what family members would be bringing I could set out the right amount of large bowls, large platters, smaller bowls, etc (once again, doing this ahead of time was a nice way to check off some other boxes before the day of – and to help me sleep better knowing more had been accomplished).
- Remove Bad Bait. The morning of the party, I sifted through all of Clara’s toys for anything that might not be all-kids-friendly (ex: delicate dollhouse furniture that Clara’s gentle with but another kiddo might not be, anything big/heavy that could be lobbed at another child, anything that kids could fight over like one rolling cart that everyone might want at once). I tried just to leave things out that all 4 kids could play with together (like the big box of duplo leggos, Clara’s kitchen full of play food, and her train board – since they all have enough “moving pieces” for everyone to share).
- Lock It Down. All of those items that I systematically removed from play were shoved into the playroom, which is also full of other not-kid-friendly items like piles of furniture and accessories that are waiting to be refinished. Then, for peace of mind, John and I just locked the playroom door so no one could run back there and get hurt or grab those out-of-play toys while we were distracted in the kitchen or dining room. Worked like a charm.
- Allow For Last Minute Touches. In the final hour I added those personalized leaf place cards, so I was glad I had some time to putter around instead of not being as prepared in advance (which probably would have led to “why isn’t there more time?” stress when I couldn’t execute those last minute ideas).
- Take Precautions When You Can. We didn’t want to be hosts who worried about stains & spills, so we removed the rug that usually sits on the floor in front of the fireplace (nothing like a kid’s table sitting right on top of a light colored rug) and stashed it in the playroom. We also set out white & silver paper napkins at the kids table (not bright red/green ones) since a few helpful commenters explained how those can stain if people use them to scrub a spill in a rug, curtain, or carpet (the dye can bleed and make everything worse).
- That’s it! But there are tons of other awesome tips in the comment section of this post. Y’all are smart.
Hope you all had the happiest of holidays! Did anyone else host? What did you serve? Was there dancing and caroling or just eating and gift-exchanging? Did you break out the cloth napkins? Did your children spoon feed each other desert? Do tell.
Update: You can check out all of our favorite holiday decor finds here – many of which are under $15!
Jennifer harrup says
Sherry, I’m surprised you didn’t “tell people what to do” on your bar cart!! Haha but seriously Petersik Christmas looked fabulous, thanks for letting us e-crash :-)
YoungHouseLove says
Hahaha I should have!
xo
s
Janet says
Wow – beautiful! Congrats on your first and VERY successful Christmas host! I think you mastered the biggest tip of all – staying relaxed and enjoying your own party. Nothing beats a relaxed host and hostess to set the mood. Well done! I will take some of your tips for my next “gig” I am the Easter hostess of the family – 35+ peeps – wish me luck! I better start stuffing the eggs for the hunt now!!! That task always does me in at the last minute. Happy New Year!
YoungHouseLove says
Lots of luck!!
xo,
s
Rachael says
Random question, I noticed no one was wearing shoes. I know you guys are take your shoes off before going inside kinda people, but what is your policy with guests? Or is it different because its family? I always wonder this after that infamous episode of Sex and the City :)
YoungHouseLove says
We have a little mat by the door where we put our shoes and people usually take the visual clue and just follow suit. It was wet and rainy that day so I think people were especially kind about taking off their wet shoes :)
xo
s
Mary says
Love the chandelier! I just wish it was DIY since I have two pendants I’d love to do something like that to.
I think it’s funny that you seemed nervous about hosting some family members but don’t seem to mind at all having thousands of strangers viewing your home daily. I’d be much more nervous about the latter!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha! I just pretend we’re talking to ten people on the blog so we don’t get stage fright. Works like a charm!
xo,
s
Kim Wethe Rily says
Plus, you can’t crop things out of the picture if someone’s actually there!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha! True!
xo
s
hannah says
love it- looks like a great time, beautiful and family focused. plus, is that Richard Scarry I see? One of our favorites!!! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Yes we love him!
xo,
s
tammie says
We are a shoes off house also. I was wondering where do you put the guests shoes so it doesn’t look like a big ole pile of mess in a perfectly decorated house?
YoungHouseLove says
We have a little mat by the door (in the laundry room where people come in) where we put our shoes and people usually take the visual clue and just follow suit.
xo,
s
EHS says
A cold glass of “sofa” sounds good right now.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha! Sounds refreshing, right?
xo,
s
Ang says
We had 28 people on Christmas Eve – lots of planning but it went off without a hitch!
One thing I started years ago is making a “party notebook” – just a list of food, who brought what, any special setup we did, how much, and then make notes after the party of anything I would change (“2006 birthday party – 8 pounds Italian beef – waaaay too much!”). So when I went to make pork roast this year, I looked back to the last time I did it at the holidays and had notes on what type to buy, how I prepared it, etc.
YoungHouseLove says
Really smart!
xo,
s
Karen F says
such a great idea!!
Ali says
Someone else may have asked… but is that a toy plunger on the table when Clara’s being fed dessert? Haha it might be something else, but that caught my eye and seems like there’s a good story behind it!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s a cute little stacking toy. Without things on it it looks like a plunger though! Ha!
xo,
s
Alyssa says
LOVE that y’all are excited by place settings. I make some every year even for my parents, grandparents and I. We always sit in the same spots but it’s a little homemade moment.
Also-LOVE the chandelier. With big oodles of jealous love.
Genevieve says
I’m a nerd about the cloth napkins also. Glad it went well. Thanks for sharing!
Hanna says
Everything looks AMAZING! Excellent job!!! And can’t wait to hear about the chadelier… I spent a while Ooohing and Ahhing over the ceiling shadows. :)
YoungHouseLove says
Wahoo! So excited to spill the beans!
xo,
s
Kathleen says
So enjoy your blog! We hosted 13 adults and 5 youngin’s under the age of 8yrs. We also wanted a sit down meal which we managed around a farmhouse table extended with the addition of a table that seated 8. It was a LONG table but everyone was in on the conversation including the lil’ ones! We had potlucked it as well and it was a feast. I get anxious with table cloths since spills are inevitable so we laid out plain brown butcher paper the entire length of the table scape. It gave the table a real homey vibe and looked warm against all the candlelight (I’ve accumulated mercury glass votives from Homegoods over time as well so seeing it all grouped at the table was perfect). We also assigned seating and i went with small black chalkboard placecards – writing in white which looked pretty against the brown paper. My girls also put out several glasses of assorted crayons so everyone (not just the kids) could let out their creative energy at the table. It was fun checking out everyone’s doodling at the end of the meal, not to mention that cleanup was super easy!
YoungHouseLove says
That sounds so fun! Love it!
xo,
s
Kelly says
Great Job! Everything looked beautiful! Just one question though – I love how everything looked coordinated with all of your white serving pieces. But with a potluck, in my experience, people bring their contribution in their own serving dish or casserole – how did you handle that?
YoungHouseLove says
We just had bowls and dishes on the table that I transferred things to. In ever case it seemed to work – especially since people brought disposable plastic containers and aluminum pans (maybe it’s just a normal occurrence to transfer things in our fam?). We just tossed it on the pre-set-out plate or bowl that we had on the table, and it all looked nice and simple :)
xo
s
Tracy says
So beautiful! I just recently created the same orb type chandelier! http://creativehomebody.com/orb-chandalier/
YoungHouseLove says
So cool!
xo
s
Cassidy says
I just love how festive everything looks! I wish I could have eaten there! ;)
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Cassidy! Come on over!
xo
s
Briel K. says
At my parents house we hosted about 32 people for Christmas dinner! We were cleaning and cooking all day but it was a lot of fun in the end. We made a turkey, ham, beef brisket, and pork loin and then everyone else brought the side dishes and desserts. So yummy but we had a ton of leftovers, even with all those people.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!
YoungHouseLove says
Wow, that sounds awesome Briel!
xo
s
cbb says
Looks great but no. Turkey?
YoungHouseLove says
We tend to do turkey for Thanksgiving and ham for Christmas. Although in my family we have Italian Christmas! So there’s lasagna and meat sauce and spaghetti!
xo
s
Kim Wethe Rily says
Looks great! I think we might have to add a kids table next year since we had 5 kids 6 and under this year. They should be out of high chairs next year.
I totaly noticed the instagram pics. Also, the link for your napkins isn’t working. The link is, but the youtube video says it’s not there. (Remember Sue?)
YoungHouseLove says
Aw man, it’s just the Brady Bunch theme song that we embedded. Maybe the person who originally uploaded it deleted it?
xo
s
Margaret Marchi says
You mentioned locking the playroom door–but I’ve noticed that in the US interior doors can’t usually be locked. Did you install special hardware?
YoungHouseLove says
Most doors here can be locked from inside the room and have a little hole in the knob that you insert a tiny long key into and it pops open from the outside of the room. So you lock it from behind (just lock the back of the knob and pull it closed while outside the room) as long as you’re sure the long key is out of the room with you (so you can open it again later) it’s all good!
xo
s
Nichole K says
A teeny-tiny flat head screwdriver usually does the trick too if you can’t find your key. Our builder left the “real” key on top of a random door frame if you don’t seem to have one.
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, ours are all on the tops of our doors :)
xo
s
Paige @ Little Nostalgia says
We hosted my parents and sister, making for a grand total of 5 people. Which is actually not even the most we’ve ever fed, but it was still our first time hosting a holiday. My biggest tip is to get all of your cleaning done a few days ahead of time. Then you can focus on making things pretty.
Looks like you guys had an awesome time!
Nichole K says
I think I spy a chevron pillow look-alike for anyone coveting Sherry’s Christmas present :) Limited quantity alredy though! https://www.jossandmain.com/Preppy-Pops-Dana-Pillow-II~KX3138~E2910.html
Kiki says
After many years of the same holiday traditions, I think it’s safe to say that we’re do-it-yourselfers(sp?) too when it comes to family gatherings. And I love that you are, too! Looks like it was a lot of fun! :)
Alice says
Love the chandelier. The ceiling looks awesome with the light reflection. Can’t wait to read that post.
RJ says
Just curious ~ did you color block your Christmas tree? It looks like you have all light ornaments/decor on the top half and darker colors at the bottom. Am I imagining this?
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, here’s that post: https://www.younghouselove.com/2012/12/its-beginning-to-look-a-lot-like-christmas-2/
xo
s
Meredith says
It’s so nice to see your house getting all of the other kind of love (in the form of family as opposed to in the form of DIY projects). Everyone looks so happy and comfortable. My mom’s rule for hosting is that if you make people feel welcome and give them enough to eat then you’ve done your job successfully. Looks like a wonderfully successful Christmas! :)
YoungHouseLove says
I love that rule!
xo
s
Bonnie @ the pin junkie says
Your holiday table and decorating look FANTASTIC! I’d also like to say a big THANK YOU for showing it actually being used! I’ve seen so many pretty pictures of decorating ideas that look nice, but aren’t functional.
Wishing you all the best in 2013!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw, you’re sweet Bonnie, thanks! And happy 2013 to you too!
xo
s
Kari says
Looks like it was a wonderful Christmas! How did Burger handle all the kids and chaos?
YoungHouseLove says
He did great! He generally really loves kids (and adults alike) since they drop the occasional scrap for him. Haha!
xo
s
Jessie H. says
Dual-flush toilets are the norm here in Europe, so color me confused when I stumbled off the plane, jet-lagged and 6 months prego, to find a bathroom and had no idea what to do with the buttons. Eighteen months into living here and I still find a new style here and there!
Happy New Year!
YoungHouseLove says
So funny!
xo
s
Heather says
Clara must be really good about not touching things for you to be able to set your table in advance! No way would a set table survive with my two-year-old around!
YoungHouseLove says
Yeah she’s pretty good about that. She asks about things and points but I just told her those were for the party so we had to wait. Just like the presents under the tree that had to wait for Santa. She was sold :)
xo
s
Susan says
Well done, you three! I think that God blesses us with these houses and talents so that we can share them with those we love.
We have my hisband’s grandmother’s handmade round table and I could never go back to any other shape. It came with a wonderful lazy Susan in the center that makes serving a breeze. We love it. That would be a great DIY for you to tackle.
Happy New Year from South Carolina!
YoungHouseLove says
I’ve always dreamed of a giant lazy susan for the table! That would be awesome!
xo
s
Christy says
Looks like a wonderful, happy get-together. By the way, my daughter uses cloth napkins every day, even with 2 little ones – she gets them at the thrift store for cheap!
YoungHouseLove says
Love that!
xo
s
Amber says
Love the “Cars and Trucks and Things That Go” cameo in one of the pictures. Is that every 2-3-year-old’s favorite book, or what? :)
YoungHouseLove says
It’s the best!
xo
s
mp says
Ben’s gotten big! The last photo I saw of him was in his tiny days.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, he’s such a big boy!
xo
s
Ruth in NZ says
Sherry…Can’t believe that you uswed the drinks cart and missed the opportunity to “tell them what to do!” I know what you mean about the paper napkins thing…I was at a party once…white carpet…blue napkins…spilt lemonade…not pretty. Have a great New Year.
YoungHouseLove says
Hahahah, you know I love to tell people what to do!
xo
s
Scott says
Shout out to Jake for repping VCU! GO RAMS!
Anne G. says
What a beautiful family! I noticed what looks like a new colorful pillow on the grey chair in the photo with Jake and Clara. I LOVE that pillow! Can you do a quick post and tell us about it and where it’s from?
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, that was one of my presents from sweet John! We have to write up a post all about what we got each other. Soon I hope!
xo
s
Kara Ayers says
Love your idea about removing toys that might not be good for all or are prone to a fight…Seemed to be the missing step for us this holiday season! I have a 2.5 year old and she has more than 10 cousins so I’m still learning:)
Jess says
It seems odd to have a formal sit down meal where 3 adults (or even older kids) are exiled to another seating area, however nearby. Did they mind it? Seems like they wouldn’t really get to be as much part of the party. Maybe it’s just my bias because I grew up in a family that didn’t even believe in a separate kids’ table but I honestly find it sort of rude to make people sit elsewhere. If it were a more informal, grab food from a buffet and mill around type event, that seems totally fine but for a formal sit-down thing? I’d mind if I were stuck in the kitchen….
YoungHouseLove says
Oh no, there are older kids here too (age 14, 12, etc) so they loved sitting at the peninsula. They’re cooler than us adults anyway ;)
xo
s
Anastasia says
You keep defending it by saying that the older kids sat there, but there are only two older kids and three place settings. That means an adult must have had to sit there too. Who got the boot?
YoungHouseLove says
We had planned for either myself or Sherry to sit there with Jake & Olivia at the peninsula so we’d be close to the kitchen in case anyone needed anything. But then my sister’s one year old son was restless, so she and my brother-in-law tag teamed their dinner (she nursed him in our bedroom for the first half of the meal and offered Sherry her seat at the table). So Sherry scarfed her food and then Katie, my sister, sat in her spot at the table. So that meant only the two older kids ended up dining at the peninsula. We just don’t like posts to be ten pages long, so we leave out the “my sister was nursing” details. Hope that makes sense.
-John
Mauresa says
Okay. Little John feeding little Clara might just be the most adorable thing ever!
katherine says
The note on the flusher cracks me up. It can be awkward explaining that thing to new friends – we have one too.
Joanna says
The tip on the note for the dual flush toilet is such a good idea! Over Thanksgiving, someone actually unscrewed the round knob on our toilet…
YoungHouseLove says
Oh no! Someone once sprayed our diaper sprayer thinking that might flush it! Haha!
xo
s
Sara C says
Looks like a success to me!
Someone else may have already asked this, but is there any particular reason you waited till Christmas to use your cloth napkins? If you love them, you should use them!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh I break them out every once in a while (for nice meals with J, whenever we have a few friends over for something casual) but I think I should use them even more. Thanks for the encouragement!
xo
s
Kathy says
Is your tree ombre??? L.O.V.E. it!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks! Here’s that post: https://www.younghouselove.com/2012/12/its-beginning-to-look-a-lot-like-christmas-2/
xo
s
Kathy says
No idea how I missed that post! I read all the time! What a fabulous idea! I hope ombre is still just as awesome next year, bc I’m so stealing this idea!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much :)
xo
s
Ryan says
You have some observant readers! I was reading the comments and cracking up over everything pointed out in the comments.
On a similar note: I love that new freckle on John’s cheek! Totally adds a much-needed POC. :)
I hope you had a Merry Christmas and have a great NYE. Glad to see you guys are taking more time away and enjoying the fam.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha! Nothing gets past you guys!
xo
s
Sarah says
Wish I would’ve known that handy tip about the napkins. I spilled watered down Sprite at my Aunt’s on Christmas Eve. I grabbed a red napkin and yep – made it way worse. Oops.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh no! Hope it all came out!
xo
s
Maribel says
I’ve learned over time to put away toys as well. I leave out only trains and tracks, blocks, books and coloring books. I love to have our “little” visitors but don’t care much for picking up puzzles pieces and other miniature toys… Ya know what I mean.
Blythe says
Your toilet note made me laugh – are dual flushes not common in the US? I can’t even remember the last time I saw a single flush here in Australia. Happy Christmas, and happy New Year too, it’s 2013 here in Australia now!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah, I’d say that they’re really rare here. Maybe 5% of homes and restaurants have them? Hoping they catch on more!
xo
s
Meredith Joens says
Looks like a pretty awesome cozy family Christmas! We had my hubs’ immediate fam over the day after Christmas for our present giving and stuff. Our house is JUST too small to have them all at tables… I wish we had more room for things like that, but at the same time, We don’t have that many people ever very often, so casual couch/lap eating seems to usually work! Great job on your first big Christmas guys!
Pepsi Alice says
You’ll have to make sure John’s mother knows that she’s the star of your blog post with her lovely candy cane sweater! Happy holidays to all of you! :)