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Post by bigbundt on Nov 13, 2023 14:49:29 GMT
Usually we just set all the food on the kitchen counter/island and we walk around with our plates loading up and then go eat in the dining room. We use our everyday white plates and glasses.
I'm wanting to do something different now that my kids are out of the little kid ages and we are only having six people. Like actually setting the table with the china and cloth napkins. Trying to decide if I want to have the food on the dining room table and we pass it around or have a nice buffet table set up with chafing dishes or different heights.
What do you do?
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Post by lbp on Nov 13, 2023 14:56:16 GMT
I do buffet style. There is usually anywhere between 9- 15 people and it's easier than passing everything around.
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caangel
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,478
Location: So Cal
Jun 26, 2014 16:42:12 GMT
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Post by caangel on Nov 13, 2023 15:12:43 GMT
We pass everything around. This year my mom is hosting and we'll have almost 30 people. Everyone contributes.
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Post by Linda on Nov 13, 2023 15:14:18 GMT
we're usually just a small group 3-6 people so I always set the table with china and a tablecloth and candles and put the dishes on the table to be passed around. I have a nice sideboard - maybe I'll try setting the dishes up there instead as a buffet and see if we like that?
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Post by auntkelly on Nov 13, 2023 15:30:01 GMT
I think whatever you decide to do is fine, but personally, I love to get out all my good stuff and prepare my table for a holiday meal. I’ve found, however, that I only enjoy it if I start getting the table ready at least 24 hours before the actual meal. That way, there’s no rush and I can take my time and enjoy setting my table.
I use all my nicest things on holidays-china, cloth napkins, stemware, etc. I buy a centerpiece at my local grocery store or order one from a florist.
If I have a big crowd, I serve buffet style. This year, we’ll only have six, so I’ll put all the sides on the table and we’ll pass them. My husband (who makes the turkey) will walk around the table with a platter of turkey and each guest will serve themselves from the platter. Then my husband will place the turkey on the buffet in the dining room and guests can help themselves to seconds.
I always offer dessert at the end of the meal, but everyone is always too full. After the meal, my husband and I do a quick clean up and then join everyone in the den to watch sports on tv. We don’t do the big clean up until after our guests are gone.
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Post by aprilfay21 on Nov 13, 2023 15:33:34 GMT
We're a small group, at least 7, sometimes to about 12. We set a table up and eat family style and pass around. Once the first eating session is done it's moved to the kitchen and people snack buffet style.
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pantsonfire
Pearl Clutcher
Take a step back, evaluate what is important, and enjoy your life with those who you love.
Posts: 4,762
Jun 19, 2022 16:48:04 GMT
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Post by pantsonfire on Nov 13, 2023 15:37:20 GMT
We place items in bowls and on plates. Turkey is sliced with dark and white meat on separate sides of a serving platter. We sit down and pass food.
When cousins were younger parents would fix their plates to make it easier when we sat down to eat.
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pantsonfire
Pearl Clutcher
Take a step back, evaluate what is important, and enjoy your life with those who you love.
Posts: 4,762
Jun 19, 2022 16:48:04 GMT
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Post by pantsonfire on Nov 13, 2023 15:38:56 GMT
As for clean up, we do that after people are done eating. I help my parents. Once the area and food is cleaned up we offer dessert. Then after everyone leaves we stick around and help my parents clean up more.
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Post by Tearisci on Nov 13, 2023 15:39:01 GMT
We have Thanksgiving at my sister's and there are usually between 12-15 people or so. She has a small house so everything is put by the stove/counters and we all dish up our own plates.
When I had a large house, I would host and set the table as that is how I mostly grew up. I had enough room for people to eat at the table instead of wherever there was room. I miss those days but my time for hosting is pretty much done and I just go with the flow now.
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Post by workingclassdog on Nov 13, 2023 15:45:44 GMT
Buffet style.
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lindas
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,168
Jun 26, 2014 5:46:37 GMT
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Post by lindas on Nov 13, 2023 15:46:07 GMT
If I have the whole family (14) then it’s buffet style, everything in chafing dishes to keep it warm on the kitchen island. For just 6 of us then it’s on the table and passed around. I set the table with the good china and cloth napkins. For buffet style instead of the plates on the table I have charger plates so it still looks ‘set’.
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Post by essiejean on Nov 13, 2023 15:46:53 GMT
We usually don't have more than 10 - if all my kids/grandkids are with us. So the 8 adults sit around the dining room table and the two grandkids eat at the breakfast bar which is just on the other side of the island that holds all the plates of food. That island separates the kitchen from the dining room so it works great to keep all of the serving plates there until we are ready to pass around the table. Once passed they go back on the island and everyone just helps themselves to seconds.
I also enjoy setting a decorative table with my china & stemware with some sort of center piece. It makes me happy! My kids on the other hand gripe a bit because that means hand washing after dinner. But they are all troopers and pitch in with the clean up.
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kelly8875
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,391
Location: Lost in my supplies...
Oct 26, 2014 17:02:56 GMT
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Post by kelly8875 on Nov 13, 2023 16:15:35 GMT
The last few years for me have been buffet style. We put a couple more popular dishes on the table (turkey, potatoes, rolls) but everything else is on the stove/counter. It's only a handful of us, so it's easier.
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Post by cmpeter on Nov 13, 2023 16:32:58 GMT
We set the table and all food is placed on the table and/or on a sideboard table.
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Post by scrapmaven on Nov 13, 2023 16:37:08 GMT
I'm proud to say that in all of my years on this planet I have never hosted a TG. We go to dh's cousin's house and it's all buffet and very casual. Everyone brings food and it's a huge mix of food from various cultures.
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Post by littlemama on Nov 13, 2023 16:40:18 GMT
It is only 4 of us, so most times, I try to fit everything on the table. The kitchen counter is right behind my spot at the table, so sometimes I will put a couple things there.
We use Chinet platters or divided plates usually. Holiday meals cause enough dishes, so we dont use regular plates and I dont have China
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Post by padresfan619 on Nov 13, 2023 17:06:25 GMT
I have a small dining table so I put all of the food on a buffet table next to the dining table and we do buffet style. There’s only six of us so it’s quick to go through and sit down. When I was a kid we had a lot more people and a way bigger dining table so we passed everything around.
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amom23
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,338
Jun 27, 2014 12:39:18 GMT
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Post by amom23 on Nov 13, 2023 17:17:16 GMT
We usually do buffet style. It's just easier that way.
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Post by Basket1lady on Nov 13, 2023 17:23:46 GMT
It varies with how many we are hosting. Smaller groups are served at the table, larger crowds are done buffet style. If I serve it buffet style, I still use all my good serving dishes.
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Post by birdy on Nov 13, 2023 17:48:29 GMT
We have a fairly large island. I set everything up so people grab their plate and walk all the way around to fill it. I find it easier and it keeps the table roomier than having all those dishes all over the place. People can just get up and go get a refill when they want one without bothering someone to pass something.
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Kerri W
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,772
Location: Kentucky
Jun 25, 2014 20:31:44 GMT
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Post by Kerri W on Nov 13, 2023 18:10:22 GMT
We usually have 20-25 people and sit at multiple tables so we do buffet style using the kitchen island. If I had a smaller group I’d love to sit at the table and pass dishes.
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Post by Scrapper100 on Nov 13, 2023 18:36:55 GMT
We have always hosted but are a small group. I did a buffet in the kitchen and then dishes that I only used for Thanksgiving. This year it will just be the three of us. It will probably still be buffet style but I won’t be keeping the food hot for as long so it won’t be as fancy a set up not that it was really fancy but there will be less serving containers to wash.
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Post by Delta Dawn on Nov 13, 2023 18:38:30 GMT
We used all the best dishes, the good cutlery, the nice crystal and ate at the dining room table. It was lovely.
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Post by wordyphotogbabe on Nov 13, 2023 18:41:07 GMT
We serve regular meals family style at my parents' house, and my mother does use her china.
We have more food on holidays than will fit on the table so everything is set up buffet style. My mother loves a good seasonally-coordinated paper plate & napkin combo so we use those on holidays.
We only have 8-9 adults, a toddler, an elementary school student, and a teenager in attendance.
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Post by twistedscissors on Nov 13, 2023 18:46:15 GMT
We usually have 25-30 people. Buffet style and paper plates and forks. I’m not washing anymore dishes. I have enough to wash with the prep work and cooking.
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styxgirl
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,878
Jun 27, 2014 4:51:44 GMT
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Post by styxgirl on Nov 13, 2023 20:09:14 GMT
We set the table pretty with a table cloth and I try to get fresh flowers on sale and arrange them. I have some really short glass flower holders and I get some floral foam to put them in then. you can easily see over them when they are on the table. I also add real taper candles to make it really fancy!
THEN, we use PAPER PLATES! hahhaaaa!! We serve the food buffet style from the island in the kitchen. There are already enough dishes from cooking that we don't wanna have even more! ;-)
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Post by 950nancy on Nov 13, 2023 20:23:19 GMT
When DIL II showed up, she wanted the meal in the dining room with all of the good china. I am glad she did, it was nice to have a formal meal again. We do have all of the food on the table while we eat. We only have 6 of us, so it is pretty easy to accomplish.
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Post by dewryce on Nov 13, 2023 20:29:55 GMT
We just have too much food to set it up on the table, even when it is just DH and I. We have a 9-ft built-in in the dining room so we set the food up there using our china and crystal serving pieces save for the food that’s kept in the baking dish. Unfortunately, those are the french white classic Corelle while our china is ivory. But once the food is in everything it still looks nice and I’m just not willing to pay hundreds of dollars to replace what we’d need right now. Usually appetizers are set up on our bar height counter. It’s done nicely as well, and we use our small china plates for serving. We don’t have small linen napkins yet so I just get some nice bar napkins out. And I love a beautifully set table. For Thanksgiving we typically use our wedding china, crystal, and silverware, glass chargers, Granma’s silver salt & pepper shakers, linen napkins with a few decorative crystal/china pieces here and there like small floral arrangements, votive candles, etc. Google Thanksgiving table and there are tons of great ideas. Have fun with it! Usually I will get both of these set out the night before, including any floral arrangements all the way down to serving utensils and unobtrusive hot pads. Just makes it more relaxed and enjoyable the day of. I start washing and polishing a week or two prior, and do the floral arrangements a couple of nights before. eta: We have only had it here a handful of times because we live at least 2 hours from everyone. When we go to his family’s celebrations it’s usually very casual with buffet style set up in the kitchen and paper napkins/plates. If it’s his mom I’ll help her set the table(s) with tablecloth(s), silverware and glasses but everything else is buffet style in the kitchen in the dishes they were cooked in. My family now eats out. But we used to always have it at Granma’s everything was served buffet style on her dining room table because that was the only place with enough room. It was set up beautifully using her best serving pieces. And then we’d all plonk ourselves down in the living room to eat, often on the floor
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breetheflea
Drama Llama
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Location: PNW
Jul 20, 2014 21:57:23 GMT
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Post by breetheflea on Nov 13, 2023 20:34:49 GMT
There are only six of us, and my kitchen doesn't work well for buffet style, so all the food goes on the dinner table, and we pass stuff.
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Post by ScrapbookMyLife on Nov 13, 2023 20:36:51 GMT
It depends on which of the two hosts are hosting.
Home 1: Appetizers prior to meal on island and kitchen table. Dinner food is platters, bowls, dishes, etc...on table and passed around. Initially (first go around) everything is passed in one direction. For seconds or thirds, that item is passed to whomever wants it. Drinks are usually brings whatever you are currently drinking to the table or grab something from the fridge and bring it with you to the table.
Home 2: Appetizers on the island, which are moved to counter prior to dinner. Dinner platters, bowls, dishes, etc... are on the island and everything is help yourself buffet style. Drinks are usually brings whatever you are currently drinking to the table or grab something from the fridge and bring it with you to the table.
Both homes: Sturdier paper plates and that homes glasses and utensils. Random seating. Sit wherever. Infant and toddler chairs attach to the table, and the seat next to it left for one of the Parents.
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