christmas table will be a squeeze - any tips?

emg

We've got more than usual for christmas this year and while we will (just) fit everyone round the table, there wont be much room for everyone. I would really like to have all the food on the table for people to help themselves but there wont be room for lots of extra dishes. The dining room itself is also tiny and, with the table extended, there isnt really room for anything like a sideboard or serving trolley.

I know I cant magic up extra space where there is none but I just wondered what other people do and if anyone had any clever tips for how to manage this.

nikkiuk

There are always loads of people at my mum's at Christmas! (15 last year!) her dining room is too small so we move the table in to the living room for lunch and also use a second smaller table (less than £20 at Ikea) at the side, with a table cloth on it is fine.
We have the serving dishes on the table but also use a trolley-we can only do that by using the living room. It only takes 15 minutes or so before and after to set it up and put it away.

MrsC....tobe

My mum used to push all the furniture in the living room to the side and take the table through from the kitchen. They would put a large piece of hardboard or similar over the top of the table to double it in size and get far more people around it. Covered with a cloth you wouldn't know the difference - just have to be a bit more careful when the wine takes hold that you don't lean too heavily on one side!

[Deleted User]

Hi,

MrsC....tobe wrote: »

just have to be a bit more careful when the wine takes hold that you don't lean too heavily on one side!

ha ha, yes, could be a catastrophe :rotfl:.

MrsC....tobe

I'd say! We had 12 around it one year and managed to avoid the 'tip', although there was a few slides! All depends on the size though and if you manage to find something to help fix it in place - plenty of those anti-slip type mats around these days that they didn't have then!

scaredy_cat

cab you serve the plates with some of the food in it already - like the roast tatties, some veg, then those dishes can be left in the kitchen and if anyone wants seconds they can get up and help themselves? it would make some space on the table.

sethsgran

One lesson I have learnt for our big family christmas is to create a selection of all vegetables on a few platters, 3 platters this year. This way you don't have to wait for the sprouts to come the length of the table and then miss the carrots. Instead we will all have close to us a selection of everything on offer close to hand.

mummyroysof3

we bring in the garden table and chairs cos even us 5 are a squeeze round our table lol...only 2 extra for one of my christmas days this year

Itsgottabedone

In Jamie Oliver's Italian restaurants they make the most of limited table space by putting a couple of bricks on the table with a narrow (approx 15cm) wooden board on the bricks. Makes a "bridge" - larger serving dishes can fit on the table under the bridge and smaller ones sit on top of it.

If money's no object, you can buy a posh version (google "Jamie Oliver antipasti platter"), but I'm sure the bricks/board arrangement could be prettied up for your festive table!

Archiebear

We have a similiar problem as our dining area is quite small - it's the L bit of the living area and because of the way furniture is arranged it would be loads of hassle to move around.We also have to fit the highchair for baby in.

Last year we bought two cheap pasting tables (put boxes under the middle part for extra strength) and made a really long table, worked extremely well and took just two minutes to put anyway, plus it was very MSE as the kids both needed to decorate so got a paste table each LOL

Itsgottabedone:love this idea, simple but effective! I'll defintely be using this tip!

JJ.

Itsgottabedone wrote: »

In Jamie Oliver's Italian restaurants they make the most of limited table space by putting a couple of bricks on the table with a narrow (approx 15cm) wooden board on the bricks. Makes a "bridge" - larger serving dishes can fit on the table under the bridge and smaller ones sit on top of it.

If money's no object, you can buy a posh version (google "Jamie Oliver antipasti platter"), but I'm sure the bricks/board arrangement could be prettied up for your festive table!

That is a fanflippingtastic idea!! Thanks for posting that. x:T:beer: