Christmas Dinner for 8. No,... 9. No,...10!

My Christmas dinner was in the planning stages at Thanksgiving.  It's always easier to think about the next holiday meal when I'm in the middle of a current one because my mind is full of food ideas, appetizers, desserts, side dishes, etc.  My husband has remarked, on more than one occasion, my family is the only family he knows who will talk about their next meal while eating the one in front of them.  I doubt it's true but it makes him happy to think so.
  
Not my Christmas table but...somebody's! (forgot to take photos ack!)

Christmas dinner was no exception.  My friend and her husband were in town for the holidays.  We wanted to share dinner with them and their eldest son who lives here.  She and I began planning a meal for the eight people we expected to serve:  my husband, two sons, my MIL, my GF, her husband and son.  I asked if her other son was joining us?

  "No" she said.  "He doesn't want to have to "make plans'".  She rolled her eyes.  

My table fits eight, I have a fine china service for eight, crystal  champagne goblets for eight and I ordered a standing rib roast with 3 ribs...perfect for eight.  I'd bought it on sale at Thanksgiving.  It was in the freezer.

A few days before Christmas, my younger son's girlfriend wanted to know what time we were eating so she could eat with us after her family's meal.  Huh?  This girl is barely 5' tall & very petite.  I told her five o'clock.  She didn't think she could make that.  Crisis averted.

Wednesday, my GF came to the office and said her mother was flying in from N.M. unexpectedly.  Was that all right?  Of course.  Now I had nine for sure, ten if my son's GF showed up.  I called the butcher.  

"You'll need a bigger roast" he said.  "That rib roast won't serve ten or even nine."   He cut me a new 7 lb, boneless roast.  I left the other in the freezer.  

The table was set for nine.  It was tight but manageable.  Yesterday, my son advised me his girl wouldn't make it and I relaxed.  The table looked awesome.  When our guests arrived, they brought food, wine, appetizers and two large boxes of Rocky Mountain Chocolate apples.  They own a franchise.  Their eldest had his young Golden Doodle along.  We expected that.  Next person through the door was their younger son.  Did not expect that!    He had either not been invited to dinner at his GFs' home or he'd changed his mind.  Either way, we were now ten.

I hadn't had a drink up to this point.

I scrambled to set another place at the table and let the menfolk figure out where the extra chairs, stools or bench could be found.  I served the food from my kitchen island and everyone squeezed in together.  One of the boys said "Grace" (literally) and the guys started eating before the women had finished serving.  Sound familiar?  The food was delicious, could have been hotter but it made it to the table and into their mouths without complaint.

I had several glasses of red wine.  I was grateful to sit down.  I was grateful we were able to fit around the table.  It was a motley crew of three generations; four, if you count the dogs.  It all worked out.

My advise to you is:  always make more food than you need on a holiday.  It will save you lots of grief.  Oh, and while eating our dinner Christmas night, I was already thinking about New Years.