Our End of the Rainbow: Reservations for 40, please!

For the 4th year in a row, we hosted the Empty Nesters Christmas Dinner Party. The first couple of years, around 25 people came. Last year, it was closer to 30. This year, it reached 40 people. Some make this the only Empty Nester event they attend all year.

On Wednesday, I started putting up Christmas decorations and finished on Friday. Paul and I set up tables on Saturday. I spent the rest of the day ironing tablecloths and napkins. By Sunday, I began setting tables with centerpieces, dishes, silverware, glasses, salt and pepper shakers, butter dishes, and napkins. On Monday, the day of the party, I prepared my food assignments (the event is potluck so I didn't have to cook very much), folded napkins, and selected candles.

During those days of preparation, I kept wondering if it was all worth it. I asked myself if it is wise to spend the better part of a week preparing for a dinner party that would last a few hours. Several times each day, I called my mom to get her input on coordinating various centerpieces with respective tablecloths. She loves it. I'm amazed at how she can visualize the table decor and offer suggestions from her mental images. I could barely grasp it standing right in front of the tables. There were 6 tables to decorate. The living room had 2 tables for 6, the library and entry each had a table for 6, my kitchen table expanded to seat 10, and I set an additional small table for 4 near the door to the balcony. That totals seating for 38. After hosting so many dinners, I'm well aware that some people have to cancel at the last minute. I was right. Two couples had to cancel, so only 36 dined together leaving 2 vacant seats.

True to form, I didn't get as many pictures as I had planned (e.g. none in the kitchen). Nevertheless, I took a few. Guests were asked to put their place cards at the table and seat of their choice. Main dishes, side dishes, and rolls went on the kitchen counter. I set up a salad table in the walkway from the living room to the garage. Desserts went in the laundry room with the dessert plates and forks. After dinner, we moved the salads to the laundry room and placed the desserts on the salad table.

Paul gave a welcome and offered a prayer and some instructions before we got started.

These guests sat at the table in the entry.

This is one of the tables in the living room.

Here's the second living room table.

Some of these guests choose to eat in the library every year. The lighting is soft but not nearly as dark as it appears in this picture. My home teacher (sitting at the end) selects this spot every year because he enjoys being near the fireplace.

One lady told me in all seriousness, "Diane, we should do this 3 or even 4 times a year because people really like it." I just chuckled rather than say, "Are you freaking kidding me???" Paul later reminded me that she was just commenting on how she enjoys these dinners.

After dinner, we read through my Christmas program. People didn't lose their places very often, but I'm still surprised that the year the youth read it, not one person missed a part. Paul was my stand-in narrator. After the program, we had a brief Christmas carol sing-a-long. My friend, Kathy, brought her music and played beautifully. Her talent is impressive and adds much to the ambiance of the celebration.

After the program, and by popular request, we held an impromptu bell choir. My friend, Bob, created the sheet music, and I added the note letters underscored with the respective color of each bell. What could be simpler? You don't have to read music. Just play your bell when you see your color. The first group to play looks pretty serious. The music was comical.

Kathy tried to instruct the second group, and they sounded better.

When Paul got up to play, he announced that his group would be the "all stars." No lack of confidence there! We could almost tell which carol they played!