How to host your first Christmas dinner?

These tips and tricks will help you pull together a fabulous celebration without losing your holiday spirit or your mind.

You will need:

adequate seating and tableware

all the family's favorite foods

Christmas ornaments or bunches of red and green grapes and candles

optional: a cleaning service.

Step 1

Figure out if you have enough chairs sitting space and tableware. Borrow from friends and neighbors to fill any holes or check out a thrift store. If you don't need or want it that towards, don’t need aback. Throw some cushions on the floor around your coffee table and let little guests eat there.

Step 2

Call your guests so you have a handle on how many people are coming and an excuse to fish for contributions. People often want to contribute especially if it ensures that a holiday favorite we'll be on the table.

Step 3

Don't be shy about asking for assistance before, during and after. You'll need all the help he can preparing the food, getting your home ready, serving and cleaning up afterward. If your budget allows it, hire a cleaning service a day or two before.

Step 4

All your family traditions even if you personally think that eggnog is nauseating and fruitcake isn’t really dessert.  If it's important to someone, serve it. And let them to take the leftovers home.

Step 5

Finalize your menu and go shopping. Figure out what you can make aheads so that the big day is not such a rush and remember now is not the time to attempt to dish you have  never tried.

Step 6

When it comes to dinner don't surprise your guests with toast if they already had a Christmas ham. If you want to serve something different, make it in addition to, not instead of the family favorite. Then on these per person servings:
1 lb. meat
1/2 c. potatoes
1/2 c. vegetable side dishes
2 dinner rolls
1/8 pie or cake
3 of each kind of cookie

Step 7

Make a simple table centerpiece out of a bowl of ornaments in two colors like golden and red or a bowl of the bunches of red and green grapes. Perhaps around a pair candle. Line the table with bottle of candles. You are all set. 

Did you know? Candy canes evolved from handicraft, a sweet invented in 17th -century Germany to keep children quiet during Christmas church services."