We have successfully had American Thanksgiving here, with more than 30 people descending to eat vast amounts of food. This is at least our 6th Big Thanksgiving, and this year we got everything on the table at the same time and with an absolute minimum of difficulties. We’ve become a well-oiled machine! Dad commented on how impressed he was that Ted and I were both in the kitchen without killing each other, but the size of the kitchen in this house helped that a lot (not that we’ve ever killed each other during Thanksgiving, but it was less stressy in a kitchen this big). We did notice that our stress levels shot up when there were even just two more people in the kitchen doing things (getting coffee, etc), but once the coffee was sorted I ruthlessly threw people out of the kitchen so we could work, and it went very well. And once the food was out and all, it was fine for people to be hanging around in there to talk, which they did.
The kitchen ended up impressively clean at the end of the evening, which is good because we did nothing in it at all on Sunday until our houseguest, in a fit of kindness, loaded the dishwasher at the end of the day. Ted and I were shattered. :)
Someday I’ll learn to throw smaller dinner parties, though, so I actually get to talk to people more than hugging them hello and goodbye. :)