The Thanksgiving Calculator: How to Organize and Cook Holiday Dinner for a Crowd (42) using Spreadsheets

Step 5 Enjoy the party

Now, enjoy your party. You've planned ahead, so everything's done; you're able to mingle, eat, and generally have a good time. Accept any and all offers to do dishes or otherwise help with clean-up; large group events are NOT the time to play martyr. Just offer an apron and step back.

Again, I cannot emphasize enough: make sure you take notes on this year's successes and failures, particularly with respect to quantity. You'll appreciate it next year.

Also, if you felt forced to cut corners (using disposables, faking tables/seating, etc) now's your chance to plan ahead. Craig's List and eBay are your friends, but it's even better to build things yourself. There are nice instructables on woodworking, several dfferent tables and chairs, creative serving dishes, aprons, napkins, and the like; try them out over the next year. If you build anything cool document it- we'd all like to leverage your experience.

Instructables has a boatload of useful recipes as well; try them out and add to your repertoire, and share your favorites with us. Best of all, for a potluck you can send recipe assignments with an accompanying Instructable to make sure things go well.