Anonymous wrote:Most parents want their children at home on Christmas Eve. You would have to be paying $25 plus per hour and a top.

Not Jewish people. I always found ways to work on Christmas Eve and Christmas in high school and college.

First of all, you are missing the joy of the event by stressing yourself out. Make a list of what stresses you. Too many foods to warm? Swap some out for make ahead or cold dishes. Use crockpots to do soups or chills instead. Pair down dishes to disposables and have plenty of trash bins ready to go. Go for less high maintenance foods-rolls instead of bread to be sliced, salads instead of cooked veggies. Put drinks in coolers and on a table away from the kitchen to move people away from that area. Leave plenty of things like silverware and napkins out ahead of time so you aren't running for them. What are some other stressors? Let us help you brainstorm!

You mean foreign grad students who don't have anywhere to go that night? A few years ago, I would have come

I think you're probably not going to find hired help, except perhaps your neighbor high schoolers who don't celebrate Christmas, or don't do Christmas Eve at any rate.

What you should do is streamline the whole production:
1. Prep as much as you can in advance.
2. Buy what you can't make.
3. Ask your family and ILs for specific help, so that people don't mill around getting in your way.
4. Have a designated person to entertain/manage the kids.
5. And above all, lower your expectations!
(6. And perhaps, do extra yoga, glass of wine, xanax, before the big stress. Whatever helps.)

Why don't some of your guests help?

Most parents want their children at home on Christmas Eve. You would have to be paying $25 plus per hour and a top.

Every year I host my extended family and my in laws for xmas eve dinner. Our house is tiny but cozy, all the kids play piano for each other, and it's the only time of the year when the whole family gathers. I want to keep doing this but it's killing me. I get so stressed I'm sweating bullets the whole night, yelling at people to stay out of our tiny kitchen while I'm trying to warm up food, and generally regretting the decision to host. But my family loves it and it feels like the right thing to do. Has anyone hired students to help with prep and clean up? Our budget is very modest and hiring help seems beyond our means, but I'm wondering if it's worth it and how I would go about doing this. Advice?