Where we used to live in Alabama, our gated community only had about 28 homes. Every year from 1991 to 1997, around Christmas, we had a Progressive Dinner. Since we could walk to any of the homes, we didn't have to worry if we got a little too "merry". We moved to Florida in Sept. '98, and I think they still had it for a few more years after that.
The first couple of years we used six houses, but found that we really only needed four. At the first house we had drinks and appetizers. At the second was salad and wine. The third home had the main meal, and the fourth had desserts and after dinner drinks.
The year I hosted the main meal, we had 20 women participating. Naturally, the main course needed more help than the salad course, so we divided up accordingly. 5 on appetizers, 4 on salads, 8 on main meal, and 3 on desserts.
We divided the cost of 2 turkeys and 1 ham between the 8 of us that were on my committee. Then, each one of us also cooked a dish. Ray cooked the turkeys and ham. Others brought corn casserole, sweet potato casserole, English pea casserole, shrimp and green beans casserole, Spinach Madeleine, wild rice casserole, cranberry mold, rolls and wine. My committee helped with the set up and anything else I needed. BTW, when I checked my notes I kept, there were 38 attending, not 35.
We would all gather at the 1st home and enjoy mixed drinks and appetizers for maybe about 1 hour or so. After the first few years, we started chipping in $10 per couple to defray some of the liquor cost for the night.
Whoever was hosting the salad would leave about 15 min. before everyone else so she could rush over to her house and get ready. She would then call back to the 1st home when it was okay to come. Then it was the responsibility of the 1st hostess to herd everyone over to the second house. We were happy by then, but okay.
Sometimes the salad course was sit down and sometimes it was buffet style, depending upon the size of the house and the wishes of the hostess. After the salad and more drinks, we staggered over to the main meal home. That was usually sit down, but it was also at the discretion of the hostess.
In my case, I had a large den; so I pushed all of my furniture back, borrowed four long folding tables from Mike's office and set them up to seat 7, 8, 8, and 6. We had a big air conditioned porch, with double doors leading onto it from the den. Out there I set up two tables for 5 and 4. With the doors open, it was very "together". I had an 11 ft. tree in the den and a table top tree on the porch.
Each table was covered with a linen tablecloth / napkins, and had a Christmas centerpiece I had made. We used our china and crystal. I had all of the food set up in the dining room; but I set each place at the table and let everyone take their plate and go serve themselves. More drinks, more wine.
Now we're singing Christmas Carols between houses.
By the time we reached the dessert home, everyone was full. From experience we learned never to have over three desserts, and to make at least one of them light.
Every year the ladies dressed in holiday attire. We had originally wanted the husbands to wear coats and ties, but they rebelled. But, they did have to wear slacks --- no shorts allowed.
It was a fun time, and we looked forward to it every year. I really do miss it.
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