IVDSO: HELP! I'm planning dinner for 60!

[chitownmelli]

Oh you can totally do that! Awesome on the brainstorming.

I once called about renting chairs, they wanted about $1 each for the day. Not too bad, I think.

[XUfan]

I know that you said you can't do a potluck, but is there any problem with having people sign up for a "party planning committee"? (I know... I watch The Office too much!). Seriously, there's always a few people who just LOVE to plan stuff!! Maybe you could offer small gift bags (of free stuff you've gotten) to the people who can help you put it all together.

[chitownmelli]

This whole conversation is making ME want to throw a huge party lmao! Too bad I am not closer to OP's work, huh? ;)

[Arie]

Anyone who wants to come and help me out can have all of my B1G1 and Free coupons! hehehe.

I'm in the 12183 zip at work, so you'll have to plan your own transportation. I don't think that 'hcw travel' is in the budget!

[Arie]

Originally Posted by XUfan ...Seriously, there's always a few people who just LOVE to plan stuff!! Maybe you could offer small gift bags (of free stuff you've gotten) to the people who can help you put it all together.

In most *normal* places of employment, that would work.

However, I work in a company which has three woman in the work place, one of which is me! The other two ladies don't even want to get involved. (My boss has said that she'll help, but she has the temper and attention span of a fire ant!)

The guys, as nice as they can be (some days), have no desire to do anything except for eat. I asked them to help me set up last time and they looked at me like I asked them to slaughter their family dog! There was one guy who helped me, and he got so much flack from the other guys that I'm not sure he'd want to help again.

I basically have to hire help, or do it all myself unfortunately!

[Mama Stu]

Last year at Christmas we had a family dinner catered by a local grocery store chain. Usually my Mom cooks but she had just broken her shoulder and I live in a different state(I love to cook and bake. ) Anyway, it cost us about $7 a person, but we had enough left over that we all ate another meal from it. We had all made a dessert( a couple came with the meal) and I think maybe another side or two. The food was really good and it was so much less stress on my Mom that we have decided to do that again this year. Maybe you could check your local grocery stores for that.

[Mama Stu]

Originally Posted by Arie Anyone who wants to come and help me out can have all of my B1G1 and Free coupons! hehehe. I'm in the 12183 zip at work, so you'll have to plan your own transportation. I don't think that 'hcw travel' is in the budget!

Hey, I'm thinking if those of us that cook and bake come help out , and use our coupons we could cut the cost down far enough that there SHOULD be hcw travel money in the budget

[XUfan]

Originally Posted by Arie In most *normal* places of employment, that would work. However, I work in a company which has three woman in the work place, one of which is me! The other two ladies don't even want to get involved. (My boss has said that she'll help, but she has the temper and attention span of a fire ant!) The guys, as nice as they can be (some days), have no desire to do anything except for eat. I asked them to help me set up last time and they looked at me like I asked them to slaughter their family dog! There was one guy who helped me, and he got so much flack from the other guys that I'm not sure he'd want to help again. I basically have to hire help, or do it all myself unfortunately!

I'm so sorry to hear that. But it got me to thinking about the place where I work. I work in the kitchen at a nursing home. Out of the dozen of us that work in there, I think only myself and the one cook who is 67 would be willing to put anything together like that. Some of the other people who work in the building might help, but I doubt it. And we're about 85% women.

[cheesecake]

I think the prepared turkey and ham dinners from the grocery store is a good idea. Also, here in TX it's fairly easy to find someone to cater barbeque or fajitas for $8 per person. That includes all the paper plates, etc., plus iced tea to drink. As far as desserts, I'll bet the wives of some of these guys would love to show off their culinary talents. I always loved baking something for my DH when there was a sign up sheet at work!

[Arie]

I think that if this were a BBQ or Potluck type of thing, that sign up sheets would be okay. They'd probably go over well actually. (Our guys LOVE playing with BBQ).

However, since this is supposed to be a 'company sponsored event' (as it has been the past 50 years), I think it probably wouldn't be accepted too well if I were to ask them all to help.

It's hard to break tradition (habits), ya know?