Seating for Seventeen

When I married Derek almost twenty (gasp) years ago I gained a husband and a Christmas Eve tradition all in one. My family didn't really have any distinct holiday traditions, it was always kind of hodge podge and hit and miss. So the idea of a standing tradition really appealed to me (even if the raw meat did not.....I was a non beef eater at the time) and when Derek and I left California and had to figure out holidays on our own we pulled out the fondue pot and carried on his family's tradition.
This is the way we "fondue"......(Oh and this generally works best for a group of 8-10 people.) A large quantity of butter is melted in each pot and a piece of raw beef is jabbed with a fondue fork and cooked for an undetermined amount of time. The meat is then dipped into one of 3 fabulous sauces........a hot and spicy chili sauce, a creamy mushroom sauce and a tangy horseradish sauce. The prep for the meal is relatively simple, the sides are baked potatoes with butter, sour cream and whatever else your heart desires, grilled asparagus, green salad and rolls. One of my favorite things about this meal is that it takes a while so there is plenty of time to sit and visit. This year was a bit of a challenge as we "fondued" with our biggest group ever. My brother Marvin and his family were here for Christmas and altogether there were 17 of us. It took a little creativity to seat all of us, but with the help of Derek and the girls we made it happen. And even though I wanted to cheat this year, skip tradition and make something easier to serve (I was thinking buffet style), I am grateful for the not sogentle nudge to stick with what we know. It was worth it.