I sometimes do a large pork tenderloin in the oven and serve with gravy from the pan drippings. Serve rice pilaf, yams peeled and boiled like potatoes and mashed with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Make a salad with greens, sliced fresh pears and blue cheese crumbles and a poppy seed dressing. Hot rolls and for a dessert I make either a sour cream chocolate cake or a lemon cheesecake.

Definitely time for a change, have you considered a pot luck meal? Buying, preparing and hosting 40 people is a big job and is expensive. I was hosting a full meal for my extended family before I discovered my company really felt uncomfortable always being the guests. They wanted to contribute and with me doing the whole thing, they felt guilty. By dividing up the work, everyone is a part of the big day and everyone is happier. And best of all, the menu varies from year to year!

I always prepare the same meal: ham, mac and cheese, green beans, scallop potatoes, baked beans, and rolls. For dessert Christmas cookies and applesauce cake.

My crew comes/goes at different times.I.make electric roaster full of Chili and have fresh rolls and a fruit salad. Dessert is.potluck.

My large family has had pork loin for Christmas as well. It was my mother's favorite. Potatoes, carrots and onions were roasted in the pan juices. Creamed baby onions and peas, homemade chunky applesauce. Homemade rolls or biscuits. Four layer chocolate cake with fudge frosting. Christmas morning the first thing to eat was a box of See's chocolates. The two pound size.

I am no help with dinner as someone in the family always does turkey.

I do brunch on Christmas Day. I can have anywhere from 10 - 20 people. I do have one hard and fast rule, no guests can arrive before 10:00 am.

I make 2-3 wife savers, bacon, sausages, tea, coffee, champagne and OJ, plus a fruit plate.

I do make make ahead mashed potatoes for big dinners. I make up one to two huge lasagna pans of them. Everyone loves them and they taste really good.

My husband is Sicilian....loves Christmas and cooking for all our extended family (we even do Christmas in July). As well as at least 3 roast meats, vegetable dishes and salads he also does Lasagne and Pasta al Forno (which is a baked pasta dish). The beauty of the Lasange and the Pasta is that it can be made ahead of time and just needs reheating just before serving. We also don't always do desert....maybe homemade fruitcake (made a month before) and because it's summer here at Christmas time icecream. One year we did icecream cones (complete with sprinkles)....brought back kiddie memories for all our boys (the eldest in his mid thirties and the youngest 20).

Have you tried a mexican menu? or Italian menu ? we try to vary the whole thing up. Ham, Prime rib, german foods, mexican, italian for Christmas to vary things. We try to get various recipes from friends, relatives, magazines etc and try them out before hand then feast at Christmas.

I spent all day in labor on xmas and my first born was born on the 26th! It is my favorite xmas memory : )

Christmas dinner the last few years has been prime rib, sweet potato souffle, homemade bread, and whatever side dishes people bring and of course Christmas cookies.