10 Nov How to Host a Stress-Free Holiday Gathering
Believe it or not, it’s November already and that means, the holiday season is here! Spending time with loved ones can be rewarding but all the preparation and then cleanup after an event can be exhausting and stressful. Host a party and enjoy it too with these tips for hosting a stress-free holiday gathering, big or small.
Make a List
Even if you’re not a big “list person” this tip is the best place to start. Depending on the scope of your gathering there may be a lot of details to keep track of and the last thing a host wants is to realize during the event that something was forgotten. Create a list of everything that will need to be prepared and don’t be afraid to delegate some of the tasks.
Plan an Easy Menu
As impressive as fancy food is, guests at a holiday party are more interested in spending quality time with loved ones than critiquing the menu. Keep it simple and prepare as much ahead of time as possible. There is no written rule that says everything needs to be made from scratch so pick up pre-made items to reduce stress. A colorful, tasty assortment will ensure guests are happy and able to focus on having a good time.
Keep Conversation Light
Making it to the end of a year (especially 2020) calls for an easy celebration. Help steer the conversation towards light topics and stay away from controversial things like politics or past family troubles. Everyone will thank you if your table is an enjoyable and comfortable place to be.
Perfection is for the Birds
If you have the perfect get together pictured in your mind, take that picture down a notch or two. Even with all the planning in the world, something always goes differently than planned – and that’s ok! Part of what makes getting together with loved ones so wonderful is that it’s unpredictable because everyone brings something different to the table. Plan the best you can and then enjoy whatever happens.
Don’t Forget the Kids
If you have children attending your gathering, keep that in mind. Plan a few activities or games to keep them entertained so adults and kids can enjoy their time. The activities don’t have to be anything overly involved either. Tossing a few balloons into a crowd of kids is one of the easiest low-prep, no-rules games there is!
Follow these tips to keep things low stress and actually enjoy hosting this holiday season! What tips did we miss? Tell us in the comments below!